Summarise this page 11 key points · 1 minute
- The 10 at a glanceMost of Nicosia's top ten sights are free, with the Byzantine Museum at €7 and Idalion and Tamassos at €2.50 each.
- 1. Cyprus MuseumThe Cyprus Museum is the island's largest archaeological museum, free and accessible, and closed on Mondays.
- 2. The Venetian walls and Famagusta GateNicosia's 1567 Venetian walls are open access, and Famagusta Gate is free on weekdays but closed at weekends.
- 3. The free old-town walking tourA free English-language tour of the walled city starts at the Old Town Hall, lasts about 2 hours 45 minutes, and is booked through Visit Nicosia.
- 4. Leventis Municipal MuseumThe free Leventis Municipal Museum in Laiki Geitonia traces the capital's history and is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
- 5. Byzantine MuseumThe Byzantine Museum shows over 200 icons and the Kanakaria mosaics, Tuesday to Saturday, for €7 per individual visitor.
- 6. St John's Cathedral (Agios Ioannis)St John's Cathedral is free and the only Nicosia church whose 18th-century frescoes all survive, but it is closed on Mondays and Sundays.
- 7. Hamam OmeriyeHamam Omeriye is a working 16th-century Ottoman bath open Tuesday to Sunday 10:30–21:30, with prices depending on the treatment.
- 8. NiMAC – Nicosia Municipal Arts CentreNiMAC is a free contemporary art centre in a former power station, closed on Sundays, Mondays and throughout August.
- 9. OCHI Open MarketThe OCHI farmers' market by the Bayraktar Mosque runs Wednesday 06:00–17:00 and Saturday 06:00–16:00.
- 10. A day trip to Idalion and TamassosThe ancient sites of Idalion and Tamassos cost €2.50 each, open on weekdays only and are listed as wheelchair accessible.
Quick answer
The best things to do in Nicosia in autumn and winter 2026 are the Cyprus Museum, the Venetian walls and Famagusta Gate, the free guided walk of the old town, the Leventis Municipal Museum, the renovated Byzantine Museum, St John's Cathedral, Hamam Omeriye, the NiMAC arts centre, the OCHI farmers' market and a day trip to ancient Idalion and Tamassos. Many of the city's museums are free, and the Byzantine Museum costs €7 (October 2026).
- The Cyprus Museum is the island's main and largest archaeological museum; its building was begun in 1908 and completed in 1924.
- The Leventis Municipal Museum won the European Museum of the Year Award in 1991, two years after it opened.
- St John's Cathedral is the only church in Nicosia whose interior frescoes, from the 18th century, have all survived.
- The renovated Byzantine Museum reopened to the public on 18 March 2025 and holds over 200 icons from the 9th to the 19th centuries.
- The Ethnological Museum (House of Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios) has been closed until further notice since 1 September 2026.
Inside Nicosia's Venetian walls you can see the island's largest archaeological museum and its richest collection of Byzantine art, and many of the city's museums are free. Here are ten things worth doing between October 2026 and spring, with opening hours and prices from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Department of Antiquities and Nicosia Municipality. Prices are as of October 2026 and can change without notice, so check before you go. For children's activities, see our separate family guide to Nicosia.
The 10 at a glance
| # | Thing to do | Where | Hours | Entry (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cyprus Museum | Mouseiou 1 | Tue–Fri 08:00–18:00 | Free |
| 2 | Venetian walls and Famagusta Gate | Around the old town | Gate Mon–Fri, two sessions | Free |
| 3 | Free old-town walking tour | Old Town Hall, Eleftheria Square | See Visit Nicosia | Free |
| 4 | Leventis Municipal Museum | Laiki Geitonia | Tue–Sun 10:00–16:30 | Free |
| 5 | Byzantine Museum | Archbishopric | Tue–Sat 09:30–17:00 | €7 |
| 6 | St John's Cathedral | Next to the Archbishopric | Tue–Fri 09:00–15:00 | Free |
| 7 | Hamam Omeriye | Old town | Tue–Sun 10:30–21:30 | Varies by treatment |
| 8 | NiMAC | Old town | Tue–Sat 10:00–21:00 | Free |
| 9 | OCHI Open Market | By the Bayraktar Mosque | Wed and Sat mornings | Free |
| 10 | Day trip to Idalion and Tamassos | Dali and Politiko | Mon–Fri | €2.50 each |
1. Cyprus Museum
What it is: the island's main and largest archaeological museum, tracing Cyprus from the Neolithic Age to the Early Byzantine period (7th century). The building was begun in 1908 and completed in 1924, under British colonial rule.
