Authentic Cyprus book by Deputy Ministry of Tourism

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This guidebook has been designed to provide visitors with an extensive insight into the delightful world of rural Cyprus. This is a world apart from the beaches and tourist hotspots. Here, timeless villages, tiny remote painted churches, stunning scenery, forested mountain trails and a way of life that has hardly changed over the past centuries, are just waiting to be discovered. The first part of this book provides general information on rural Cyprus, its history, traditions, cultures, flora and fauna, places of interest and more. The second half of the book, details 15 recommended driving excursions. All of the routes can be accomplished easily within a dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive in a regular car, yet all have something different to offer. The routes highlight points-of-interest along the way and all start and finish on one of the main roads. These routes are also ideal for organised group tours with small buses. The routes include places to stop for walking, cycling, bird watching, fresh-water fishing or to simply explore the countryside and charming villages. All thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed is a good road map, a sunhat, plenty of water, comfortable walking shoes and a spirit of adventure. NOTE: The spellings of all place-names conform to those indicated on the road signs. However, in some cases, these may vary from those shown on your road map.

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Remember the country code

ñ Avoid the temptation to pick wildflowers and take a photograph instead. This way you protect the plant and still have an enduring reminder of its beauty. ñ Avoid disturbing natural habitats and nesting birds. ñ Take your litter with you. ñ Do not light fires, except at designated picnic sites, Always be particularly careful about extinguishing cigarettes.

Contents Useful Information Welcome to Rural Cyprus Natural Environment Cultural Heritage Rural Crafts and Skills Food and Wine Rural Accommodation Countryside Activities Religious and Local Customs and Celebrations The Rural Year in Cyprus Route 1 – The Southeast Area (Kokkinochoria – Red Soil Villages) Route 2 – The Central Plain Route 3 – Larnaka West Coast Route 4 – Lefkara Area Route 5 – Machairas and the Southwest Route 6 – Lemesos (Limassol) Forest Route 7 – Lemesos (Limassol) West Coast Route 8 – The Wine Villages Route 9 – Troodos and the Solea Valley Route 10 – Troodos and the Marathasa Valley Route 11 – The Pitsilia and Southwest Mesaoria Route 12 – The Pafos Valleys Route 13 – Pafos and the Akamas Route 14 – Polis, Kato Pyrgos and Kykkos Route 15 – Pafos Forest

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Learn Greek: English is widely spoken in Cyprus. However, it is always an advantage to know a few key words of Greek – you may find them very useful and you will certainly impress the local people. Hello & goodbye: Please: Thank you: Yes: No: Road: Left: Right: Straight on: Where is? Up (over or above): Down (below or lower): Slowly: Today: Tomorrow: Water: Car: Petrol: Mechanic: Telephone: Doctor: Police: Pharmacy: Cyprus Coffee:

YIASSOU (plural is YIASSAS) PARAKALO EFKHARISTO NAI OCHI DROMOS ARISTERA DHEXIA ISHIA POU INE PANO KATO SIGA-SIGA SIMERA AVRIO NERO AFTOKINITO BEZINA (local dialect) MICHANIKOS TILEFONO YIATROS ASTYNOMIA FARMAKIO KAFE - gliko (sweet), metrio (medium), sketo (no sugar).

Dress Code: Always dress respectfully when visiting churches and monasteries.

Useful

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Remember the country code

3 4 8 12 18 22 28 32 38 44 52 60 64 70 76 82 86 92 98 104 110 116 120 126 132

Dress Code: Always dress respectfully when visiting churches and monasteries.

welcome to

Rural

Cyprus Cyprus enjoys an enviable worldwide reputation as a sun and sea holiday destination, with year-round sunshine, blue skies and warm waters. However, this fascinating island has much more to offer. Away from the tourist areas, the Cyprus countryside has a diverse wealth of its own with traditional villages, vineyards and wineries, tiny fresco-painted churches, remote monasteries and cool shady forests. This is a nature-lovers paradise, where you can walk for hours without seeing another living soul. In springtime, fields of flowers stretch as far as the eye can see, and a ramble along a mountain path will suddenly reveal a tiny chapel or a Venetian-built bridge that once formed part of the route of an ancient camel train. Around every corner is another surprise; a magnificent view; a rare sighting of the Cyprus moufflon as it scampers up an almost vertical slope; or a chance encounter with someone who will surprise you with his or her knowledge of your language and an invitation to join the family for a coffee or refreshment.

The island of Cyprus may be small but it has literally hundreds of villages, many of which are no more that a handful of houses clustered around a church, and a coffee-shop that also serves as the village store, post office and general meeting place. In the more remote parts of the island, these villages have remained virtually unchanged and although motorised transport has made them more accessible, their older inhabitants still cling to the traditional lifestyle which basically revolves around the seasons of planting and harvesting.

For some of these people, the donkey is still the preferred mode of transport and these faithful animals can still be seen making their way home from the fields, laden with firewood or green forage for the family goats. Even in the larger villages, traditional values are still very much in evidence. Here, maybe the village shepherd carries a mobile phone and the farmer drives to his fields in a double-cabin pick-up truck but this is merely a sign of the times â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a veneer that, when scratched, will expose the true character of the village people family-orientated, warm-hearted, friendly and unbelievably hospitable.

welcome to

Rural

The main activity in rural Cyprus is arable and livestock farming. What is grown where depends on the area, the terrain and the climate. But the island’s range of produce is amazing. Just about anything will grow here, from tropical fruits such as mangoes, kiwis and bananas to produce more associated with that from northern climates. On the island’s south facing slopes, especially in the western part of the

Autumn is also the time to harvest the olives. As in most other Mediterranean countries, the olive plays a significant role in the lives of the people. Every part of the tree is important: the deadwood is used to stoke the winter stoves; the fruit is either preserved in brine, or crushed for its precious oil. Even the leaves are dried, blessed and burnt as aromatic incense during church services. Olive trees grow all over the island, except high up in the mountains, where they are unable to survive the harsher winters. Almost all villagers in the remote areas own at least a small plot of land on which they grow their own vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines, as well as pulse vegetables that can be dried and stored for the winter months. They raise chickens for eggs and meat, and many also keep a few goats, which provide them with enough milk to make their own yoghourt and cheeses, including Cyprus’ famous Halloumi cheese. Sea fishing is also an important rural activity and fishing shelters are dotted around the coast. Visit them early in the morning, to watch the fishermen bring in the catch of the day.

island, are the vineyards. Cyprus is famous for its fine wines and a visit to one of the many wineries is a great way to spend a day. The grapes are harvested during autumn, when entire families, from grandparents to the youngest toddlers, work together in their vineyards to bring in the crop.

Mining the island’s rich mineral deposits of copper, asbestos, chromium, pyrites and umber used to be a lucrative part of the rural economy but its importance has declined as the mines gradually become worked out.

Away from the cultivated land, there is an abundant ecosystem of flora and fauna with many endemic species. In spring, the island is carpeted with wild flowers and orchids. Cyprus is on one of the north-south migratory paths and during spring and autumn millions of birds either over-fly the island or break their long journey here. During winter, the Larnaka and Akrotiri salt lakes are an extraordinary

The Cyprus hinterland is a great place for botanists, artists, bird watchers, hikers, ramblers, anglers, cyclists, photographers and geologists. The greatest wealth of any country is its people and whatever your interest or wherever you travel in Cyprus you can always be sure of receiving the warmest of welcomes.

sight with thousands of pink flamingos wading in the shallow waters. The moufflon, an indigenous wild sheep, roams the forested slopes of the Troodos range, and both Green and Loggerhead turtles breed on the island’s more secluded beaches. The cultural landscape of the rural areas is rich and varied, with archaeological sites, monasteries, museums and churches, while traditional crafts such as basketmaking, pottery, weaving, wood carving, and lace-making are still maintained in many villages.

natural Environment Geology The island of Cyprus was formed around seventy million years ago by the collision of the Euro-asian and African tectonic plates. By the Lower Miocene era, some twenty-five million years ago, the Troodos mountain range was an island and the Mesaoria (central plain) and Pantadactylos range to the north were submerged under the sea (evidence of this can be found in several areas, where fossilised seashells can be clearly seen embedded in the rocks). The Pentadactylos Mountains began to emerge eleven million years ago at the end of the Miocene era, but the Mesaoria appeared much later, during the Pleistocene Age, a million years ago. Today, the Troodos massif, a bulky range with the 1951m Mount Olympus (Chionistra) at its peak, dominates the south of the island. It consists of igneous rock and pillow lavas originally formed from molten rock beneath the 8,000-metre deep ocean that once separated the continents of Eurasia and Afro-Arabia. Its serpentine rocks contain rich deposits

of copper, asbestos, chromites and iron pyrites. Troodos provides a unique opportunity for anyone interested in geology, because it is one of the rare places in the world where you can actually stand on the earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mantle. The Pentadactylos range, which runs parallel to the northern coastline, is the east Mediterraneanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southernmost range of the great Alpine-Himalaya chain. It consists of thrust masses of limestone of the Permian, Carboniferous and Cretaceous periods, with marl, sandstone and conglomerates

from the Miocene era on the lower slopes. The Mesaoria, between the two mountain ranges, stretches from Morfou in the west to Ammochostos (Famagusta) in the east, with the capital, Lefkosia (Nicosia), lying more or less in the middle. This central plain is mainly marl and shell-limestone, while in the eastern foothills of the Troodos range, chalk, limestone and gypsum are common.

Natural features The rock formations have played a significant role in the development of the landscape. The erosion resistant dunites, serpentines, gabbros and diabases of the Troodos massif are the main reason for its height and its harsh, rugged scenery, while less erosion-resistant chalks at lower altitudes have formed the rounded white landscape of the vineyards. 9

The limestone cliffs of the Akamas have created karsts, with subterranean streams, reservoirs and caves containing stalagmites and stalactites. There are also deep gorges at the west of the island. The rivers flowing radially from the Troodos have opened steep-sided river valleys and there are significant waterfalls at Kalidonia, Mesapotamos and Fini. The Salt Lakes at Akrotiri and Larnaka lose their water in summer due to evaporation and, until quite recently, the salt harvested from the dried-out lake at Larnaka was sold on the local market. Coupled with the rock types are the various kinds of soil, which give distinct colour to the landscape. Deep and fertile terra rosa has developed on the hard limestone of the Kokkinochoria (Red Villages) in the southeast, and rich brown soils have developed on the pillow lavas. The white limey soils, derived from the decomposition of limestone rocks, are widespread and the most suitable for the cultivation of vines in the districts of Pafos and Lemesos (Limassol), while very fertile alluvial soils are present in the river valleys.

Flora and fauna The natural vegetation of Cyprus is broadly split into four categories: forests, maquis, Mediterranean garrigue and herbaceous plants. The main forest trees at high altitude are pines, including the flat-topped Troodos pine (Pinus nigra s.p. Palasianna). Cedar, plane, alder, maple and the endemic

golden oak (Quercus alnifolia) grow on the lower slopes and, near the coasts, juniper predominates. The golden oak has been declared the national tree of Cyprus. Maquis vegetation, which thrives on poor quality siliceous soil, includes rockroses, arbutus, myrtle and rosemary. The scrub vegetation of the garrigue is chiefly on limestone soil and includes the spiny burnet, capers and aromatics such as thyme, rosemary, oregano and lavender. Cyprus is characterised by an extremely high number of indigenous plant species, approximately 2000, of which almost 140 are endemic, such as the Cyclamen cyprium, which has been declared the national flower of Cyprus. For nature lovers, early spring is the most rewarding period of the year. There is a riotous blossoming of poppies, anemones, cyclamen, iris, gladioli, tulips and crown daisies. Approximately fifty species, subspecies and varieties of orchid are found, including several endemics.

There are more than 70 organised Nature Trails in rural Cyprus. Each is carefully designed to ensure hikers appreciate the best viewpoints and things of interest in the area. Ask for the special CTO booklet.

Birds on the spring and autumn northsouth migration use Cyprus as a stopping point and the two Salt Lakes (Larnaka and Akrotiri) offer a winter home to large flocks of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber). Nightingales, golden orioles, hoopoes, rollers and bee-eaters are among the visitors and residents include several endemic species, such as the Cyprus warbler and the Cyprus Wheatear. The population of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) has declined rapidly over recent years and the birds no longer visit many of their traditional nesting sites. The Game Service has set up a small reserve at Agios Ioannis on the Xeros River and action is being taken to prevent the loss of the species. The endemic moufflon (Ovis orientalis ophion), a type of wild sheep, considered by many to be Cyprusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; national animal. At one time, these beautiful shy animals were hunted almost to extinction. However, a captive-breeding programme has saved the species and today around 10,000 live in and around the Pafos Forest. They are best seen in a reserve at the Stavros tis Psokas Forest Station, in the Troodos range. Cyprus is one of the few remaining nesting grounds for the endangered Green Turtle (Chelonia mydias) and the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta). Turtles lay their eggs in the sand on isolated beaches. Gradual human encroachment into their territory and depredation of the nests and

hatchlings by foxes and other predators has severely jeopardised the survival of these primeval marine creatures. In 1978, the Cyprus Fisheries Department established a turtle hatchery at Lara Beach, one of the main nesting sites on the west coast. Turtle eggs are also transported from other beaches to hatch in safe conditions at Lara. Although not a wild animal in danger of extinction, the Cyprus donkey has always been an important feature of rural life. It was a form of transport,

beast of burden and the means for drawing water from the wells. The Nubian Donkey (Equus asinus) is believed to be the domestic donkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancestor and it is known that donkeys were domesticated before horses. What is not known is when the first donkeys arrived in Cyprus but the remains of an ass have been found in a tomb from the seventh century BC. Villagers from the remoter areas can still be seen riding and working with donkeys, and there is a Donkey Sanctuary at the village of Vouni, northwest of Lemesos (Limassol).

