We can think of no better place we'd like to stop for lunch while exploring the Mesaoria than this local meze tavern. From snails and fried zucchini flowers to comforting pastitsio (the Greek version of lasagne), the meze feast is a tour through Cyprus' rustic flavours. The fried potatoes alone are worth the drive from Nicosia.
To Koultouriariko
Nicosia (Lefkosia)
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.4 MILES
Defiantly perched on a hillside, with a sweeping view of the surrounding patchwork fields and the sea, Ancient Kourion is a spectacular site. Most likely…
25.11 MILES
The full fairy-tale outline of St Hilarion Castle only becomes apparent once you’re directly beneath it. The stone walls and half-ruined buildings blend…
28.04 MILES
If the grand fortifications of Kyrenia Castle could talk, they could sure tell some tales. The castle was first built by the Byzantines – possibly over…
23.71 MILES
The island’s most prosperous and opulent Orthodox monastery was founded in the 11th century by Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komninos after a bizarre series…
19.06 MILES
North Nicosia’s most prominent landmark (also clearly visible from the southern half of the city), the Selimiye Mosque is a beautiful mongrel of a…
27.24 MILES
This 9th-century church is dedicated to Lazarus of Bethany, whom Jesus is said to have resurrected four days after his death. The church itself is an…
16.71 MILES
The remains at this archaeological site, about 11km east of Lemesos, belie its original importance. Amathous was one of Cyprus’ original four kingdoms,…
19.15 MILES
The Venetian walls form a border around the Old City and are so unusual that, once seen on a map, you’ll never forget the odd snowflake-like shape.
Nearby Nicosia (Lefkosia) attractions
2.35 MILES
It’s a fair hike out to this sprawling monastery perched in the foothills of the eastern spur of the Troödos Mountains and under the all-seeing radar…
4.42 MILES
Perched on the slope overlooking Palaichori village, this Unesco-listed early-16th-century chapel contains one of the island’s most complete groups of…
6.44 MILES
Tamassos’ main claim to fame was its once seemingly endless supply of copper – the mineral from which the name of Cyprus (Kypros in Greek; Kıbrıs in…
4. Monastery of Agios Irakleidios
6.66 MILES
A visit to this historic monastery – a nun's convent since the 1960s – is easily combined with an excursion to the nearby archaeological site of Ancient…
6.71 MILES
This Unesco-listed Byzantine church is famous for its 15th-century murals by Orthodox Syrian painter Philippos Goul. In two tiers, the images decorate the…
8.61 MILES
This 12th-century Unesco-listed church is on the outskirts of Lagoudera. From the outside, it appears enormous, the pitched roof and wooden trellis…
10.61 MILES
Formerly the home of one of Lefkara’s wealthiest families, this restored building is set around a large courtyard complete with outdoor oven and…
10.62 MILES
Although the building you see today was greatly remodelled in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Timiou Stavrou (Holy Cross) Church dates back to the…