Opening hours and entry: Tuesday to Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 09:00–17:00, Sunday 10:00–13:00, closed on Mondays. On the first Wednesday of each month it is open 08:00–20:00. Free. There is an audio guide, an entrance ramp, chair lifts and accessible toilets.
2. The Venetian walls and Famagusta Gate
What it is: the walls were designed in 1567 by the engineer Giulio Savorgnano, replacing 14th-century Frankish walls, and have eleven heart-shaped bastions. The 80-metre-wide moat now holds sports fields, gardens and an open-air sculpture exhibition. Famagusta Gate, originally Porta Giuliana, is the largest of the three entrances to the old city and now houses the Nicosia Municipal Multicultural Centre.
Opening hours and entry: the walls are open access. Famagusta Gate is free; from October to April, Visit Cyprus gives Monday to Friday 10:00–13:00 and 16:00–19:00 (Nicosia Municipality lists 16:00–20:00 for the afternoon), closed at weekends. Our old town area guide has more on life inside the walls.
3. The free old-town walking tour
What it is: "Discover the old Lefkosia (Nicosia) and its walls", a free walk past the most notable sights of the walled city, organised by Nicosia Municipality, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the Nicosia Tourism Board.
When and where: it starts and ends at the Old Town Hall in Eleftheria Square, lasts about 2 hours 45 minutes and is in English. As of March 2026, the free tours are back for 2026; the schedule and registration are on the Nicosia Tourism Board's Visit Nicosia website.
4. Leventis Municipal Museum
What it is: the only museum that presents the social and historical development of the capital, from the Chalcolithic Age to today. It won the European Museum of the Year Award in 1991, two years after opening.
Where: 15–17 Ippokratous, Laiki Geitonia. For the festive season, see our Laiki Geitonia Christmas guide.
Opening hours and entry: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–16:30, closed on Mondays and public holidays. Free.
5. Byzantine Museum
What it is: the richest collection of Byzantine art on the island, at the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation. It exhibits over 200 icons from the 9th to the 19th centuries and the 6th-century mosaics from Panagia Kanakaria. The renovated museum reopened to the public on 18 March 2025.
Opening hours and entry: Tuesday to Saturday 09:30–17:00, closed on public holidays. €7 for individual visitors, €4 per person for groups of more than 10, with reduced rates for under-18s and over-65s.
6. St John's Cathedral (Agios Ioannis)
What it is: a small, barrel-vaulted church rebuilt in 1662 on the site of a 14th-century Benedictine chapel, later the cathedral of the Orthodox Archbishopric. It is the only church in Nicosia whose 18th-century interior frescoes have all survived.
Opening hours and entry: Tuesday to Friday 09:00–15:00, Saturday 09:00–12:00, closed on Mondays and Sundays; last entry 15 minutes before closing. Free.
Map it · Walking route
A museum morning inside Nicosia's walls
- Cyprus Museum
- Leventis Municipal Museum
- Byzantine Museum
- St John's Cathedral
- Famagusta Gate
Opens Google Maps with every stop in order. Opening hours can change, so check before you go.
7. Hamam Omeriye
What it is: a 16th-century Ottoman bath complex built by Lala Mustafa Pasha, restored and awarded a Europa Nostra prize in 2005. It still offers steam baths and treatments, with separate sessions for men, women and mixed groups.