Cultural

Heritage As you wander around the island you will come across many prehistoric sites, tombs and sanctuaries depicting the long cultural heritage of the island.

with colour. They also started to create figures of fertility goddesses and cross-shaped human forms. Archaeological finds from this era include animal-shaped vases and a model of a ploughing scene â&#x20AC;&#x201C; signifying the importance of livestock and arable farming. The discovery of copper around 3,000BC, changed life dramatically, as the metal became the source of immense wealth and triggered the development of trade with neighbouring countries. In addition, the location of many of the copper mines prompted previously

The ancient history of Cyprus tends to focus on the great city kingdoms, conquerors and conflict. Yet farmers and herders, artisans and miners played an equal role in the chronicle and they laid down the foundations of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive culture. Manmade artefacts from as far back as 10,000 BC show that Stone Age Man was present on the island when the pygmy hippopotamus and dwarf elephant were on earth. By 6,800 BC, Neolithic Man was a skilled hunter, living in stone and clay huts. He shaped river pebbles to make axe heads and chisels. He also created patterned pottery bowls, clay sculpture and jewellery of steatite, shell and cornelian. Arts and crafts started to evolve when the discovery of ochre and umber pigments enabled potters to decorate their ceramics

agrarian communities from settlements in the foothills and plains to relocate to upland areas. Some copper ore was smelted locally in wood or charcoal-burning furnaces and the metal was exported in ingots in the shape of a sheepskin. By the Late Bronze Age, smiths were using imported tin mixed with copper to cast large bronze objects. Around 1200BC, the arrival of Greek-speaking settlers as part of the Sea Peoples, caused great disruption and led to the emergence of the first of the city kingdoms of the Iron Age and the Hellenisation of the island. Copper smelting started the depletion of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thick forest cover and after Cyprus fell to the Persians, the forests were further diminished for shipbuilding.

Cultural

Heritage As you wander around the island you will come across many prehistoric sites, tombs and sanctuaries depicting the long cultural heritage of the island.

During the Hellenistic period (4th century BC), copper mining was generating such wealth that Cyprus was able to supply Alexander the Great, to whose empire the island then belonged, with a whole fleet of battleships. The value of the copper mining and export trade was the catalyst for the Romans taking possession of Cyprus in 58BC and their baskets, ropes, wooden props and other mining paraphernalia have been found in shafts of copper mines still in use in the last century.

Tenta Prehistoric Site

Today, agriculture, including the wine industry, is still a fundamental part of the country’s economy and Cypriot craftspeople continue their cultural traditions by creating pottery and weaving,

lace and metalwork just as their ancestors did in ancient times. Evidence of the island’s intriguing heritage can be seen in its many interesting archaeological museums. The Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia (Nicosia) houses the richest collection of archaeological finds in Cyprus. Prior to its being built in the first decade of the last century, antiquities were plundered by entrepreneurs such as Luigi Palma de Cesnola, an American consul whose collection was amassed through his privately organised excavations all over the island during the Ottoman period. Sir John Myres and Max Ohnefalsch-Richter were the first experts to carry out systematic archaeological work on the island and after the Cyprus Museum was established, so many finds were brought to light that it ran out of space in which to exhibit them. The museum’s exhibits traverse the history of Cyprus from the Neolithic Era (7,000 BC) to the 7th century AD. Amongst the highlights are an extraordinary display of terracotta figures found in 1929 at Agia Irini Sanctuary at Morfou, and statue of the goddess Aphrodite discovered at Soli. Another focal point is the collection of limestone lions and sphinxes found at Tamassos in 1997. 1 Mouseiou Street, Lefkosia Open Mon-Sat 09:00 – 17:00, Sunday 10:00 – 13:00. The museum is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

The Aphrodite Cultural Route (Kiprida Aphrodite) invites you to wander through layers of history and culture in the footsteps of the Goddess. The Aphrodite cult probably evolved from even older female fertility deities and after eons, the Anassa, (Holy Queen) of Cyprus, became completely identified with the Aphrodite of the Greek Gods of Olympus in the 4th century BC. Although best known as the Goddess of Love and Beauty, Aphrodite was also the goddess of copper and was worshipped at sanctuaries connected to smelting workshops. Temples, shrines and natural sites from around the island such as the Baths of Aphrodite near Polis

tell the tale of the enigmatic goddess of love and beauty. The primary sites connected with the goddess are Paleia Pafos (Kouklia), Amathous and Kition and all are well worth a visit. At all sites, information boards detail various aspects of Aphrodite. Also, the museums on the Aphrodite route, highlight the finds connect to the goddess with the logo of the

Cultural Route. Brochures of the Aphrodite Route are also available from all CTO Information Offices. Larnaka District Archaeological Museum houses finds from Larnaka and the surrounding area, which was inhabited long before the city-kingdom of Kition was built in the 13th century BC by the Mycenaean Greeks. Among the items from the prehistoric settlements at Choirokoitia and Kalavassos are tools made from bone, picrolite jewellery and a tomb in which a heavy stone has been laid on the head and chest of the dead man. Bronze Age

Tenta Prehistoric Site

Today, agriculture, including the wine industry, is still a fundamental part of the country’s economy and Cypriot craftspeople continue their cultural traditions by creating pottery and weaving,

faience, ivory and alabaster objects bear witness to the commerce of the time. There is a collection of Mycenaean ceramics, votive terracotta figurines, glass objects from Roman times and an interesting exhibition of Cypro-Minoan inscriptions. The museum also contains stone anchors found in the area. Plateia Kalograion. Open Mon-Fri 09:00-14:30 + Thurs 15:00-17:00 (except July & August). The Museum is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route. Lemesos (Limassol) District Archaeological Museum contains finds from Kourion and Amathous, the two important city-kingdoms near Lemesos (Limassol), as well as from around thirty other archaeological sites in the district. Some of the exhibits date back to the era before Cyprus had even been settled, such as the skull and jawbone of a pygmy hippopotamus and the tusk of a dwarf elephant found on the Akrotiri peninsula. Among the finds from Kourion is a large storage jar that stands one and a half metres tall. The museum also houses an extensive collection of pottery, stone tools, gold, silver and bronze jewellery and Byzantine artefacts. Corner of Kaningos and Vyronos Streets.

Pafos District Archaeological Museum contains finds from the Pafos district that date from between the Neolithic and Venetian periods of the island’s history. A remarkable find from Lempa is the skeleton of a twenty-year old woman, displayed exactly as it was found. The oldest exhibits are from approximately 8000BC and include stone axes, fragments of pots and abstract statuettes of steatite and clay. There are also some intriguing examples of medical devices from the Roman period. Other remarkable exhibits include classical funerary steles from ancient Marion (modern day Polis) and the beautiful statue of the ‘armed’ Aphrodite. Griva Digeni St. Open Mon – Fri 09:00 – 17:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00. The museum is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Open Mon – Fri 09:00 – 17:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00. The museum is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Rural

Crafts and Skills Lekfaritika is the fine embroidery and drawnthread work that has made Lefkara, the village after which it is named, world famous. Simple embroidery, known as asproploumia (white work), was done in Cyprus from very early times. However, in the Frankish and Venetian periods (1191 – 1571) when Lefkara was a summer resort for the nobles, local women added to their repertoire the more complicated designs created by Venetian women. Lefkaritika patterns are mainly geometric with crosses and diamonds and the work is done on beige ‘Irish’ linen with white or dark brown cotton thread. In the 19th century, village men travelled to Europe, and later America and Australia, to sell the embroideries. Leonardo da Vinci is said to have come to Lefkara to buy an altar-cloth for Milan cathedral. Lefkaritika is also made at all the villages in the area as well as at Kornos, Lympia, Dali and Athienou. Pottery in Cyprus goes back to Neolithic times and you can see fine examples from most periods of the island’s history in all the island’s

archaeological museums. Traditional potters still work in the villages of Foini and Kornos, using red clay from local hillsides to make cooking pots, storage jars, amphorae and plant pots. The pots are thrown on a small wheel turned by hand or foot. Before firing, the vessel is bound with string or cloth strips to prevent cracking and left to stand overnight. Then the potter scrapes off any excess clay and rubs the pot with a stick then with a wet cloth to make it shine. After being left to dry away from the wind and sun, the pot is finally fired in a woodburning kiln. Sadly, the giant onion-shaped

earthenware storage jars called pitharia are no longer made but these enormous vessels are often used as decorative plant pots. Ceramic traditions continue with small potteries all over the island, making good quality modern and ethnic ware. Decorated gourds: The gourd is a vegetable of the marrow family that hangs from a climbing vine seen adorning the verandas of rural houses. Kolokia (gourds) come in a range of shapes and sizes and have long been decorated and used for practical purposes by Cypriots. The bottle-shaped gourd is the most useful: as a wine carafe, a candlestick, a container for salt or olives and, with its side cut off, as a water ladle. Decorating gourds, either by incising geometric patterns or motifs of animals or flowers into them with a knifepoint 19

Rural

or burning the design with a poker, is a craft still practiced in the villages of Pachyammos and Tries Elies. Basket making dates from Neolithic times and todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s methods are virtually unchanged. Baskets were made to serve specific practical purposes. In the Kokkinochoria (Red Soil Villages), large strong wicker baskets were made for gathering and transporting potatoes. At Lakatameia, riverbed rushes were used

to dress bottles to prevent leakage when transporting olive oil, wine or zivania. Donkey panniers, known as sirizes, were also made from rushes. Workers carried their lunch in small-lidded korokolios and bread was kept in a macramĂŠ type basket, called a tapatsa that hung from the ceiling. Tsestos, the large, often colourfully decorated, flat cane platters used for carrying bread and drying trahana, (a type of Cyprus porridge) now often decorate house walls. Talari, the small cylindrical

baskets used for draining and pressing halloumi and anari cheeses are still made at Akrotiri village. Baskets are still made at Mesogi too and there is a basketry museum at Ineia, near Pafos. Copperware is an obvious traditional craft in a country where the metal featured prominently throughout history. The discovery of copper made Cyprus rich and important in the Bronze Age and mining was carried out throughout the centuries. Coppersmiths still make copper pots and kettles, the long-handled pots known as brikki (in which Cyprus coffee is made) and exquisite bracelets. Old copper cauldrons, coffee pots and lamps often adorn hotels and tavernas. Silverware is made chiefly at Lefkara, where the men have a long history of producing cobweb-like filigree work. Fine silver wire is bent into complex designs for teaspoons, bracelets and other jewellery, as well as intricately worked containers that hold jars of the traditional sweetmeat glyko, and are hung around with half a dozen small pastry forks. Also made is solid silverware, including trays and pinecone or pomegranate-shaped vessels for the oil and holy water used at baptisms and blessings. Weaving: It is known that weaving was highly developed during Byzantine times and, during the Venetian and Lusignan periods, valuable silk and woollen fabrics renowned for their high quality were exported in great quantities to Europe.

Fyti weaving, which derives its name from Fyti village, consists of colourful geometric textured designs or ploumia on un-dyed cotton cloth. The ploumia, in strong reds, yellows, blues, greens and orange, are made by placing thick coloured thread or fytilia among the warp threads. Fyti weaving is usually made into rectangular napkins, tablecloths and bed covers. The origins of this weaving are lost in the past but geometric patterns similar to those in Fyti work can be seen on pottery from the Geometric period. Another style of weaving is the Lefkoniko weave of brightly coloured stripes. This strong fabric, which comes in a glorious array of bright colours, makes good tablemats, table runners, throws for sofas, rugs, bedcovers and curtains. Cyprus rag rugs are still made in many colour combinations, using cotton thread for the warp and strips of fabric for the weft. In the mountain villages, rugs were woven of a mixture of goat hair and wool in muted stripes.

to crosses. Ecclesiastical woodcarving was, and still is, a specialised craft and elaborate iconostasis (altar screens) are to be found in countless churches around the island. Religious themes similar to those of the iconostasis often found their way onto household objects too and the local church was usually depicted on the central panel of the sendukia. At Mouttoullas, on the northern slopes of the Troodos Mountains, artisans used pinewood to make vournes (wooden troughs), which, according to size, were used by village women for kneading bread or doing the laundry. Also made from pine were sanidhia (long breadboards), on which the women carried their loaves to the oven for baking.

Woodcarving: In the days when timber from the abundant forests of Cyprus was plentiful, the decorative art of woodcarving was widespread around the island. Many rural houses had doors and lintels with at least some carving â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and sometimes painting as well. Inside there were carved chairs, wardrobes, corner cupboards, shelves and sendukia (dowry chests), in which girls gradually amassed the household linen needed for their marriage. The carved designs ranged from flowers, cypress trees, birds, animals and grapes,

Food and Wine Hospitality is a byword in Cyprus and Kopiaste in Greek means, “Come and enjoy our hospitality”. Where better to try some local specialities than in rural Cyprus? Much of the food eaten daily - olives, almonds, figs, beans, chickpeas, dates, bitter herbs and honey – was known in Biblical times. It is said that carobs are the ‘husks’ from the parable of the prodigal son and the ‘locusts’ eaten by John the Baptist in the wilderness. The traditional Cypriot diet is a healthy one based on vegetables, salad, pulses, bread, fruit, olive oil and small quantities of meat. Everything is freshly cooked and the salad is often picked straight from the garden. Even Cypriot fast food is healthy. Try an envelope of pitta bread filled with char-grilled souvlakia meat and salad; add a dash of salt and lemon juice and enjoy it with a cool local beer.

