The old city is built in a perfect circle
The old city is built in a perfect circle
The historic center of Nicosia sits inside the famous Venetian Walls of Nicosia, built by the Venetians in the 16th century to defend the city from Ottoman attacks. From above, the walls form a near-perfect circular ring, but with 11 triangular bastions, giving the city its distinctive star-like shape.
The design was not just aesthetic. It was cutting-edge military engineering of the Renaissance. The angled bastions allowed defenders to fire along the walls and eliminate blind spots, making it much harder for attackers to approach.
Helpful InformationPlaces to visit
The Nicosia Walled City is the historic heart of the capital, enclosed by the impressive 16th-century Venetian walls built to protect the city from invasion. Its circular fortifications and eleven bastions remain among the most distinctive architectural features in Cyprus.
Eleftheria Square is a central public square in Nicosia that connects the modern city with the historic Walled City. Redesigned by renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the space combines contemporary architecture with the historic Venetian walls.
Athalassa is a large natural park on the outskirts of Nicosia that offers walking trails, cycling paths, and scenic lakes surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation. The park provides a peaceful environment where visitors can experience the natural landscape of Cyprus close to the city.
AthalassaPedieos River Park follows the course of the Pedieos River and forms one of the longest green corridors in Nicosia. The park offers walking and cycling paths that run alongside natural scenery and urban neighborhoods.
Ledra Street: Nicosia’s bustling pedestrian thoroughfare, lined with shops, cafes, and historic buildings.
Nicosia Shopping Mall: With a diverse range of shops, boutiques, and international brands, the mall offers something for everyone, from fashionistas to tech enthusiasts.
Makariou Street: As the city’s main commercial artery, it buzzes with activity throughout the weekends, drawing shoppers with its wide array of fashion, accessories, and luxury goods.
The Academic Heart of Cyprus
The old town turns into a cultural stage
During major cultural festivals, the historic center of Nicosia transforms into a lively open-air stage. Streets, courtyards, and small squares inside the Venetian Walls of Nicosia fill with music, theatre performances, art installations, and outdoor concerts. Instead of quiet alleyways and cafés, visitors suddenly find themselves walking through a city-wide cultural event.
What makes the experience unique is the setting. Performances often take place among centuries-old buildings, traditional houses, and historic landmarks, blending modern art with the city’s long past. Locals and visitors wander through the old streets discovering events as they go, turning a simple evening walk into an unexpected cultural adventure.
Helpful InformationActivities for everyone
Cycling Tour of Nicosia
Cycling in Nicosia offers a relaxed way to explore the city’s historic center and surrounding neighborhoods. The municipality has gradually expanded its urban cycling network, with bike lanes and shared routes connecting key areas of the capital, including parks, university districts, and the old town within the Venetian Walls of Nicosia. A cycling tour can take riders past important landmarks such as Famagusta Gate, the Cyprus Museum, and the lively streets around Ledra Street. Because the city center is relatively compact, cyclists can easily combine sightseeing with stops at cafés, museums, and cultural sites, making cycling tours an enjoyable and practical way to discover Nicosia’s history and everyday urban life.
Fairy Tale Museum
The Fairytale Museum project aims to “bring to life” the Magic Objects Room of the Fairytale Museum in Nicosia using technology and offers a semi-immersive experience for young children through music, animations, and narration. The project is the result of the competition “Let Technology Rise You Up – Open competition for Museums and Cultural sites”, which was launched by the Museum Lab and the developed exhibition was fully funded and developed by CYENS. The experience is available in both Greek and English. The project is a collaboration of the Museum Lab with ITICA.
Hammam Omerye
Wine Tasting at a local winery
Take a day trip to Oenou Yi winery for a romantic wine-tasting experience. Sample some of Cyprus’s finest wines and enjoy the stunning vineyard views. It’s a delightful escape from the city.
Hiking in Athalassa National Forest Park
Near the city, Athalassa National Forest Park offers trails suitable for mountain biking and off-road cycling. Riders can navigate dirt paths, small hills, and forest routes while enjoying natural landscapes only a short distance from the capital.
Mountain Running
The Troodos Mountains offer some of the best terrain in Cyprus for trail and mountain running. Located about an hour from Nicosia, the region features pine forests, mountain ridges, and scenic trails that attract runners looking for both endurance training and natural beauty.
