Nicosia (Lefkosia) - Culture

Today Lefkosia is a thriving commercial centre. Many offshore banks and businesses operate from the Cyprus capital while the local bank, insurance and service sectors in general are especially strong. The city has been a centre of trading activity for centuries and is well-known for the hustle and bustle of its commercial streets. Whether in the narrow alleys of the wall city with its bazaar like atmosphere or in the modern quarter shopping precinct with its modern shopping malls, the shopper can find anything from Lefkara lace to silver, gold and diamond jewelry, from traditional craft to the latest Paris fashion.

The city has many first rate restaurants ranging from traditional Greek tavernas serving meze and souvlaki or fish to more cosmopolitan spots serving french, italian, lebanese, indian, chinese delicacies.

Lefkosia offers a lot in entertainment for both locals and visitors with its many cinemas, theatres, nightclubs, discos, cafes, pubs and hotel lounges. During summer its many open-air swimming pools offer some relief from the heat of the day.

Sports activities also abound ranging from football matches (soccer) on weekend afternoons from October to May, horse racing throughout the year, basketball and volleyball matches during weekdays and the occasional tennis fixtures.

Lefkosia has adequate sports facilities including a national football stadium - the Makarion Sports Centre (capacity 25,000), indoor sports centres (Eleftheria and Lefkotheon), a municipal swimming centre, tennis courts, race tracks and field and track event facilities.