Festive food On New Year’s Day, a special cake called Vassiliopitta (St Basil’s cake) is baked with a coin hidden in it. The person finding the coin is promised good luck throughout the year. Easter is a time of rejoicing. Many Cypriots will have given up meat, fish and dairy products during Lent and the fast is broken after midnight on Easter Day, with a rich lamb soup called Mageiritsa (originally from Greece), or the more popular Avgolemono (egg and lemon soup). Easter cakes or flaounes, are made from

a special cheese, eggs, spices, herbs and sultanas wrapped in dough. The main Easter meal is souvla, large chunks of spit-roasted lamb, accompanied by roast potatoes, lots of salad and good wine. Before Christmas there is another forty-day fast. Turkeys and pigs are fattened up during the summer and slaughtered for the Christmas feast. Some of the pork meat is salted, cured or smoked to last through the winter. Everyone eats the icing-sugar covered shortbread called kourambiedes and spiced honey buns called melomakarona.

Traditional Cyprus foods Halloumi, can be eaten fried, grilled, grated onto pasta or as is with a slice of watermelon. It is made by heating a mixture of sheep and 22

goat milk in a hartzi (cauldron) before adding rennet and turning off the heat. The curds are scooped out, squeezed to extract the whey, wrapped in cheesecloth and pressed under a heavy weight. The cheese is cut into blocks and cooked in the whey again. When it rises to the surface, it is taken out, dipped in salt and dried mint, folded in half and left to cool before being stored in the whey.

Cyprus bread is delicious anywhere you go, but some villages make their own specialities and these are exceptionally good. Look out for the sesame-covered loaves that have been baked in the traditional beehive-shaped ovens. The texture is somewhat denser than European style breads but the flavour is outstanding. Before the final step, the whey is returned to the hartzi to make Anari, a cheese similar to ricotta. Fresh milk is added and the mixture is reheated and stirred with a small brush called a throumbi until the crumbly white cheese floats to the surface. Some anari is salted and dried to be grated

over pasta. The best way to eat it, though, is unsalted, with just a drizzle of honey or carob syrup. Natural yoghurt, strained or otherwise, is yet another dairy product that is an integral part of the Cypriot diet and one that quickly becomes a firm favourite with all the island’s visitors. The highly nutritious sugary unripe pods of the carob tree (ceratonia siliqua) used to be known as the ‘Black Gold of Cyprus’. charoupomelo, carob syrob, is made by boiling the ripe pods to a mash in a large cauldron of water, straining the mixture and reducing it to the consistency of honey. Pasteli is made by boiling carob syrup to reduce it further to a thick pulp, then kneading it into toffee.

Among the sweetmeats, Glyka are sugar-preserved fruit and nuts traditionally offered to welcome guests to the home. It is made from green walnuts (Karidaki), apricots, quinces, tiny white aubergines, cherries, bitter oranges (citromilo), curls of grapefruit or bergamot peel

or strips of watermelon rind, steeped in a thick sugar syrup. Palouze is made in the mountain villages at grape harvest time. It is a mixture of grape juice, flour and sugar that is boiled until it sets like blancmange. To make soudjouko, almonds are threaded like beads on string and dipped into boiling palouze and dried, repeatedly, until thickly coated, then hung in the sun to dry and cut into lengths.

Cyprus Coffee: Strong, full of flavour and served in tiny cups together with a glass of cold water. Ask for: glyko (sweet); metrio (medium); or sketo (without sugar). Be careful not to drink to the bottom of the cup or you’ll end up with a mouthful of coffee grains. Olives and Olive oil are essential to Cypriot cooking and many families cultivate a few trees to ensure they have an adequate supply to last the year. Olive picking starts in late autumn with the gathering of the green olives. These are preserved in brine to be served as traditional Cypriot tsakistes. Unique to Cypriot cuisine, the olives are cracked and sprinkled with crushed coriander seeds and chopped garlic, and bathed in lemon and

olive oil. At the year’s end, the black olives are ready to be taken to the olive press, there to be kneaded and pressed into thick green oil. A slice of freshly toasted bread is held under the spigot to catch the first drizzle of the season’s yield. Eliotes, a tasty olive pastry, is a firm favourite with all Cypriots. Cyprus coffee is made in long-handled brikkia (pots) on a copper or brass contraption called an outziaki, consisting of a cylinder of simmering water above a tray of very hot sand. Coffee beans are ground to a powder and a heaped teaspoon plus a demitasse of water are put into the brikki for each serving. Sugar is added to taste and you order metrios (medium), glykos (sweet) or sketos (unsweetened). The brikki is heated in the sand and the coffee is allowed to boil. When it starts to rise, the coffee is poured into the cup. Cyprus coffee is always served with a glass of cold water and you never drink to the bottom of the cup, as there is a little sediment. Cyprus has a very long history of wine production and the island has fifteen indigenous varieties of grape. The wines of Cyprus are praised in the Song of Solomon and in 800 BC Hesiodes described the making of Cyprus wine. Greek poet Euripides wrote of vast pilgrimages to the island to taste the wine, or Cyprus Nama, as it was then known, and it was considered delectable by the Egyptian Pharaohs.

Legend tells us that the first mortal to learn the secret of making wine was King Icarios, who learned the art from Dionysus, the god of wine himself. The scene can be seen today in a mosaic at the House of Dionysus at Kato Pafos. The words ‘Be happy and drink well’ were found on an inscription at the site and archaeological evidence of viticulture and winemaking can be seen in museums around the island.

Cyprus is one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world and CTO has designed 6 wine routes to help visitors discover the island’s fascinating wine producing regions. Ask for the special CTO booklet.

The modern wine industry was born in 1844 when the House of Hagipavlou was founded to export wine in barrels to neighbouring countries. In 1893, the company built a winery at Zanatzia, with proper presses and stone fermentation tanks. A British family by the name of Chaplin built a winery at Pera Pedi, later to be bought out by Keo, a company started in 1927. Loel, was formed in 1943 and developed business links with Eastern Bloc countries while Sodap was created in 1947 as a vine-growers’ cooperative. These companies, known as the ‘Big Four’, produced all the wine sold commercially for many years. In the early 1980s, the government encouraged small wineries to open and there are now over thirty, many of them in the vineyards themselves. These smaller wineries are represented by the Vacchus Regional Wineries’ Association. At the same time, the Big Four opened – or re-opened – regional wineries and created new marques to complement the existing classics. Many of the wineries welcome visitors for guided tours and tastings, and there is also The Cyprus Wine Museum at the village of Erimi. After thousands of years of winemaking, the future of the industry in Cyprus bodes well and the consumer has a vast choice of wines from the island of Aphrodite. Commandaria is the oldest name for a wine in the world. The name derives from

the Grande Commanderie (feudal estate) of the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem, an ecclesiastical military order headquartered at Kolossi. Commandaria is a dark sweet dessert wine made from grapes grown in an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée area on the southern foothills of the Troodos Mountains to the northeast of Lemesos (Limassol). The grapes, a combination of the indigenous red Mavro and white Xinisteri, are partially dried in the sun to enhance their sugar content before pressing and fermenting. Zivania is a traditional spirit that has been drunk in Cyprus for centuries. It is distilled from grapes with high acidity, which are crushed and the whole mass, called zivana, is put into pitharia (large round clay pots) and fermented. Distillation begins with the zivana and some wine or water being put into a kazani (cauldron), made from tin-lined copper and the dome-shaped kapaki (lid), which has a hole in one side, hermetically sealed. Finally, the loullas, (copper tube), is fitted into the hole and its other end is passed through a tub, dani, of cold water. The mixture is boiled so that evaporation occurs and the vapour condenses as it cools on its way through the dani, thus completing the process. There are literally hundreds of traditional taverns and restaurants all over Cyprus all of which serve delicious local specialities and wines. The village coffee shops are great places to meet the local people and enjoy a Cyprus coffee or cool drink.

The Vahkis Project promotes authentic traditional Cypriot cuisine, cooked and served at local tavernas housed in traditional buildings. The scheme is named after a famous Cypriot chef who lived in the city-kingdom of Kition around 300AD. Restaurants and tavernas have to meet all the requirements of the scheme’s criteria before they are awarded the Vahkis certificate. More information on the food and drink of Cyprus is available from the Flavours of Cyprus booklet and from The Wine Routes booklet, both of which are available from all CTO Information Offices.

Rural Accommodation A rural holiday gives the opportunity to participate in traditional activities, to eat in the village tavernas and enjoy the genuine hospitality of a rural community.

All the properties are licensed by the CTO and are maintained under the umbrella of the Cyprus Agrotourism Company, an affiliate company of the CTO and whose members are the owners of the houses. Most properties are open year-round, so are ideal for botanists, birdwatchers and hikers, for whom Cyprus in the early spring is a must.

Tourist villas Scattered around the countryside are tourist villas offering high standards of accommodation.

Basic foodstuffs and other supplies, including fresh bread, vegetables and fruit can be bought locally in the villages. Ask the friendly villagers to let you in to the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-kept secrets and then go and explore them for first-hand experience.

Traditional houses Anyone who prefers the charm of a quiet, rural environment to the hustle and bustle of a tourist resort can opt to stay at a traditional house in a village, accommodation known in Cyprus as agrotourism. These properties are renovated traditional village houses. All have modern kitchens and bathrooms and are furnished with rustic furniture and soft furnishings in traditional weave. Most of the houses have a garden, where you can enjoy such delights as lemons fresh from the tree, and some even have a swimming pool too. You can enjoy the comfort of a house that will soon feel like home.

These are individual houses with pools, and many are built in local architectural style.

Other accommodation There is a wide range of accommodation ranging from hotels to self-catering establishments, varying in size and capacity and offering everything from the very basic accommodation facilities to the most exclusive features. These are located in villages, such as Agros, Lefkara, Polis/Latsi, Kato Pyrgos, Drouseia, Neo Chorio, Lysos, Platres, Pedoulas, Kakopetria, Spilia and others.

Camp sites The four camp sites licensed by the CTO are: Kalymnos Beach (Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beach), Lemesos (Limassol) District, and three in the Pafos district; Geroskipou Zenon Gardens; Feggari at Pegeia; and Polis Camping. However, there 29

Rural Accommodation A rural holiday gives the opportunity to participate in traditional activities, to eat in the village tavernas and enjoy the genuine hospitality of a rural community.

Tourist villas Scattered around the countryside are tourist villas offering high standards of accommodation.

These are individual houses with pools, and many are built in local architectural style.

is another campsite operating at Troodos, The Troodos Campsite, which is run by the Cyprus Forestry Department. Kalymnos and Feggari are open all year round, the other coastal ones open March to October and Troodos opens from May to October, weather permitting. Facilities at each site include showers, toilets washing facilities, mini-market and a snack bar or restaurant.

Tourist Establishments, which is available from the CTO Information Offices. Cyprus Agrotourism Company CTO-19 Lemesos Avenue Melkonian Building CY-1319 Lefkosia Tel +357 2234 0071

The Kafenion (coffee shop) is a national institution. This is the main meeting place of the village and the place to head for if you need assistance of any kind. During daytime it is where the elderly men come to relax, play a game of tavli (backgammon) and put the world to rights. The younger men gather here after work. The kafenion serves coffee, soft drinks and few snacks. Further information regarding accommodation is available from the CTO Guide to Hotels and Other

Tourist Establishments, which is available from the CTO Information Offices. Cyprus Agrotourism Company CTO-19 Lemesos Avenue Melkonian Building CY-1319 Lefkosia Tel +357 2234 0071

Hiking and rambling

Countryside

Activities European E4 long distance path It is now possible to walk the length of Europe, thanks to the European E4 long distance path. Starting in Gibraltar, the path traverses Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Greece; then it is a short air trip to Crete and on to Cyprus. The Cyprus section, which has been set up as a joint venture between the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, connects Larnaka and Pafos airports. Along the way, it passes through areas of outstanding natural beauty, places of ecological importance and historic and archaeological sites. All the roads and tracks on the route are well signposted and the CTO has published a booklet of the Cyprus section, splitting it into comfortable daily sections, with the distance and time needed to cover each one. It also gives useful information on the geology, flora, fauna and points of interest along each section of the route.

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Forestry Department have created over sixty nature trails to assist hikers and ramblers enjoy the island’s hills and vales. The trails, some linear and others circular, help walkers discover the most fascinating corners of Cyprus. The terrain varies from that of Cape Gkreko in the southeast, through the Troodos Mountains, the foothills and forests to the Akamas peninsula in the west. The trails, which are designed to take in areas of outstanding natural beauty and cultural importance, are on gentle gradients and are

divided into three degrees of difficulty with two trails suitable for the disabled. Wooden signboards mark the start of each trial and there are pointers to interesting flora or geological features along each route. The CTO’s booklet ‘European Long Distance Path E4 and other Cyprus Nature Trails’ gives details of the European E4 Path and all the nature trials with the length, duration and degree of difficulty of each one. You can pick up a copy at the nearest CTO information office.

Cycling If your idea of travelling is to have the wind on your face, the sun on your back, the gentle crunch of tyres on gravel, the scent of pines around you and a glimpse of the sea sparkling in the distance, then cycling in Cyprus is for you. 33

Hiking and rambling

Countryside

Almost all the tourist resorts have bicycles for hire and the CTO’s guidebook Cyprus Cycling Routes can be picked up at the nearest CTO information centre. The guidebook covers main routes connecting towns or regions and excursions within a region. Each itinerary describes the route from point to point by altitude and the distance from the start point. The total distance is given, as well as the difficulty rating, which is

historical sites, monasteries and areas of outstanding natural beauty. It is signposted and there are markers pointing to viewpoints etc. For competitive cyclists, the Cyprus Cycling Federation, which is a member of the International Cycling Union (ICU) organises an annual three-day international mountain bike competition called ’Afxentia’ that attracts cyclists from all over Europe. The CCF also runs annual road races.