Popular running routes pass through areas near Mount Olympus (Cyprus), where higher elevation and cooler temperatures make the conditions ideal during the warmer months. Many of the forest trails used for hiking and cycling are also suitable for trail running, offering varied terrain that includes steep climbs, winding paths, and panoramic viewpoints.
Riverland Bio Farm
A countryside farm and educational space located near the Pedieos River, not far from Nicosia. The farm focuses on organic agriculture and sustainable living, offering visitors the chance to experience traditional farming practices and learn about ecological food production. The farm includes vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and areas where visitors can interact with farm animals. It also hosts workshops, educational activities, and family-friendly events that introduce children and adults to organic farming, environmental awareness, and rural life in Cyprus.
Nicosia Meze Experience
Across Nicosia, traditional meze taverns offer a central part of the local dining culture, serving a wide selection of small dishes that highlight Cypriot cuisine. A typical Meze includes grilled meats, fresh salads, dips, and local specialties such as halloumi, loukaniko, and seasonal vegetables, presented in a continuous flow rather than a single course.
These taverns combine food with social experience, often set in traditional interiors or lively courtyards, particularly within the old town. Well-known areas such as Ledra Street and nearby neighborhoods host a variety of options ranging from casual to more refined establishments. Conference participants can plan a group dinner at a meze tavern to experience local gastronomy in a structured yet relaxed setting, with most venues accommodating larger groups and offering set menus that simplify the dining experience.
Beyond the VenueNicosia
Lunch Break DiscoveriesNicosia
- UCY (New Campus)
- UCY (Old Campus)
- Filoxenia
Just a short distance from the UCY New Campus, you can visit the Environmental Information Centre in Aglantzia, a small but fascinating collection showcasing the island’s wildlife. From the main campus entrance, head toward Aglantzia and follow signs in the direction of Athalassa Park; it’s about a 5–7 minute drive or roughly a 20-minute walk. Along the way, you’ll pass residential streets and the green edge of the park, which makes the walk feel less like a chore and more like a transition.
Alternatively, if you’d rather skip walls and glass cases, walk straight into Athalassa National Forest Park, located right next to the campus. Within minutes, you’ll reach shaded paths and the lake area, ideal for a relaxed loop before heading back. The park entrance is clearly visible from the campus perimeter, so even with zero sense of direction, you’re unlikely to get lost. Both options are close, easy, and just enough to reset your brain before the next session.
If you have an hour between sessions, step out and let the city do the work. Just a 5 minutes walk from the UCY Old Campus, Akadimias Park offers a quiet, shaded escape, which is ideal for a short stroll or simply sitting under the trees before heading back. Exit the campus toward the city centre and you’ll spot the park almost immediately, a small but welcome contrast to the urban surroundings. A cozy coffee shop and a dog park are waiting for you.
For something more lively, head toward Ledra Street, about a 30-minute walk away. Follow the flow toward the old town and you’ll quickly reach the pedestrian street, lined with cafés, shops, and constant movement. It’s an easy, intuitive route with clear signage, and within minutes you’re in the heart of Nicosia—perfect for a quick coffee, a short wander, and a reminder that life exists outside conference rooms.
Just a 5-minute walk from Filoxenia, you’ll reach Akadimias Park, where the University of Cyprus Old Campus is also located. Once you exit the venue, cross the street you will find the park’s entrance. This option is ideal for a short walk under the trees or simply sitting down and switching off for a bit. A cozy coffee shop and a dog park are waiting for you.
Athalassas National Park
Located on the outskirts of Nicosia, the Athalassa National Forest Park is one of the largest green spaces in the capital, offering a structured natural environment with walking and cycling paths, picnic areas, and open landscapes. The park combines managed forest areas with natural habitats, making it suitable for both leisure and light outdoor activity.
The park is also home to the Athalassa Environmental Information Centre, which provides educational exhibits on Cyprus’ ecosystems, biodiversity, and conservation efforts. Seasonal changes bring a variety of flora and birdlife, particularly around the park’s lake, making it a point of interest for nature observation within an urban setting.
Conference participants can use the park as an accessible escape from the city environment, whether for a short walk, informal outdoor meetings, or recreational activities. Its proximity to Nicosia and well-maintained infrastructure make it a practical option for incorporating nature into a limited schedule.