LONELYPLANET: Nicosia among the top destinations for 2022

Nicosia achieved an important distinction as the prestigious travel magazine Lonely Planet highlights our capital as one of the top destinations for 2022.

Nicosia is among the best cities for a traveler to visit, according to the Lonely Planet edition "Best in Travel 2022". The “brightest capital of Europe” is a multicultural city with a rich history and cultural heritage.

The coexistence of different cultures and the investment in the development of cultural activities, are elements that highlight the uniqueness of the city. That is why Nicosia was awarded in the "Community" category. According to the magazine, for this category, the cities that involve the local communities in the first line of their tourism initiatives were distinguished.

The good practice that put Nicosia on the list of Lonely Planet with the top destinations, is the Home for Cooperation with the program "United by Sound". It is a unique intercommunal community center in the heart of Nicosia and is a living example of multi-community cooperation. Through its work "United by Sound", the center connected the communities of Cyprus and encouraged dialogue through music with the online participation of 40 musicians from all over Cyprus to create the song "Time is Ripe".

The Director of the Home for Cooperation, Lefki Lambrou, expressed her gratitude to Lonely Planet for the distinction and recognition of the project. As she said, "We are very happy that the Home for Cooperation and all those who participated in the United by Sound program put Nicosia on the list of top destinations in 2022. We will continue through our programs to contribute to strengthening the contact between people with different national, cultural and linguistic background, as well as the cultivation of intercultural dialogue and understanding, both in Cyprus and at European and global level ".

For his part, the President of Nicosia Tourism Board, Theodoros Kringou, stated that this is a positive and encouraging distinction for the capital and our province. We congratulate the "United by Sound" program that managed to put Nicosia in this important guide. As Nicosia Tourism Board, we will continue to help every cultural initiative that will promote Nicosia as a tourist destination ", noted Mr. Kringou.

Nicosia Tourism Board

Nicosia Tourism Board (NTB) is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 as part of the strategic planning of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. The purpose of NTB is the development and promotion of the city and the region of Nicosia and their transformation into a quality year-round tourist destination. To achieve its actions, NTB cooperates with various bodies at local, regional, and international level, both in the public and private sector. Its main pillars of activity are cultural and creative tourism, conference and business tourism, religious tourism, sports, and wellness tourism.

 www.visitnicosia.com.cy

 United by Sound - Time is Ripe

Since 2015, this program has been expanding in content and form. One of the most successful programs in engaging youth, it invests in developing talent and creating real collaborations, while also providing great music nights for everyone.

The program also laid the ground for a new collective of 40 musicians called Island Seeds to sprout! In 2020, Home for Cooperation released the song “The Time is Ripe” by Island Seeds, written and sang in Cypriot Greek, Cypriot Turkish and English, carrying the message of peace and unity in Cyprus. The clip is available on the H4C YouTube channel and the song is available on Spotify, iTunes and can be streamed or bought on Band Camp. 

‘The Time Is Ripe’ champions synergy between Cyprus’ communities, just as their musical and cultural tradition has embodied throughout the island's history. The lyrics lay out their proposition in simple terms: Let’s bring our voices together. No theatrical aggression; no babbling academia. Just a warm-hearted celebration of harmony and co-creation.