Skiing and snowboarding: Chionistra, the traditional name for Mount Olympus at the summit of the Troodos Mountains, means ‘the snowy one’ and in winter, it is covered with a good layer of snow. There is a brief but vigorous skiing and snowboarding season from

Horse riding Riding is a different way of exploring the hidden secrets of the Cyprus landscape. There are riding stables and ranches all over the island, so you can enjoy the Akamas peninsula, the Cape Gkreko National Forest Park or the pine-scented Troodos Mountains on horseback. Riding allows you to enjoy nature at a slower pace, to hear the birdsong and watch the incredible colours of the last rays of the setting sun over sea or mountain. based on the average moderately fit cyclist. Recommendations are also made as to the type of bicycle suitable for each route and the road surface is described. The book includes a map of each route. There is also a longer cycling route in the Troodos mountains. This is split into three sections and takes riders from Pano Platres to the Karvounas mountain saddle; then to Prodromos and finally back to Platres. The route is on forest, rural and secondary roads and it passes villages,

Riding can be enjoyed year-round thanks to the island’s climate and there is trekking and hacking for all levels of competence. Riding lessons are also available at centres with well-trained horses and qualified instructors. The CTO has published a pamphlet Horse Riding in Cyprus and more information is available from the Cyprus Equestrian Federation. For those who are nervous of horses, donkey rides are also available.

at Sun Valley and the North Face, where there are six alpine standard runs varying from 100 to 500 metres. There are two langlauf (cross-country) trails at Sun Valley; one of eight kilometres and one of four, which go through some wonderful and dramatic scenery. Snowboarding is growing in popularity and plans are afoot to create a park dedicated solely to this up-and-coming sport. Visitors can hire equipment from the ski store at Sun Valley and individual and group tuition is available for skiers and snowboarders.

Angling Angling in the dam reservoirs of Cyprus is a very popular pastime and twenty-one reservoirs provide excellent fresh-water fishing throughout the year. Seventeen species of fish are stocked, including trout, bass, carp, perch and roach. ‘Catch and keep’ is allowed at all but two sites, Polemedeia (Lemesos District) and Achna (Ammochostos District), which are ‘catch and release’ only. Anglers need a fishing licence, which can be easily obtained from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research in Lefkosia (Nicosia) or from the regional offices of the Fisheries Department. December to March. There are four main runs, on the southern slopes Sun Valley 1 (Aphrodite) is ideal for novices and Sun Valley 2 (Hermes) is for more practised skiers. North Face 1 (Dias) and North Face 2 (Hera) are for the experienced. The Cyprus Ski Club (CSC) runs t-bar lifts

Ornithology Cyprus lies on one of the main migratory paths for bird species from Europe, Asia and Africa and there are many endemic species on the island. Winter is the time to enjoy spectacular flocks of flamingos and wildfowl at the Salt Lakes. High summer is

a quiet time, as the number of breeding species is relatively small. Autumn is excellent for the passage of raptors, especially in September and October. The season also sees a massive movement of wildfowl, gulls and herons. It is in spring that Cyprus is truly glorious, as the number of birds passing seems inexhaustible. The spring migration is quite a long one, lasting from early March right through to late April. BirdLife Cyprus (BLC) is an NGO that promotes the protection of birds and their habitats. BLC is an affiliate of BirdLife Europe and it runs birdwatching trips and a birdline, through which visitors can find out what is happening on the local scene.

Botany In the heat of summer, visitors can be forgiven for thinking that Cyprus is bereft of flowers, as the dry rock-strewn hills show scant evidence that the island is home to an extraordinary variety of wildflowers and orchids, including around 130 endemic plants.

As an island, Cyprus became rich in endemic flora and home to a large number of varied species that are typical of the Mediterranean area as a whole.

National Forest Parks There are seven national forest parks, including two within the environs of Lefkosia (Nicosia) - Athalassa Park and Paedagogical Academy Park, which have nature trails, picnic sites, birdwatching hides and volleyball and basketball arenas. The Troodos National Forest Park is the largest and includes four Nature Reserves. It has the largest number of wild plants, including endemics, compared to anywhere else on the island and has been designated as one of the thirteen Mediterranean Plant Diversity Hot Spots. The Park has many recreational facilities, including picnic sites, a campsite, nature trails, riding and winter sports.

The best time to see Cyprus’ wild flowers is in early spring (February-March), when most species enjoy a short period of blossoming and take advantage of the unusually moist climate. The county’s floral profile is the result of the catastrophic ice ages when much of the flora of northern and central Europe was glacier covered, while the Mediterranean basin escaped unscathed, providing a haven for the evolution of plant life.

The Cavo Gkreko National Forest Park in the southeast of the island is ideal for hiking, picnicking, cycling, riding, climbing, swimming and diving.

Rizoelia National Forest Park on the edge of Larnaka town has a picnic site and nature trails. The Tripilos-Mavroi Gremmoi Nature Reserve in the middle of the Pafos Forest contains the only remaining natural stand of the endemic Cyprus Cedar (Cedrus brevifola). This, together with ancient stands of Golden Oak (Quercus alnifola), and the presence of the Cyprus moufflon (Ovis orientalis ophion), the Bonelli’s eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus) and the Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) make this area ecologically unique.

If there are sheep and goats wandering around the area you can be sure the nearby villages make their own cheeses. The most popular is Halloumi, a very versatile cheese that doesn’t lose its shape when cooked. You can grill it, fry it, grate it and add it to cooked dishes, drop a few cubes into hot soup, or just enjoy it as it is with tomatoes and a few olives or a slice of chilled watermelon. The Akamas, Pegeia and Meleti Forests cover the Akamas peninsula, the last remaining area of Cyprus with

a complete pattern of lowland vegetation, most of which is in a good state. The Lara-Toxeftra area is protected as a Marine Life Reserve and is of international importance, as the beaches are some of the last nesting grounds of the Green Turtle (Chelonian mydas) and Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta). The Cyprus Cycling Federation PO Box 24572, CY-1301 Lefkosia Tel: +357 2266 3344 Fax: +357 2266 1150 Cyprus Equestrian Federation PO Box 14043, CY-2153 Lefkosia Tel: +357 9967 3333 Fax: +357 2233 8866 E-mail: notorious.equ@cytanet.com.cy Cyprus Ski Club PO Box 22185, CY-1518 Lefkosia Tel: +357 2267 5340 Fax: +357 2266 9681 E-mail: cyprus.ski.club@cytanet.com.cy Website: www.cyprusski.com Department of Fisheries & Marine Research Aiolou 13, CY-1416 Lefkosia Tel: +357 2280 7862 Fax: +357 2277 5955 BirdLife Cyprus PO Box 28076, CY-2090 Lefkosia Tel: +357 2245 5072 Fax: +357 2245 5073 E-mail: birdlifecy@cytanet.com.cy Website: www.birdlifecyprus.org

As an island, Cyprus became rich in endemic flora and home to a large number of varied species that are typical of the Mediterranean area as a whole.

The Cavo Gkreko National Forest Park in the southeast of the island is ideal for hiking, picnicking, cycling, riding, climbing, swimming and diving.

Religiousand

Local Customs and Celebrations Christianity gained an early foothold in Cyprus, when the Apostles Paul and Barnabas introduced the religion in the first century AD. To this day religion is fundamental to the life of almost all Greek Cypriots, who mainly belong to the Greek Orthodox Church. According to Orthodox belief, each day of the year is dedicated to a particular saint and every church celebrates its saint’s day with a panagiri (fair). These dates are also celebrated as the ‘name days’, more significant than birthdays, of those who bear the name of the particular saint. Every village has one or more churches, many of which contain stunning icons. The Catholic Lusignan dynasty, which took control of Cyprus in 1197, repressed the Orthodox Church and many clergy withdrew to the mounainous areas. Many of the churches of the Troodos mountains were of similar design - about the size of a small barn, some with domes and some without. Because of the harsh winter climate, steeply pitched wooden overhanging roofs were added to protect them from heavy snowfalls. The churches are unique in the world. Inside them, fresco painters created vivid images in styles that reflected changing tastes and religious fashions. 38

Ten of the finest examples are designated as World Heritage sites by UNESCO. The frescoes, usually depicting events from the bible, are remarkable in the clarity of detail and colour. The later didactic-style wall paintings evolved because very few of the rural community were literate and the pictures enabled them to learn the rudiments of the gospels. Easter is the main religious celebration in Cyprus, and it starts on Clean Monday, the first

day of Lent, during which many people observe a strict six-week Pascal fast. On Good Friday, the women of the parish gather flowers to decorate the epitaphios (bier) that carries the symbol of Christ crucified round the streets after a solemn service. At midnight on Saturday, everyone lights his Easter lambada (candle) and greets his neighbour with the words, “Christos anesti”, (Christ is risen), to which the reply is “Alithos anesti”, (He is indeed risen). In many churchyards lambradjia (bonfires) are lit and an effigy of Judas is burned. Then the feasting starts. Whole lambs or souvla (large kebabs) are cooked, coloured eggs and flaounes (special Easter buns), are handed round and there is a great deal of singing, dancing and merrymaking.

Religiousand

Christmas is a quieter celebration but it has a quaint rural custom that almost certainly has a pagan background. During the twelve days of Christmas,

children traditionally receive their presents. The centrepiece of the banquet is the Vasiliopitta (cake), in which a coin is always secreted before baking and whoever finds it is guaranteed good luck for the coming year. The enormous cake is cut after midnight, firstly into four so that it makes the sign of the Cross. It is then divided into smaller pieces and the first two are set aside, one for the poor and one for the house. Then the family, starting with the youngest child gets a slice and finally the guests are served.

Keep your eyes open for the

tiny stone-built chapels dwarf-like creatures called kalikantzari appear. They are said to be either the spirits of babies who died before baptism or the souls of those who had nobody to sit vigil with them on the night of their death. The aim of these phantoms is to get into houses and cause havoc. They disguise themselves as visitors but they can only count to two, so genuine visitors at Christmas always knock three times. Sprigs of olive leaves tied with red thread are nailed to doors and every room is sprinkled with holy water. Leading up to Christmas, housewives bake honey cakes, shortbread and special bread sprinkled with sesame. After church on Christmas morning, the Advent fast is broken with traditional egg and lemon soup. New Year sees the feast of Agios Vasilios (the Greek Santa Claus) and this is when

that dot the island. These pretty churches are usually located in very beautiful isolated spots. On Epiphany Day, January 6th, the celebration of ta phota (the light) takes place. In the morning, everyone takes to church a bottle or container in which to collect their holy water. Ta Phota marks Christ’s baptism by St John and during the service, the papas (village priest) blesses water in a large font and then ladles it into the receptacles for the congregation to carry away and purify their homes and livestock. The priest also visits each home to sprinkle every room to dispel any evil spirits. In addition, people light olive leaves in a kapnistiri (earthenware or silver

incense burner) and make the sign of the Cross through the aromatic smoke. Later, at coastal towns, a beautiful service is held at which the priest casts a Cross into the sea and a crowd of young men and boys dive in to retrieve it and hand it back to him. Baptisms, weddings and funerals are attended by almost everyone in the village and surrounding area.

Music is usually provided by a fiddler or, when the party really warms up, by a less traditional but equally popular bouzouki group. Celebrations and dancing go on till the early hours.

The parents have no role in the baptism ceremony and some mothers still observe the custom of staying outside the church. The godparents recite the Pistevo (Creed) on the infant’s behalf, and then oil is added to the water in the font and blessed. The child is stripped, placed in the font and water is poured over its head. The priest and godparent anoint it with oil, making the sign of the cross. The priest then takes sacred miro (precious oil prepared in Constantinople) and makes crosses on the child’s forehead, cheeks, arms, legs, feet and palms. Three tufts of hair are cut from the baby’s head before it is dried and dressed in new clothes supplied in triplicate by the godfather. The godparents then hold the child in their arms and its first communion is administered.

If you happen to be in a village during a traditional wedding or religious fair, do stay and enjoy the event.

Christmas is a quieter celebration but it has a quaint rural custom that almost certainly has a pagan background. During the twelve days of Christmas,

Keep your eyes open for the

Music is usually provided by a fiddler or, when the party really warms up, by a less traditional but equally popular bouzouki group. Celebrations and dancing go on till the early hours.

If you happen to be in a village during a traditional wedding or religious fair, do stay and enjoy the event.

A wedding is a time of great feasting, sometimes for two or three days. In western Cyprus, a huge copper cauldron is placed over a wood fire and resi is prepared. This is a tasty concoction of cracked wheat and lots of pork and lamb, which are slowly cooked until the meat falls off the bones. These are removed and it is cooked and stirred again until it turns into a glutinous porridge-like substance in which a spoon will stand up. On the day, traditional music plays as the barber shaves the groom, before his koumbari (best men) dress him in his wedding suit. The bride is dressed by her attendants and in the meantime, the village women bring out the bridal mattress for the priest to bless before they attach small crosses of red ribbon to each corner. To ensure that the first-born child is male, a small boy is rolled across the mattress. The women then pick up the mattress and dance it around the courtyard, to the accompaniment of a fiddler. The mothers of the couple fold clean sheets into a cross over the mattress and dance it around again before throwing money on it.