Opening hours and entry: Tuesday to Sunday 10:30–21:30, closed on Mondays and public holidays. Prices depend on the services, so check with the venue. Next door, the Omeriye Mosque, a 14th-century Augustinian monastery converted in 1571, can be visited free outside prayer times.
8. NiMAC – Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre
What it is: a contemporary and modern art centre in a restored former power station, with a reference library of art publications.
Opening hours and entry: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–21:00, closed on Sundays, Mondays and throughout August. Free.
9. OCHI Open Market
What it is: a farmers' market near the Bayraktar Mosque, on a bastion of the Venetian walls, selling seasonal local fruit and vegetables.
When: Wednesday 06:00–17:00 and Saturday 06:00–16:00, closed on public holidays. Free entry.
Map it · Walking route
A Saturday in Nicosia's old town
- OCHI Open Market
- Old Town Hall
- Hamam Omeriye
- NiMAC
Opens Google Maps with every stop in order. Opening hours can change, so check before you go.
10. A day trip to Idalion and Tamassos
What it is: two ancient city-kingdoms south of the city. Idalion, in Dali, is linked to the myths of Aphrodite and Adonis and has a museum and visitor centre. Tamassos, near Politiko, has a temple of Aphrodite, royal tombs and copper-processing remains.
Opening hours and entry: Idalion is open Monday to Friday 08:30–16:00; Tamassos Monday to Friday 08:30–16:00 from 16 September to 15 April. Both are closed at weekends and on public holidays and cost €2.50. Both are listed as wheelchair accessible. See our Dali area guide for the area.
Map it · Driving route
Idalion and Tamassos by car
- Idalion
- Tamassos
Opens Google Maps with every stop in order. Opening hours can change, so check before you go.
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GetYourGuideFrequently asked questions
Are Nicosia's museums free?
Many are. The Cyprus Museum, the Leventis Municipal Museum, NiMAC and St John's Cathedral are free as of October 2026. The Byzantine Museum charges €7 for individual visitors.
Is there a free walking tour of Nicosia?
Yes. 'Discover the old Lefkosia (Nicosia) and its walls' is a free walk of about 2 hours 45 minutes in English, starting and ending at the Old Town Hall in Eleftheria Square. The free tours are back for 2026; dates and registration are published by the Nicosia Tourism Board on Visit Nicosia.
When is the Cyprus Museum open late?
On the first Wednesday of every month the Cyprus Museum stays open from 08:00 to 20:00. Normal hours are Tuesday to Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 09:00–17:00 and Sunday 10:00–13:00; it is closed on Mondays.
Is the Ethnological Museum in Nicosia open?
No. The House of Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios, home of the Cyprus Ethnological Museum, has been closed to the public until further notice since 1 September 2026 because of technical issues.
Which Nicosia museums open on Mondays?
Most of the big museums close on Mondays, including the Cyprus Museum, the Leventis Municipal Museum and the Byzantine Museum. Famagusta Gate and the ancient sites of Idalion and Tamassos are open on weekdays, Monday included.
Can you cross to the north from Nicosia?
Rules and practicalities depend on your nationality and residence status, so read our guide to crossing to the north as a resident before you go.
Useful links
Sources (14)
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – Cyprus Museum
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – The Medieval Walls of Lefkosia (Nicosia)
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – Famagusta Gate (Pyli Ammochostou)
- Nicosia Municipality – Famagusta Gate
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – Discover the old Lefkosia (Nicosia) and its walls
- Cyprus News Agency – Free guided tours return in Nicosia (23 March 2026)
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – The Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – Byzantine Museum
- Neos Kosmos / Vema – The renovated Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation is officially opened (14 March 2025)
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – Agios Ioannis (St John's) Cathedral
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – Nicosia sites listing incl. Hamam Omeriye, Omeriye Mosque, Idalion and Tamassos
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – museums listing incl. Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre (NiMAC)
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – listing incl. OCHI Open Market
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism (Visit Cyprus) – The House of Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios / Ethnological Museum
