LEFKOŞA (the northern half of what was, before 1974, Nicosia) is the capital city of north Cyprus. As with its southern counterpart, the old town is hemmed by Venetian walls, with the majority of Lefkoşa’s modern buildings and administrative machinery located outside the walls, and most tourist attractions to be found in the old town within the walls. Compared to the southern part of the city, Lefkoşa has noticeably less vitality, with the air more of a sleepy provincial town than a national capital.