A series of carefully planned

Religious Routes, which are co-funded by the European Union, are designed to portray the spiritual life of Cyprus through its

Orthodox monasteries, churches, festivals and customs, as well as ecclesiastical museums and religious art. You can pick up a copy of the CTO guidebook on Religious Routes at any CTO Information Office. The church bell rings as the fiddler leads the groom with his father and with all his koumbari through the village to church. The bride is accompanied by her attendants and preceded by two children carrying large beribboned candles and another carrying the two circlets that will be placed on the heads of the bride and groom during the service. After the ceremony the couple lines up with their parents to greet the guests and offer them traditional sweet almond cakes or sugared almonds. The fiddler plays as the bride and groom perform a swaying

bridal dance while everyone, starting with the parents, pins money to their clothes. An evening of eating, drinking and dancing follows. Families are not shunned in death. The deceased is laid out in the house in a simple coffin with his face covered with a lace cloth and fragrant herbs. Friends and neighbours arrive to offer sympathy and sit and mourn with the bereaved while women chant the praises of the dead. These myrologia (dirges) are an ancient tradition and are always sung by women. After the church service, everyone goes in procession to the kimitirio (cemetery) and pariorka consisting of bread, wine, halloumi cheese or olives is offered at the graveside.

Don’t be surprised if someone waves a small pot of smoking olive leaves around you – you are being blessed. This is ‘kapnisma’, or Holy smoke, a religious cleansing procedure, and you are greatly honoured. Wave your cupped right hand through the smoke and draw it towards you, then make the sign of the cross.

A series of carefully planned

Religious Routes, which are co-funded by the European Union, are designed to portray the spiritual life of Cyprus through its

January 1 6 24 & 25

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February 1&2 Date varies Date varies

Cypriots hold strongly to their traditions, which are manifested in religious celebrations, neighbourhood fairs and folk festivals and every village church has its own panagiri (patron saint’s day), which the villagers celebrate with food and drink, singing and dancing. March 24 & 25

April Date varies

May 1

4&5

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New Year. Epiphany - Celebrations in coastal towns and villages. Agios Neophytos Day fair at Agios Neophytos. Monastery, Pafos District. Agia Napa Cultural Winter. Paralimni Cultural Winter. Ski season in full swing. Ploughing and pruning of vineyards begins.

Presentation of Christ at the Temple fair, at Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery, Pafos District. Carnival in all major towns. Green Monday - Beginning of Lent. Tangerine festival at Arakapas, Lemesos District. Kite flying competition at Deryneia, Ammochostos District. Agia Napa Cultural Winter. Paralimni Cultural Winter. Cycling Race “Sunshine Cup – VORKLINI” (UCI E1 cat). Troodos International FIS Annual Race. Almond blossom in bloom.

Evangelismos - Feast of the Annunciation - fairs at Klirou, Lefkosia District and Kalavassos, Larnaka District. Agia Napa Cultural Winter. Paralimni Cultural Winter. Cycling Race “Sunshine Cup – Afxentia”. Cycling Race “UCI World Cup Marathon” (MTB Marathon). Birdwatching trips. International skiing competition at Troodos. Cereal harvest begins. Easter. “Easter festivities” On Easter Sunday, Monday and Tuesday traditional games are organised in many villages.

Mayday celebrations islandwide. Festival of Cyprus customs, traditions, folk dances and music at Dali, Lefkosia District. Agia Irini Day fair at Pervolia, Larnaka District. Strawberry festival at Derynia, Ammochostos District. Rose Festival, Agros, Lemesos District. Anthestiria Flower Festival at Germasogia, Lemesos District. 45

January 1 6 24 & 25

Rural

year Cyprus THE

February 1&2 Date varies Date varies

April Date varies

May 1

4&5

Mid May 44

20 & 21

June 17 & 18

Date varies July 25 & 26

August 14 & 15

Agios Constantinos and Agia Eleni Day fairs at Deryneia, Ammochostos District and Tsada, Pafos District. Birdwatching trips.

Flavours of Cyprus, Marathasa Troodos. Arkadia Festival at Kallepeia, Pafos District. Dionysia Wine Festival at Stroumpi, Pafos District. Commandaria Wine Festival at Kalochorio, Lemesos District. Pastelaki carob toffee festival at Anogyra, Lemesos District. Pafia Aphrodite Festival at Kouklia, Pafos District. Folk Music Festival, Steni, Pafos District. Village festivals at Alona, Lagoudera, Platanistasa, Kourdali, Spilia and Polystipos, Lefkosia District; Vouni, Pachna, Arsos, Vasa and Agros, Lemesos District and Pegeia, Kannaviou, Drymou, Choulou, Kritou Marotou and Tsada, Pafos District. Peach festival at Kato Mylos. Carob harvest begins. Summer events at Spillia – Kourdali villge, Lefkosia. Cultural August – Pano Platres, Polystipos. “Cultural Festival of Southern Marathasa” (Troodos Mountains), Lemesos district, organised by the communities of Prodromos, Kaminaria, Treis Elies, Agios Dimitrios, Palaiomylos and Lemithou. “Cultural Festival” in Pelendri village, Lemesos District. “Pafia Aphrodite Festival”, Kouklia village, Pafos. Cultural Festival of Agros village, Lemesos District. Annual Cultural Festival at Pervolia village, Larnaka. Summer Nights in Polis. Agia Napa Summer Cultural Events. Food & dancing feasts in almost all villages across the island the week including the 15th of August (Dormition of Virgin Mary).

Agios Leontios Day: fair at Pervolia, Larnaka District. Troodos – The green heart of Cyprus, Platres, Lemesos District. Cultural Festival at Arsos, Lemesos District. Geroskipou Delight Day, Geroskipou, Pafos District. Cherry Festival, Platanistasa, Lefkosia District. Annual Shakespeare play at Kourion theatre, Lemesos District. “Cherry Festival” at Platanistasa village, Lefkosia District. Agia Napa Summer Cultural Events. Pentecost - Kataklysmos Fair – festival of the flood.

Agia Paraskevi day fair at Geroskipou, Pafos District. Agricultural Exhibition, Solea area, Troodos. Commandaria Festival at Alassa, Agios Georgios Silikou, Doros, Laneia, Monagri, Silikou, Agios Mamas, Apesia, Kapileio, Korfi and Limnatis, Lemesos District. Moonlight concerts at Kourion theatre. International Folk Dance Festival at Pissouri, Lemesos District. Resi Festival at Letymbou, Pafos District. Paralimni Cultural Summer Festival. Classical Car Rally, Pano Platres. International Folk Dances Festival, Pissouri village. Cultural Events at Aradippou village, Larnaka District. Cultural Events at Episkopi village, Lemesos District. Regional Cultural Week of Mountatin Resorts of Lemesos District. (Pano Platres, Kato Platres, Foini, Mandria, Omodos, Pera Pedi, Koilani, Kouka and Moniatis villages). Musical Summer evenings at Polis. Assumption of the Virgin Mary fairs at Kykkos and Chrysorrogiatissa Monasteries and at Chrysospiliotissa Churches in Deftera, Lefkosia District, Liopetri, Ammochostos District and Kiti, Larnaka District. Folk Art Festival, Marathasa area, Troodos.

September 7&8

21 & 22

Nativity of the Virgin Mary Day fairs at Kykkos and Chrysorrogiatissa Monasteries and at Panagia Iamatiki Church at Arakapas, Lemesos District. Tamassia: Cultural events at Tamassos, Lefkosia District. Traditional food and Cyprus wine, Pitsilia Area, Troodos. Open day at the donkey sanctuary, Vouni, Lemesos District. Palouze (grape desert) festival at Vouni, Lemesos District. Agios Fokas day fair at Athienou, Larnaka District. Palouze (grape desert) festival at Arsos, Lemesos District. Wine Festival, Krassochoria villages, Lemesos District.

20 & 21

June 17 & 18

Date varies July 25 & 26

August 14 & 15

Agios Constantinos and Agia Eleni Day fairs at Deryneia, Ammochostos District and Tsada, Pafos District. Birdwatching trips.

September 7&8

21 & 22

Fairs at Mammari and Astromeritis, Lefkosia District. Palouze (grape desert) festival at Vasa Koilaniou, Lemesos District. Start of the grape harvest. Pastelli Festival at Anogyra village, Lemesos District. Birdwatching trips. Palouze Fair at Vouni village, Lemesos district, tel. 25943343. Agia Napa Annual Festival. European Heritage Day. October 3&4 17 &18

November 2&3 7&8

20 & 21

December 25

Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Day festival at Kalopanagiotis, Lefkosia District. Afamia Grape and Wine festival at Koilani, Lemesos District. Agios Loukas Day fairs at Kolossi and Koilani, Lemesos District, Aradippou, Larnaka District and Korakou, Lefkosia District. Palouze (grape desert) festival at Polystipos, Lefkosia District. Birdwatching trips. Start of green olive harvest.

Festival at Agios Georgios Mavrovouno Monastery, Troulloi. Feast of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel fairs at Archangelos Michael Monastery at Anthoupolis, Lefkosia and Agios Michael church at Analiontas, Lefkosia District. Fair celebrating the Virgin Mary at Agros. Birdwaching trips. Musical Sundays, organised by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation. Agia Napa Cultural Winter. Christmas. Christmas Festivities, Agia Napa. Agia Napa Cultural Winter. Christmas Celebrations, Deryneia. Agia Napa New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Celebrations. Harvesting of black olives and making of olive oil. Lambing season begins.

Note: The official website of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation provides comprehensive information on the updated calendar of events, www.visitcyprus.com

November 2&3 7&8

20 & 21

December 25

Note: The official website of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation provides comprehensive information on the updated calendar of events, www.visitcyprus.com

REFERENCE TOWN VILLAGE GERMASOGEIA

MUNICIPALITY LOCALITY NAME LINE OF AREA UNDER TURK. OCCUP. SINCE 1974 CHURCH / MONASTERY UNESCO SITE ANCIENT SITE MUSEUM ACCOMODATION IN RURAL AREAS HIKING CYCLING ANGLING VAHKIS TAVERN SALT LAKE / DAM THEMATIC PARK FLORA 1 (FLAT) FLORA 2 (MOUNTAINOUS)

REFERENCE TOWN VILLAGE GERMASOGEIA

Route1

The Southeast Area (KokkinochoriaRed Soil villages)

to the area. The hides are on the opposite side (drive across the top of the dam). A little further on is the 16th century church of Agios Georgios Teratsiotis. Continue on this road to the small

Distance: approximately 100 kilometres ñ Mainly agricultural with tourist hot spots along the coast ñ Interesting village churches and small museums ñ Good, easy, cycling routes ñ Good bird-watching areas ñ Dramatic coastal scenery with splendid walks ñ Accommodation Leave the Larnaka/Agia Napa motorway at the exit for Xylotymvou and go left onto the E303. Pass Xylotymvou village on your right and turn left onto a road signposted to Agios Rafail and Agia Marina. Here you will find a cluster of eight churches, one of which - the little 15th century barrel-vaulted convent of Agia Marina with its cloistered garden - is worth a visit. You will find this beside the large modern church of Agios Rafail. Continue on the E303. This area is the eastern end of the fertile central plain (Mesaoria). Here, wheat and barley grow in the fields on either side of you during winter. After 8.5 kilometres, turn right at a road signposted ‘Avgorou 1km’ and you will come to Akhna Dam. A popular angling and birdwatching spot, the dam is part of the Southern Conveyor Project, which brings water 52

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agricultural village of Avgorou, in the centre of which is a large, modern church. Opposite is a tiny park, behind which is a small domed church dedicated to the Panagia (the BV Mary). Close by are two fine examples of the stone-built houses of the region. Also of interest is the small domed church of Agios Georgios with its low belfry decorated with bas-relief. The Ethnographical (Folk Art) Museum, housed in a beautifully restored house, is a short distance away. 53

Route1

The Southeast Area (KokkinochoriaRed Soil villages)

to the area. The hides are on the opposite side (drive across the top of the dam). A little further on is the 16th century church of Agios Georgios Teratsiotis. Continue on this road to the small

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Go onto the F306 for Frenaros. The cornfields will give way to fields of red soil planted with potatoes, carrots and kolocassi (a root vegetable akin to the Polynesian taro, with huge elephant-ear leaves) and citrus groves. Frenaros is at the heart of the Kokkinochoria. It has some attractive traditional houses with courtyards and arches. For many years, it was a centre of

basket weaving, particularly the large deep baskets in which potatoes were transported. At the entrance to the village, go left onto the F305 and drive to the village centre. Go left to the mediaeval Archangelos Michael church, which has two domes. There are some interesting old houses around the narrow streets of this village. In the car again, drive back onto the main street, and head for Deryneia. Before you leave Frenaros, you can take a side trip to the tiny Agios Andronikos church that stands alone in the middle of fields. To get there, go right

towards the cemetery. The church is about a kilometre down this road. As you enter Deryneia village centre, go left at the signpost ‘Deryneia Folkloric Museum’. After 100 metres, park. Walk down the road to the small church of the Panagia (the Virgin). There are some fine examples of local architecture in the small streets around the church. The Folkloric Museum is nearby. This small museum gives a very good picture of rural domestic life of times past but for a look at the more recent history of the island, a visit to the Cultural Centre of Occupied Famagusta is a must. Also worth visiting is the old church of Agios Georgios, which is nearby. As Deryneia is on a main tourist route, there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops. To leave, drive past the church of the Panagia and take the first left turn. Go left again, then right at the signpost for Sotira, onto the F316. Sotira is a large agricultural village with fine examples of rural architecture. Go left onto a narrow road about 350 metres after you pass the 50kph sign at the village entrance. Ahead are several windmills for which the area is renowned. Go left at the fork in the road and you will come to the elegant little church of Agios Mamas, which is possibly 12th century but rebuilt in the 15th century. Several examples of mud-brick dwellings are nearby. Head for the Metamorphosis (Transfiguration) Church.

The age of the church is unknown but reconstruction took place in 1553. Large trees almost hide the building. There is also a small ecclesiastical museum nearby. To leave Sotira, go onto the E304 just after a right bend in the road. Pass the dried bed of Paralimni Lake on your left and go straight ahead. Follow the signs for the town centre and town hall, and park by the big church.

