District · Nicosia
Makarios Avenue and Stasikratous
The new-town edge just south of Eleftheria Square: easy for cars and bags.
Key facts
- Suits
- Modern hotels, cafés and bakeries
- Room prices
- $$$
- price band of 5
- Eats here
- 1
What it's like
- Feels:
- Modern, ordered, easy for cars and bags
- Suits:
- Modern hotels, cafés and bakeries
- Best time:
- Daytime
- Watch out for:
- Expecting old-town atmosphere.
- In short:
- The new-town edge just south of Eleftheria Square: easy for cars and bags.
About these names
The old town is a walled circle about 1.5 km across. The buffer zone runs east to west through it. Eleftheria Square and Ledra Street are on the southern side of the circle; Laiki Geitonia is a short walk east; the Cyprus Museum is west, near the Paphos Gate; the Famagusta Gate is the eastern end of the southern walls. Makarios Avenue and the new town lie just south, outside the walls.
Where exactly
This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Makarios Avenue and Stasikratous
sleepeatPrice $$$
The new-town edge just south of Eleftheria Square: easy for cars and bags.
Suits: Modern hotels, cafés and bakeries
District guideWalk: Makarios Avenue & StasikratousSleep: Makarios AvenueIn the districts table
Off the map: Larnaca International Airport (LCA) (45–65 min by the usual route).
Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Archbishop's Palace area, Chrysaliniotissa and Faneromeni, North Nicosia (Lefkoşa). See the table above.
Where’s what, as a list:
- Laiki Geitonia and Ledra Street: Restored lanes and a pedestrian shopping street; the heart of the tourist old town, cool at dusk. Suits: A first evening, craft shops and tavernas. Price band $$.
- Famagusta Gate quarter: A Venetian gate now used for exhibitions, with NiMAC nearby and a residential feel. Suits: Walls, the arts centre and quiet lanes.
- Paphos Gate and the Cyprus Museum: Air-conditioned archaeology galleries beside a bastion of the walls. Suits: A midday indoor stop.
- Makarios Avenue and Stasikratous: The new-town edge just south of Eleftheria Square: easy for cars and bags. Suits: Modern hotels, cafés and bakeries. Price band $$$.
- Archbishop's Palace area: A small quarter of the Byzantine Museum, St John's Cathedral and the Archbishopric buildings, north-east of Laiki Geitonia. Suits: Icons and frescoes.
- Chrysaliniotissa and Faneromeni: Residential streets in the old town with restored houses and small studios; best in the morning. Suits: Quiet lanes, churches and craft workshops.
- North Nicosia (Lefkoşa): The Turkish Cypriot side, with the Selimiye Mosque, the Büyük Han and Arasta bazaar; entry rules change, so check first. Suits: A day crossing with a passport.
- Sleep area Makarios Avenue: suits Modern hotels, cafés and bakeries, price band $$$.
- Sleep area Old Town (Laiki Geitonia): suits A first evening, craft shops and tavernas, price band $$.
- Larnaca International Airport (LCA), 45–65 min by the usual route.
Stay here?
How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Nicosia districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.
First visit
2nd of 2
A short walk to Eleftheria Square and Ledra Street.
Better for this: Laiki Geitonia and Ledra Street
Families
best of 2
Lifts, pools in some hotels and smoother pavements.
Light sleepers
best of 2
Traffic noise on the main avenue; side streets are calmer.
Night owls
2nd of 2
Cocktail bars and hotel terraces nearby; the old town is a 10-minute walk.
Better for this: Laiki Geitonia and Ledra Street
On a budget
best of 2
Business hotels; prices similar to the old town.
Eat
What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.
- Bakery: flaounes, koulouri and cheese pies
A neighbourhood bakery breakfast: a warm flaouna, a cheese pie or a koulouri and a coffee before the museum; go before 09:30 for the fresh tray. No single venue is named until verified.
Order: Flaouna (φλαούνα): One or two; ask for warm.
Price: EUR 1.50–3 for a pastry.
Sleep
Modern hotels with lifts, a car at the door and a 10-minute walk to Eleftheria Square; less atmosphere, more ease.
Rooms: EUR 80–140 (check)
Skip this if: Pricier; less character at night.
3–6 min walk to Makarios Avenue & Stasikratous · 10–15 min walk to Ledra Street & Laiki Geitonia
Drink and nightlife
Lines from the Nicosia drinking guide that name this district.
- Makarios Avenue and Stasikratous · Cocktail bars, hotel terraces · until about midnightQuieter and more polished; taxis are easy to find.
Getting there and around
Where to get off
- Makarios Avenue, Stasikratous and old-town side streets · 4 min walk to Bakery: flaounes, koulouri and cheese pies
On to the next area
- Walk north: about 10 min to Ledra Street & Laiki Geitonia
Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.
Streets in this district
Street names that appear in the addresses of this district’s places and eats: useful to type into a map or show a driver.
- Makarios Avenue
Safety at night and noise
Makarios Avenueday: oknight: ok
Watch for pickpockets at busy café terraces.
Quiet nights
Traffic noise on the main avenue; side streets are calmer.
Nightlife
Cocktail bars and hotel terraces nearby; the old town is a 10-minute walk.
Late arrival
Staffed desks and taxis at the door.
Nearby districts
Built from this guide’s Nicosia districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.