Athalassa is Nicosia's own picnic ground — the picnic area of Athalassa National Forest Park, the capital's green lung of about 840 hectares wedged between Aglantzia, Strovolos, Latsia and Geri. The site sits at about 160 m, some 8 km from the city centre and only 500 m from Latsia, making it probably the easiest organised picnic site to reach for anyone based in Nicosia. It holds around five hundred people and offers drinking water, a children's playground and access for visitors with reduced mobility. Note that lighting fires is not allowed anywhere here — bring your food ready-made.
The park around it does the rest: some 20 km of walking and cycling paths (including a dedicated 16 km cycling route), a lake with a bird-observation point, and an environmental information centre for a rainy-day detour.
For walkers the position could hardly be better. Athalassa: Picnic Area - Agios Georgios and Athalassa: Botanical Garden - Picnic Area start practically at the tables, while Athalassa: Sculpture Park and Athalassa: Picnic Area - Nations Park (long) begin a couple of minutes' walk away.