Paralimni means ‘beside the lake’. In the early part of the last century, the lake was drained as part of an anti-malaria project and a dam was built in 1964. Paralimni is the administrative centre of the Kokkinochoria, with a police headquarters, hospital, hypermarket and a good shopping area. There are cafés and restaurants around the paved square. Next to the large Agios Georgios church is an old church dedicated to the same saint and dating from the 19th century. Beside that is the tiny domed Church of

the Panagia Agia Anna. An unusual feature of this church is the vaulting, which is decorated with porcelain plates, mostly from the 18th century. To leave, go right at the end of the paved area and follow the one-way system, going left at the sign for the E305 and B3. This will bring you back to the traffic lights. Go left and then left again at the roundabout, signposted to Protaras. Go right at the next roundabout, signposted to Profitis Ilias. Down the hill you will see the tiny church of Profitis Ilias standing on a rocky outcrop. The church is modern but built on the foundations of an old one. The view from the top is wonderful, if you feel like climbing 100 steps! Go right onto the E306. You are now at the beach resort of Protaras. Go left at the sign for Cavo Gkreko. Head up the hill and, turn left at a small sign directing you to the beach. The winding road takes you down to a lovely cove known as Konnos. You are now in the Cavo Gkreko (Cape Greco) National Forest Park, which covers an area of 385 hectares and includes car parks, cycling lanes and nine nature trails. At Konnos Bay, huge limestone rocks lend a peculiar wildness to the scenery. Pine, acacia and cypresses cover the almost vertical slope leading down to the sea. There are seats where you can sit in the shade and a small café is nearby.

The windmills that can still be seen dotting the countryside in this area were once used to draw water from the ground for agricultural irrigation. Most of them are no longer in use.

wild garlic, mallow, anemones and ranunculus carpet the hillside. Kotschy’s bee orchid (Ophrys kotschyi) can also be found here.

Back in your car, drive to the Monastery junction and go left. To visit the picturesque harbour, with its fishing boats and cafés, go straight at the traffic lights. From the harbour area, a paved footpath runs all the way to Agia Thekla to the west and almost to Cavo Gkreko to the east. If you give the harbour a miss, go right at the traffic lights onto the E309, signposted to Xylofagou.

Go back to the main road. Turn left at the signpost ‘F314 Cavo Gkreko’. Approximately 300 metres along this road you can take a side trip to the small chapel of Agioi Anargyroi and an impressive sea-cave beneath it. It is not possible to drive all the way to the promontory, as the land is fenced off, so drive as far as the fence, park your car and enjoy the beauty of the area with its towering vertical cliffs and rock shelves. The crystal clear water is a paradise for scuba diving and snorkelling. There is always a fresh cool breeze blowing along the cape, no matter how hot the weather. Drive back to the main road, follow the sign for Agia Napa and after a few metres, take the second road to the left (the dirt road), signposted ‘Parking Place, View Point’. This takes you to a car park, from which you can walk up onto the top of the crag. There is an impressive modern statue of sea birds in flight at the viewpoint, and you can look down to the lighthouse to your left and sea caves to your right. Cape Greco is renowned for wild flowers in the spring; irises, gladioli,

The local authorities in this area are extremely active in organising both winter and summer events for visitors and local people.

Rejoin the main road to Agia Napa and go left at the signpost ‘Thalassa Agia Napa Museum’. Stay on this road, and you will see the museum on your left at a crossroads. The museum, which is open 7-days a week, houses an impressive collection of maritime and sea-faring life. Walk two hundred metres along the main street from the museum to get to the Agia Napa Monastery.

Dedicated walkers and nature lovers can take a side trip to an unspoiled area on the outskirts of the town. After 2.5 kilometres, turn right at the sign for Xylofagou, go over the motorway bridge and join the motorway, heading towards Paralimni. After approximately 1 kilometre, leave the motorway at an exit that has no signposts, just the word ‘Exit’. This brings you into an uncultivated area, through which part of the European Path E4 passes (See Section 1, Chapter 7, Countryside Activities). There are no designated routes here, you can just wander at will. In the spring, the area is renowned for its profusion of wild flowers. To get back on the route, re-join the motorway and follow the signs for Agia

Napa, then the signs for the Thalassa Museum, going left at the ‘Stop’ sign. When you get to the bottom of the hill the Museum will be opposite you. Go right and you are now back on the route. For those who don’t want to take the side trip, drive for approximately 6.5 kilometres from the traffic lights, and turn left at the signpost to Agia Thekla Church. This little white church perched on a small hill by the seashore is a former monastery that was built on a much earlier Byzantine site. A few metres south of the chapel is the saint’s shrine, which is cut out of the solid rock. Local legend says that it is the foundation of a Christian basilica from around the 6th century AD but no evidence supports this claim. Back on the main road, go left at the sign ‘Potamos Liopetriou’. Potamos (Liopetriou) is the only creek in Cyprus. There is a beach of fine white sand near the picturesque small fishermen’s church and the remains of a Venetian watchtower. Along the length of the creek, which is a fishing haven with several restaurants, you will come across many small boats laden with brightly coloured baskets and nets. Return to the main road, go over the motorway to Liopetri. The village car park is opposite a restored stone building known as the ‘Akhyronas Barn’, a national memorial to four heroes of the island’s struggle for liberation. Liopetri is famous for its potatoes. In the village square, there are several coffee

The windmills that can still be seen dotting the countryside in this area were once used to draw water from the ground for agricultural irrigation. Most of them are no longer in use.

wild garlic, mallow, anemones and ranunculus carpet the hillside. Kotschy’s bee orchid (Ophrys kotschyi) can also be found here.

The local authorities in this area are extremely active in organising both winter and summer events for visitors and local people.

shops (kafenion) and the mediaeval church of Panagia Eleousa, built in Byzantine style. This large domed building has two belfries, arches and a vaulted ceiling. The streets in this area afford some good examples of rural architecture. Leave the village and head for Xylofagou. Stay on this road until you come to a T-junction. Turn right onto the B3, signposted ‘Dekelia’. At the small roundabout, go left and beside a large new church, you will see the 16th century domed church of Agios Georgios. Near the village of Xylofagou, in a vertical cliff east of Cape Pyla, is a labyrinthine cave known as ‘The Cave of the Forty Martyrs’. Here, according to local legend, forty martyrs of Orthodoxy were buried. The Forty Martyrs of Sebasteia were Christian soldiers in the Roman army who chose to die rather than renounce their faith. Fossilised bones from a much earlier period have also been found in the cave and these are believed to be those of animals long extinct. The cliff is about forty metres high, and the cave entrance is twelve metres above sea level. Any attempt to enter the cave is dangerous and therefore not recommended. Nevertheless, it’s a nice story on which to end a tour of the Kokkinochoria. To rejoin the motorway, go back to the village roundabout and go left. Then go left at the sign for Larnaka and Agia Napa. This road will take you back to the motorway. Agia Napa Monastery dates from the Venetian rule in Cyprus (1489 -1571) and

is dedicated to Our Lady of the Forests. The monastery was built around a church, possibly from the 8th or 9th century, whose sanctuary was a rock-cut chamber, inside which there is still a well containing water. To the right of the imposing gateway is a two-storey gatehouse, whose boar’s head fountain is thought to be Roman. The gatehouse and the octagonal marble fountain-house in the courtyard may have been part of a private house. The monastery fell into disuse in 1790 and it now houses the Agia Napa Conference Centre, serving various churches in the Middle East and the local Anglican and German communities worship at the small chapel in the gatehouse. The two magnificent trees in front of the monastery are the sycamore figs (Ficus sycamorus) of the Bible and are reputed to be more than six hundred years old. These trees were included in a famous poem by the Nobel Prize winner, George Seferis. “Thalassa” Agia Napa Municipal Museum of the Sea Monday 9:00-13:00, Tuesday - Saturday 9:00-17:00 (October - May) Tuesday - Saturday 9:00-13:00, 18:00-22:00 (June - September) Deyneia Folkroric Museum Monday - Saturday 9:00-17:00 Avgorou Ethographic Museum Monday - Friday 08:30-13:30, Wednesday - Thursday 16:00-18:00 (June - October) 15:00-17:00 (November - May) Thalassa Agia Napa Municipal Museum of the Sea

Route 2 The

monastery gets the name Mavrovouni (Black Mountain) from the dark hillsides surrounding it. It is open seven-days a week and the friendly monks welcome visitors.

Central Plain Distance: approximately 80 kilometres ñ Arable and livestock farmlands with small agricultural towns and villages ñ Interesting geological features and terrain ñ Excellent easy walking and cycling ñ Monasteries and ancient churches ñ Traditional architecture and village crafts Leave the Agia Napa motorway at exit 57, go right onto the E301 to Kellia, and take the left fork at the signpost to Agios Antonios. ‘Kellia’ means cells, indicating that the 9th century Agios Antonios church may be on the site of an older monastery, or that this was an area favoured by hermits. Go back to the main road and as you drive through the village, you will pass an old stone water tank on your right. As you drive towards Troulloi the surrounding countryside is completely barren, however it is interesting as the changing colours of the rocks show the various mineral deposits. There is the cleft of an old mine in the hillside to the right of the road about 3.5 kms after Kellia. Go right at the signpost to Agios Georgios Monastery, which is in a palm grove to your left. Originally built in the 9th century, the recently restored 60

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Signs suggest that the extraction of copper ore in this area began in pre-Christian times and between 1935 and 1939 many tons of gold-bearing ore were extracted. Copper is no longer exploited here but umber is still processed at the village and you will see the umber works on your left as you leave the monastery to re-join the main road and go right.

Route 2 The

monastery gets the name Mavrovouni (Black Mountain) from the dark hillsides surrounding it. It is open seven-days a week and the friendly monks welcome visitors.

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As you enter Troulloi village square, you will see the 16th century church of Agios Mamas to your right. The key is kept at the priest’s house behind the church. A walk round the streets of the village will reveal many fine examples of architecture typical of southeast Cyprus. Leave the village on the road to the left of the square, signpost ‘Avdellero E4’. This takes you through olive groves and cornfields. At the end of this road, birdwatchers keen to see goldfinches, can take a side trip by going left at the signpost to a Monastery. The main route goes right to Avdellero, a tiny village full of old mud-brick and stone houses. To leave, take the road that you passed on your way into the village (the signpost to Athienou is in Greek). As you climb through the stark landscape, there are open views back towards the coast. As you descend, the terrain changes to fertile fields in which fodder crops of grain and alfalfa grow for the livestock that produces the milk for which Athienou is famed. Athienou is a small township, notable for its interesting houses. It is renowned for its yoghurt, halloumi and roasted peanuts. There are several modern bakeries producing the famous ‘Athienitiko’ bread, cooked on stones. The patron saint of Athienou is Agios Fokas and the village has the only church to his name in Cyprus. To reach it, go right behind Agios Georgios church and you will find it on your right,

opposite the old market building. The ancient city kingdom of Golgoi is to the northwest of the village. To leave, follow the signs for Lefkosia (Nicosia) and, a hundred metres after the t-junction, you can take a side trip by going left and driving to the abandoned village of Petrofani. Sheep and goats now occupy the old mud-brick houses but you can see how these buildings were built hundreds of years ago. A further two kilometres will take you to a place called Malloura, where remnants of the late Roman and the Frankish periods, including a head of Apollo, who was worshipped here, have been unearthed. Back on the main road, go left and, after 8.5 kilometres, go right onto the A2 and drive to Dali, passing the village of Lympia on your right. At the roundabout at the entrance to Dali, go left and left again to the site of Ancient Idalion once an important citykingdom. The site is still under excavation, you can see much of the dig, including an ancient olive press, from the track surrounding it. Local legend associates Idalion with Aphrodite and her lover, Adonis, who is said to have been killed by a boar nearby as he awaited a tryst with the goddess. Go back to the main road and go right. At the roundabout go straight ahead to the small Byzantine church of Agios Demetrianos. This charming little church

is a delightful place to visit. On the west wall, there is an interesting ‘donor’ picture which is dated 1317 and shows the donor of the church and his wife kneeling in prayer. Note: Although not listed on this route, the area around Dhali has many interesting churches, such as the one at Agios Sozomenos, which is a rock cave that was once inhabited by a hermit called Sozomenos. Just below the cave, amid the ruins of an abandoned village, is an impressive Gothic structure. Built during mediaeval times, this church was dedicated to St, Mammas, but was never completed. Go back to the roundabout, go straight along the Dali bypass and at the end of the road, go left, and immediately right at the sign to Agioi Apostoloi. Stay on the main road through the village of Pera Chorio, following signs to the church. The church of the Holy Apostles dates from the 12th century and contains some of the best frescoes from that period. The key can be obtained at the last house on the left. Return to the main road and go right on the B1. A side trip can be taken to the Monastery of Agia Thekla by taking a small road to the left just after the crossroads at Mosfiloti. On the main route, go left at the sign for Pyrga. To your right is Kornos, where, during the summer months, women make flowerpots, water jugs and other items with clay from the surrounding area.

Pyrga is in a valley overshadowed by Stavrovouni mountain. The tiny royal chapel of Agia Ekaterina is on your right as you enter the village. The church is a Franco-Byzantine building of 1421, embodying a fragment of Lusignan history. It contains portraits of the Lusignan King Janus and Queen Charlotte, which have inscriptions in the French languages. On leaving the village, you will see a good example of terraced forestation on your left. The landscape is lowland forest with pine and thickets of tall shrubs. Go right onto the E104 at the end of the road and follow the signs for Larnaka. Drive along the Psevdas bypass to Agia Anna. This tiny village has attractive houses built in traditional style, many of which are restored. There is also a Vakhis Project taverna serving authentic local cuisine. The main agricultural products of this area are olives and carobs. As you drive towards the next village, the valley of the river Tremithos is on your right. As you near Kalo Chorio, you will see livestock farms and a chain of wells either side of the road. The road to the motorway for travellers from Lefkosia (Nicosia), Agia Napa and the Larnaka tourist area is to the left after the large church. Travellers from Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos and Larnaka town should stay on the E104 to the roundabout.

