Lefkosia , the centrally located capital is cut in two by the Green Line, which divides the country. The old town, inside the 16th-century Venetian walls, is the most interesting part of Lefkosia, with the city centre and municipal gardens just outside the wall on the south-west side. The Leventis Municipal Museum traces the development of the city from prehistoric times and gives a pretty good overview of the Island's fascinating history dominated by Mycenaeans Phoenicians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Byzantiums and even the Knights Templer. Alexander the Great, Ptolemy and Richard the Lionheart have also laid claim to this Island, while more recently the Ottoman Turks, Venetians, British and Greeks have figured in its history.

Just east of the Leventis you'll find the museum of culture - Dragoman Hadzigeorgakis. The exhibits are nothing special, but the building - a 15th-century mansion - is gorgeous. For some really spectacular museum pieces try the Byzantine museum which has a superb collection of religious icons and mosaics. In the grounds of the museum, St John's Cathedral has some recently restored 18th-century frescoes. Once the main entrance to the city, the Famagusta Gate, on the eastern wall, is beautifully preserved and is now used as a cultural centre.

The mountains of the Troödos region, in the country's south, are unforgettable. And unlike the rest of the Republic, this is one place where you might not be outnumbered by package tourists. Popular with skiers, hikers and the heat-intolerant, Troödos is littered with 15th-century frescoed monasteries, wine-making villages and pleasant walking trails. Kykkos Monastery, in the Western Troödos, is the best known but most touristy monastery. Built in the 12th century, it's been completely renovated and contains a museum of religious icons.

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