Arabahmet Quarter North Nicosia (Lefkoşa)

This neighbourhood rubbing up against the Green Line is home to well-preserved examples of Ottoman-era town-house architecture. The narrow alleyways are rimmed by tall whitewashed houses – some recently restored, others sinking into genteel dilapidation – with painted shutters and upper-storey overhanging cumbas (bay windows). Note the skinny balconies (not a common feature in Ottoman architecture) and carved crosses across front-door lintels on some houses; Arabahmet was the Armenian quarter of Nicosia until 1963 when the Green Line was drawn through the city. The entire area is imbued with a heady sense of yesteryear and is one of North Nicosia's most interesting neighbourhoods to stroll through.