Route 3

Larnaka West Coast

In winter, the Salt Lake, which is one of the two main wetlands in Cyprus, is home to colonies of flamingos and other migratory birds. The lake is below sea level and seawater seeping in through the porous lime rocks leaves a thick

Distance: approximately 80 kilometres ñ A quiet area, famous for its market garden produce, melons and citrus fruit ñ Delightful well-kept villages and fascinating ancient sites ñ Famous Byzantine mosaic ñ Excellent easy walking and cycling along gentle hills and farm roads ñ Mainly undeveloped pebble beaches with some tiny sandy bays ñ Good bird-watching areas ñ Accommodation Drive towards Larnaka airport from the roundabout at the junction of the Larnaka-Lemesos (Limassol) and Larnaka-Agia Napa motorways and go left at the sign to Hala Sultan Tekke. The Hala Sultan Tekke stands surrounded by palms and cedars overlooking the Salt Lake. It is one of the most important shrines in Islam and is reputed to be the burial place of Umm Haram, a relative of the Prophet Mohammed, who was killed in a fall from her horse during an Arab raid in the 7th century AD. The octagonal mosque, built in 1816, is considered the finest example of Ottoman architecture in Cyprus. The Tekke and its grounds have been completely renovated. 64

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deposit of salt as it dries out. The Salt Lake is on the Ramsar list as a wetland of international importance. Leave the Tekke, double back round the airport roundabout and follow the signs for Kiti. Birdwatchers can take a side trip to an extension of the Salt Lake known as Spiros’ Pool and the hide at the Water Treatment plant by going left in Meneou village at the sign for Meneou Beach. 65

Route 3

Larnaka West Coast

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In Kiti, go right at the sign to Angeloktisi Church and then first left. The Byzantine church of Panagia Angeloktisi (Built by the Angels) was built around 1,000 AD on 5th century ruins. It was rebuilt in the 12th century and has later additions. It contains a rare and very impressive 6th century mosaic of the Virgin and Child, flanked by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel with peacock-feather wings. The church is open daily, closing between noon and 14:00 hrs. Back at the main road, go left and head for Mazotos. At Mazotos you can visit the museum of the self-taught contemporary artist Costas Argyrou. On the way the road is bordered by flat farmland with the sea in the distance to your left. A camel park and petrol station are on your left at the junction of the road to Mazotos. Go straight ahead on the road towards Zygi. This is a market gardening area, with fields of tomatoes, artichokes and cucumbers growing in the rich alluvial soil of the valleys of the rivers Xeropotamos, Pentaschoinos and Maroni.

This is a great area for leisure cyclists. The terrain is relatively flat and the roads and farm tracks are uncongested. After about four kilometres, go right at the sign for Alaminos. Look carefully because the sign is not clear. From this

road, you get an excellent view of Stavrovouni Monastery on its solitary peak to your right. As you approach Alaminos, behind a modern house on your left is a good example of a rural two-storey farmhouse with upper and lower arches. On your right is the recently reconstructed Alaminos tower. Alaminos was the fief of Philip of Ibelin during the Frankish or Lusignan Period (1192 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1489AD) and this and similar keeps at Xylofagou, Pyla and Kiti are thought to have been watchtowers from that period or the later Venetian one. The sheep pens on the approach road to Kofinou indicate its dairy industry. Drive through the village, go left at the main B1 road and take the left turn for Agios Theodoros at the bridge in the valley. The north side of Agios Theodoros is abandoned but the remains of the stone houses are picturesque. After bypassing the village, go left at the t-junction and drive to the coast through the rugged Pentaschoinos valley, where dark cliffs overhang the road and orange groves fill the river valley. At the coast, go right and drive to Zygi. These days Zygi is famous for its fish taverns but in the past it was a busy little port and camel trains used to bring carobs for storage in the large stone warehouses to await export. The pier is derelict but the village and warehouses are undergoing considerable restoration. Leave by taking the road beside the white church, signposted to Maroni

and go right before two large concrete water cisterns on a hill. As you approach the village, go right, cross the dry bed of the river Maroni and go left. Go right after the old church and left at the end of the road. Go left at the old stone house and into the village centre.

Archaeological Museum (See Section 1, Chapter 3, Cultural Heritage). To leave, follow the signs for Nicosia (Lefkosia) and go right to Psematismenos, a compact little settlement with traditional architecture. At the main road go left, and then go right onto the F116 at the signpost to Tochni. Tochni is a picturesque village straddling a gully. On the bridge in the centre is the 19th century Timios Stavros church that stands on the site of a 4th century once said to have been founded by St Helena to house a piece of the True Cross. Tochni is a very popular area with hikers and cyclists and has rural accommodation. Cross the bridge, go right and at the end of the road go left onto the E133 to Choirokoitia.

Hala Sultan Tekkesi

The narrow streets of Maroni give you a glimpse of some impressive traditional architecture. There is an archaeological dig on the southern outskirts of the village, where traces of a settlement from the 16th century BC and an ancient olive press have been unearthed. Forty-five stone anchors were recovered from the sea near the site, some of which are now in the Larnaka

Turn right into the village at the sign for Agios Iakovos church. The postal agency and grocery store in the square opposite the church are in traditional buildings. To leave, go to the left of the church back down to the E133, signposted to Vavla. After 200 metres go left at the sign for Panagia tou Kampou and go right at the fork. This will take you to the site of the castle, where on 7 July 1426 the Marmelukes defeated the army of King Janus, the Frankish king of Cyprus. All that is left are the remains of a barrel-vaulted room. The left fork takes you to the small church of Panagia tou Kampou (our Lady of the Field), which is usually open. Go back to

Hala Sultan Tekkesi

the E133 and go right to the Neolithic site of Choirokoitia. Leave the settlement, go to the main B1 road and join the Larnaka - Lemesos (Limassol) motorway at junction 14. Stavrovouni Monastery (Mountain of the Holy Cross, mediaeval Santa Croc) sits atop a steep 750m peak that was called Olympus in ancient times and where a temple to Aphrodite stood. The monastery dates back to 327 when, legend tells us, the ship carrying St Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, home from Jerusalem with the True Cross and the Cross of the Penitent Thief, ran before a storm to the coast of Cyprus. The holy woman dreamt that a young man instructed her to build many churches on the island. On waking, she discovered that the Cross of the Penitent Thief had miraculously transported itself to the top of the mountain, so she built Stavrovouni church in which to house it. The monastery contains a large wooden 15th century cross minutely carved with scenes from the life of Christ. It is encased in a silver reliquary that also contains what is believed to be a sliver of the True Cross. Stavrovouni is a working religious community of monks who follow the ascetic principles of Mount Athos. Although women are not allowed to enter, the views from the monastery are spectacular. September-March: 08:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00 April - March: 08:00-12:00 and 15:00-18:00

Choirokoitia, a Neolithic settlement surrounded by a stone wall, is one of the oldest excavated settlements in Cyprus. Remains show that by 6,800 BC, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two thousand or so inhabitants lived in beehive-shaped huts of stone and clay. Many of the houses had under-floor graves where the dead were laid to rest in the foetal position surrounded by gifts and personal effects. The settlement was built on an easily defensible hillside and surrounded by a wall. The Choirokoitians were well-organised goat breeders, who cultivated the land and there is evidence of spinning, weaving and pottery. Flint sickle blades, figurines of fertility gods and stone vases have been excavated, as well as necklaces of shells and cornelian. Houses have been constructed near the site as a pointer to how the people lived. Steps and a series of walkways enable visitors to see main points of the settlement and signs describe the key features of each area. Many of the finds are exhibited in the Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia (Nicosia) and the Larnaka District Archaeological Museum. The site is a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site. Open daily 09:00-17:00 Nov-Feb; 0900-1800 Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct; 09:00-19:30 May - August

Choirokoitia Neolithic Site

Route 4

Lefkara Area

birdwatchers can often see black storks and pelicans, goes from this road. The main route follows the one-way system through the narrow streets of Pano Lefkara to the car park near the schools.

Distance: approximately 75 kilometres ñ Traditional hill villages famous for lace-making and silverware ñ Many olive and citrus groves, as well as almond and fruit orchards ñ Good walking and cycling country with stunning views down to the coast ñ Interesting churches, monasteries and an ancient site ñ Plenty of accommodation Leave the Larnaka – Lemesos motorway at exit 13 and go onto the E105, signposted to Skarinou. This village, which has rural accommodation in renovated village houses, is to your left before you climb the chalky ridge to Lefkara. Go right at the signpost to Kato Lefkara and drive to the village centre. Wandering the meandering streets of the tiny village reveals good examples of the area’s architecture: houses built with horizontal layers of limestone interspersed with pebbles. There is a wonderful view from the tiny church of Archangelos in the field below the square. The church houses some superb 12th century frescoes. Leave by following the sign for Pano Lefkara. A side trip to Dipotamos Dam, which is a popular angling site and where 70

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Pano Lefkara today is a small township with a couple of hotels, restaurants, banks and a petrol station. The village is famed for lace and filigree silverwork and in years gone by, the women made the lace and their husbands travelled the world to sell it. See Section 1, Chapter 4, Rural crafts and skills. The houses here are not those of farmers but the homes of merchants and artisans. The houses are stone-built, some with doorways providing glimpses of flower-filled and vine-covered 71

Route 4

Lefkara Area

birdwatchers can often see black storks and pelicans, goes from this road. The main route follows the one-way system through the narrow streets of Pano Lefkara to the car park near the schools.

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courtyards, while others are two-storey colour washed residences with balconies and intricately patterned tiled floors. The women still sit in the street to do their needlework and the silversmiths’ workshop doors are open to view. A beautiful stone building houses the Lace and Silverware Museum. There is also an interesting waxwork museum. The panoramic view from the churchyard at the bottom end of the village is exceptional in early spring when the valley is full of blossoming almond trees.

Apart from its famous lace and silver work, Lefkara village is also well known for its architecture. It is one of the few villages in Cyprus where the houses are built almost entirely of local white stone, which contrasts beautifully with the terra cotta roofs. To leave, follow the exit signs through the upper village and, at the crossroads, go ahead onto the main road. Before going right to Kato Drys, stop and look back across the roofs of Pano Lefkara. Kato Drys, another lace-making village is tiny and appears to have more churches than houses. These again are merchants’

mansions, of which the first house on the left is a very fine example. The village also has its own rural museum. As you continue on the road to Vavla, you will come to Agios Minas, a small monastery founded in the 15th century. Today the nuns paint icons, grow flowers and keep bees and the delicious honey they harvest is on sale. Across the road from the monastery is the eye-catching garden of the tiny church of Agioi Damian and Cosmas.

Drive back the way you came and go right onto the F123 at the signpost to Melini. This tiny village still has a tradition of lace-making and is also mentioned in the life of Agios Irakleidios, which suggests that it was a settlement during the 1st century AD. At Melini, go left and head for Eptagonia.

The nearby village of Vavla has lovely stone houses, some of which have been renovated for use by visitors. On entering Vavla, go right and follow the signs for Lagia (Layia). Lagia sits in a picturesque landscape of olives, low forest and scrub. Its population has steadily declined over the years and many of the houses are now holiday homes. Go left at the signpost to Ora. Ora is best known for its excellent water, which is bottled and sold commercially. At the church, go left, signposted ‘Melini’, go left again at the main road and drive to Odou. The village of Odou is one of the most attractive villages in Cyprus. Olive and peach trees surround it and fill the valley below. There is an area called Chelidonomoutti that is the home of swallows during part of the year and nightingales sing in the valley near an old well.

The farmers at Eptagonia (or Eftagonia) cultivate citrus fruits, particularly mandarins. The name of the village means ‘seven corners’ - so here goes! Go right at the first junction, then go left after 50 metres; after a further 100 metres go right (opposite the church) and go left after a further 20 metres. Go left at the ‘Stop’ sign and follow the signs for Lemesos (Limassol). No, you didn’t go round all seven. On your way to Kellaki, you will travel through an area of citrus, almond and olive groves with tall eucalyptus trees in the riverbed to your left. Although seen all over the island, eucalyptus trees are not endemic. They were brought here from

Australia during British colonial rule to help drain marshland in the drive to eradicate malaria. At the entrance to Kellaki, go left (signposted to Parekklisia). The hilltop church of Agios Georgios is up a steep path to your left. Follow the signs for Lemesos and go left at the sign to Sanida. The viewpoint 250 metres along is well worth a stop, as from it the panoramic serrated skyline stretches from Troodos to the Machairas mountains. Go left again at the signpost to Sanida. The monastery of Zoodochou Pighis is to your left. Pass the hamlet of Vasa on your left and head for Asgata. Carobs used to be the chief crop at Asgata but its main wealth came from the surrounding copper mines. Go right at the crossroads in the village, signposted to Monagrouli, and then go left onto the F137. As you approach Kalavasos, there is a very deep valley to your left. At the ‘Stop’ sign at the entrance to Kalavasos, you can take a side trip to Kalavasos Dam by taking the road to your left. The beautiful dam is very popular with anglers, while the surrounding area is good hiking and riding country. On the main route, go through the very narrow streets with the overhanging balconies of the mine managers’ houses. Some of the traditional houses in the village are now holiday accommodation. The square has some well-preserved old

buildings, one of which houses a small archaeological and mining museum. As you leave Kalavasos, you will come to a small park to your right, behind which are a small train and carriage on a metal bridge. These are relics from the mine railway. Go down the small road beside the park to Tenta with its dramatic tented roof. This is the excavation of a Neolithic settlement, smaller than that at nearby Choirokoitia. It features the remains of ancient clay and stone dwelling-places and gives an indication of the way Cypriots lived 9000 years ago.

