NICOSIA WITHIN THE MEDIEVAL WALLS-8K

Description

Nicosia Within Medieval Walls Tour begins near the Old part of Nicosia which lays inside the 16th-century medieval walls built by the Venetians and it’s a maze of narrow colorful streets full of sights and sounds. This is where most of Nicosia’s rich historic past is still evident and during this 8km run, you will get to run by several Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques, British Colonial mansions, and museums.

We start by exploring the more residential area of the walled city where quaint streets, hidden cafes, artist’s workshops, galleries, and bookshops give a relaxed feeling. But we will also run along the UN-controlled Buffer zone/ “Green Line”, where time has frozen for decades and most streets lead to barbed wired dead-ends. This will take us to the busier side of town after passing by Famagusta Gate, one of the 3 Gates of the Medieval walls which is now a Municipal Cultural Center, the State Art Gallery, the Printmaking museum, and other municipal and independent Art Centers. We will exit the walls briefly by the Paphos Gate to run along the walls up to the historic Ledra Palace and the Home for Cooperation.

On our way back we will run in the moat of the walls and then on top of the recently completed (and rather controversial) Eleftheria Square, re-designed by the late Zaha Hadid, a project where the highly modern has met the medieval past of the city.

Please note that because of strict regulations due to the pandemic, crossing the checkpoint to the northern part of the walled city is for now suspended and this tour will only cover the southern part as described above.