Nicosia

The capital of Cyprus is twice divided. Its picturesque Old City is contained within 16th-century Venetian fortifications that separate it from the wide, tree-lined streets, large hotels, and high-rises of the modern section. The second division is political and more noticeable. The so-called Green Line (set up by the UN) divides the island between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, making it the last divided city in Europe. You can travel across to the north via one of two pedestrian checkpoints, one at Ledra Street and the other at the Ledra Palace Hotel—but be sure to bring your passport. The city is in the midst of creating a huge park in Eleftheria Square, designed by Zaha Hadid, to better integrate the Old City into the new, resulting in significant construction at the time of this writing; that project is scheduled for completion in 2014.