Nicosia, also known as Lefkosia, the island’s capital, combines both old and new in a busy modern commercial and business centre and a centuries-old culture. The centre of the city comprehends its old quarter surrounded by a Venetian sandstone fortress wall with a moat and heart-shaped bastions. Mosques and palm trees give an oriental atmosphere to the old city. Wander along narrow streets with overhanging balconies and beautifully restored pedestrian precincts with craft shops, cafes and taverns. Make sure you stop off at St John’s Cathedral with its frescoes and the marvellous museum of Byzantine icons. In the evening catch a concert or an exhibition at the Famagusta Gate, one of the three original entrances into the old city, which has now been restored and it is used as a cultural centre. The new town spreads beyond the walls with a modern European-like centre of high-rise buildings, office blocks, shops and cafes, expanding into suburban residential areas. Lefkosia offers the best in shopping with Stasikratous Street as the destination for an ultimate shopping experience. Of the city’s main sights, Cyprus Museum houses the best collection of archaeological artefacts on the island, including a first century AD Roman statuette of Aphrodite of Soli and the original mosaic of Leda and the Swan, while the Leventis Museum depicts the history of the town.

The so-called "Seven Sisters" are seven skyscrapers built in Stalinist style. The skyscrapers are still among the tallest buildings in Europe and can be seen from multiple spots throughout the city. One of the Seven Sisters is the Moscow State University building, which can be found on Sparrow Hills.

Step into the fascinating world of vintage motorcycles at the Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum, located in the old town of Nicosia. This impressive collection, founded by Andreas Nicolaou, showcases over 150 models of motorcycles dating from 1914 to 1983. The museum is a testament to the passion and dedication of its founder, who spent years gathering some of the island's most historically significant bikes. As you explore the museum, you'll come across captivating exhibits, such as motorcycles from the Presidential Guard of Archbishop Makarios, the bike used by EOKA fighter Stylianos Lenas to transport weapons and ammunition, and the motorcycle of the first champion in Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot Zeki Isa. You'll also find military motorcycles used during World War II.

Several religious buildings surrounded by a wall make up the monastery, set amid a park on the Moskva River bank. To grasp the importance of the place throughout the course of Russian history, visit the Novodevichy Cemetry, where many prominent Russians found their final resting place, from literary behemoths (Chekhov and Gogol) to politicians (Boris Yeltsin). The monastery has remained near-intact since the 17th century.