Continue down the road, under the motorway and go left on the B1 to join the Larnaka â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lemesos (Limassol) motorway at junction 15. Lefkara Lace and Silverware Museum open Mon-Thur 09:30-16:00, Fri-Sat 10:00-16:00, Sunday closed. Tenta open Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00

early Christian refuge and later a retreat for hermits, as a drawbridge could cut off access.

Route 5

Machairas and the South West Distance: approximately 135 kilometres ñ From the flat central plain, up through the foothills of the western Troodos mountains ñ Interesting and impressive monasteries and churches ñ River valleys and pine-clad mountain slopes ñ Pretty traditional villages and panoramic views ñ Excellent cycling and walking on specially prepared forest routes ñ Accommodation Leave the Lemesos (Limassol) – Lefkosia (Nicosia) motorway at exit 6 and take the road to Tseri. At the village, go right onto the E901, signposted to Lefkosia, then go left at the sign for Deftera. Go right at the end of this road and go left after 150 metres at the signpost ‘Panagia Chrysospiliotissa’. Take the first left and then go right at the t-junction down to the church. Panagia Crysospiliotissa church (Our Lady of the Golden Grotto) is in a sandstone cave on the east bank of the Pedieos River. The church contains a rain-inducing icon of the Virgin that farmers from the surrounding villagers call upon in times of drought. The unusual site may have been a series of catacombs before becoming an 76

Go back the way you came and go right at the main road, following the signs for Pera. At Psimolofou, to your right, are well

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maintained mud-brick houses with overhanging balconies and carved doors. Go right at the sign for Agios Irakleidios and drive through Episkopeio, once the seat of the ancient bishopric at Tamassos, and at the entrance to Politiko, go left to Tamassos. Leave and go left into Politiko and as you drive to Agios Irakleidios Monastery, ahead of you is the Kionia mountaintop radar station that is a landmark visible from Lefkosia (Nicosia) 77

early Christian refuge and later a retreat for hermits, as a drawbridge could cut off access.

Route 5

Go back the way you came and go right at the main road, following the signs for Pera. At Psimolofou, to your right, are well

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and Larnaka. Go back the way you came and, after the bridge, go right and then left onto the E902. On your right is Pera, another attractive village of well-preserved two-storey mud-brick houses and interesting churches. On your left after Kambia is the Machairas Forest and the Pediaios river valley is on your right. Go right at Kapedes and head for Machairas Monastery. On this narrow, twisting road is Mandra tou Kambiou picnic site with barbecue facilities, tables and toilets. Further up the hill is a tiny chapel dedicated to Agios Onoufrios, an Egyptian hermit whose life story is recorded in the porch. Continuing up the hill, Machairas Monastery comes into view.

The surrounding terrain is typical maquis with rockroses and myrtle among the pines. Lazanias, encircled by the almond trees from which it derived its income, has distinctive houses of mud brick and stone with tiled roofs, a good view of which is from above as you head for Gourri. Go right and drive to Fikardou.

As you leave on the road to Klirou (preferably on the E904), you will see the Mesaoria plain and Pentadactylos mountains ahead. Drive down the valley between cornfields and peach orchards, follow the sign for Nicosia at the village entrance and go left at the main road. The dark red rocks near the river are exposed pillow lava. Go left onto the E903 signposted to Apliki and Palaichori and drive up the river valley. A short distance along is a ruined arched building, all that remains of an ancient hani (inn), a stopping place on the two-day trip from Lefkosia to Palaichori where travellers could rest and their animals – donkeys or camels - could be fed and watered. Further along are large restaurants and holiday homes, as this is a favourite weekend getaway spot for the residents of Lefkosia. The main produce of this valley are vegetables, grapes, almonds and olives. Go right into Palaichori, a village dating from Byzantine times with steep cobbled alleys and stone houses, many of which have grape vines growing up to drape over a rooftop trellis to help keep the house cool in summer. The stream through the village centre dries up in the summer but is a cascading torrent in winter. The most significant church is that of Metamorphosis tou Sotiros (Transfiguration), which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Also worth a visit is the nearby Byzantine Museum. There are strawberries, potatoes, vegetables and fruit

trees growing on the fertile surrounding land. Rejoin E903 and go right, heading for Agros. On the steep climb, the deep valley to your left is full of vegetable gardens and plane trees and there are vines on the steep mountainside to the right. The summit is Papoutsia – one of the highest peaks in Cyprus at 1,584 metres. Stay on the E903 and, as you near the left turn into Agros, there is a panoramic view of Troodos and Mount Olympus. Agros, at an altitude of 1,150 metres, is the regional centre of the Pitsillia. A sheltered position and plentiful water from perennial springs result in its having some of the prettiest gardens in Cyprus. Agros is a popular resort and a great base for walkers and cyclists. The villagers produce wine, bottled spring water, cash crops such as almonds, walnuts, and rosewater, which is made by distilling the petals of sugar-pink Damask roses that have been picked before the sun evaporates the oil. Apart from being a useful cosmetic cleanser and moisturiser, rosewater is a culinary ingredient. If you can’t smell roses in Agros, you can usually smell smoked meat, for it is here that hiromeri, smoked ham, and lountza, smoked pork loin, are produced by salting the meat and steeping it in red wine before smoking it over slowburning wood. Other meat specialities are loukanika, Cyprus sausage made from pork, herbs and red wine and pastourmas, beef rubbed with garlic and dried in the sun. The village also caters for the sweet tooth

with glyka, (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & wine). It has also recently opened an interesting art gallery/museum which displays the work of a well-known icon painter. There is plenty of accommodation in several small hotels and a large one, and there are restaurants and tavernas, a petrol station and a cottage hospital. Leave on the road signposted to Limassol and around Agios Ioannis, you will see tall poplars masking terraces of fruit trees. At the start of the descent after the neat little Commandaria village of Zoopigi, (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & Wine) you will see the Akrotiri Salt Lake and the Mediterranean shimmering in the distance. Next is Kalo Chorio, surrounded by vineyards from which Commandaria is made. You pass through the western edge of Kakomallis Forest on the way to Gerasa, a hamlet of traditional stone houses, surrounded by fruit trees and oleanders on the banks of the Garyllis River to your right. The route then goes through an impressive steep-sided valley with caves high in the cliffside to your left.

One of the most popular uses for rosewater is to flavour the traditional sweet ‘Mahalepi’, which is absolutely delicious on a hot summer’s day. 79

On your right at Paramytha is the hani (inn) which has been restored and turned into a restaurant. Nearby is a fragment of the old cobbled road from Lemesos to the Pitsillia. Palodia and Agia Filaxi are now part of suburban Lemesos (Limassol) but the latter still has excellent examples of traditional limestone houses clustered round the old church on your right, from where it is less than a kilometre to junction 27 of the motorway. Tamassos was a city-kingdom, founded around 4,000BC, but its wealth and prosperity came later, when its prolific supply of copper was discovered. Homer mentions the city as Temesa in his Odyssey, when Athena says to Telemachos, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are bound for the foreign port of Temese with a cargo of gleaming iron, which we intend to trade for copper.â&#x20AC;? In around 800BC, the town was occupied by the Phoenicians. Later, Alexander the Great gave the copper mines to King Protagoras of Salamis as a gesture of thanks for his aid during the Siege of Tyre, and in 12AD, King Herod the Great of Judea leased the mines. Excavations commenced in 1889 and continue to this day. Among the discoveries are two subterranean royal tombs dating from the 6th century BC, with walls carved to imitate wood. Also excavated are a citadel, the copper processing site and the Temple of Astarte (Aphrodite). Four Egyptian-style stone lions and two sphinxes found at the Royal

Necropolis in 1997 are on display at the Cyprus Archaeological Museum in Lefkosia (Nicosia). Tamassos is open Mon - Sun 09:30 - 15:30. The site is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Agios Irakleidios Monastery is named after the first Christian bishop of Tamassos. The son of a priest of Apollo, he was converted by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas, the first missionaries in Cyprus, after he guided them through the Troodos Mountains. Irakleidios, to whom many miracles and exorcisms were attributed, was murdered by pagans and buried at the site of the present-day monastery. The monastery church, built in the 5th century was destroyed and the present buildings date from the late 18th century. The tomb of the saint can be seen under the altar of the church. The skull of the

Saint is preserved in a silver-gilt reliquary. The monastery is currently inhabited by nuns. Although open to visitors, the monastery is only open to group visits, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9:00am to 12:00 midday.

Machairas Monastery (Monastery of the Knife) was founded by two hermits from Syria who made a retreat by a well in the mid-12th century. After the death of the elder, the young hermit went to Constantinople to plead for funds to found a monastery. Emperor Manual Komnenos granted a charter of independence, an annual financial grant and ownership of much of the surrounding land, enabling the monastery to be completed in 1190. It burnt down in 1530 and again 1892 and the present buildings date from 1902. The strange name is said to come from a holy icon of the Virgin found in a cave guarded by a sword. The icon hangs on the iconostasis symbolically guarded by a tiny knife and it is the first thing to be saved if forest fire threatens. Another theory

is that the name comes from the biting winds that blow on these hillsides in the winter. The vows taken by the monks here are as strict as those of Mount Athos and although open to visitors, the monastery is open daily, 08:30-17:30. Fikardou village is a protected monument, as its houses are authentic specimens of 19th century folk architecture. Most are two-storied structures built with sieropetra (rough local ironstone), pebbles and limestone slabs, which support a mudbrick superstructure and slanted tiled roof. The ground floor has a flat doma (roof) accessible from the upper floor and which was used for drying grapes. Wine jars with a hole knocked in the bottom were used as chimney pots. The upper floor was for habitation and the ground floor served as a storeroom and stable. In many houses, a corner of the ground floor was occupied by a linos (wine press) and there are the remains of a communal linos (wine press) close to the village square. Several houses also had a large room to accommodate a loom. The houses of Katsinoros and Achilleas Dimitri have been turned into a rural museum, which is open Tues - Fri 09:30 to 16:00, Sat 09:30 -15:30, Sun 10:30 -13:30.

Necropolis in 1997 are on display at the Cyprus Archaeological Museum in Lefkosia (Nicosia). Tamassos is open Mon - Sun 09:30 - 15:30. The site is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Route 6

Lemesos (Limassol)

Forest

Distance: approximately 80 kilometres

When you reach the saddle, you enter the edges of the Kakomallis and Lemesos (Limassol) forests. Several holiday homes have been built in this area, as it picks up cool breezes from the north and south.

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Leave the Lemesos - Lefkosia (Limassol Nicosia) motorway at exit 24 and go onto the E128 to Germasogia. Tucked between a cliff face and a riverbed, this village’s narrow streets contain some fine old houses, several tavernas, and a country club. Follow the signs for Germasogia Dam and, as you drive up, you will see market gardens and citrus groves in the riverbed to your right, Note the distinctive rock-face atop a crag on the opposite bank because you will see this from a different angle later. Anglers and walkers can take the road across the dam wall, signposted to Foinikaria, for some good fishing locations and nature trails. Continue on the E128 through Akrounta, a rapidly expanding village on a tributary of the Germasogia River. The road now climbs steeply with a deep valley to your left and a rock face to your right. As you get higher, the valley is to your left and there is a wonderful view back towards Lemesos (Limassol) and the coast. 82

Driving down towards Dieronia, the village of Kellaki is on the hillside opposite and Prastio is in the valley below. Dieronia lies on the west bank of the Germasogia River and its chief products are citrus fruits, especially mandarins. Follow the signs for Arakapas, a village lying in a natural amphitheatre and one that has given its name to part of the unique geology of Cyprus. The Arakapas Sequence runs along the southern edge of the Troodos Ophiolite and 83

Route 6

Lemesos (Limassol)

Forest

Distance: approximately 80 kilometres

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some of the pillow lavas in this area are on brown-red iron-rich mudstone. Go left at the signpost to the village centre and cross the narrow bridge. The enormous eucalyptus trees to the right indicate plentiful water. Go right at both forks in the village and go right again into the square. At the far end, on the corner of the road to Sykopetra is the very beautiful early 16th century church of Panagia Iamatiki. The church is renowned for its Italo-Byzantine frescoes. Also look for the two well-preserved 16th century paintings of Saint Mamas and of Saints Mary of Egypt and Zosimos. The road to Sykopetra goes through a wooded valley before climbing very steeply. The village, which clings almost precariously to the hillside, originally belonged to the Knights Templar. On the hillside below the houses are huge prickly pear cacti (Opuntia ficus-indica) with large racquet-shaped ‘leaves’ bristling with very sharp spines. In summer the delicious brick-red oval fruits, the size of a hen’s egg, are peeled and chilled before eating. The fruits are covered with tiny prickles that pierce the skin, so don’t touch them with bare hands. Leave the village on the road signposted to Prophitis Elias and then take left fork at the top of the hill, onto the road to Agios Konstantinos.

You can take a side trip to the hamlet of Profitis Elias, which sits like an eyrie on a hilltop, offering expansive views of the surrounding hills and deep valley below. The main route goes onto a good gravel road after about a kilometre as it drops down steeply to the valley bottom and climbs the other side. On the way, you go through terraces of citrus trees, a small forest, an area of Mediterranean maquis, vegetables plots and finally, as you re-join the asphalt, grapevines. Agios Konstantinos, which has some well-preserved traditional buildings, is one of the Commandaria wine villages and is a typical Pitsillia village surrounded by vineyards. The tiny church of Agios Konstantinos and Agia Eleni in the village centre is characteristic of the region. Drive through the village and go right at the signpost to Agios Pavlos. This little village on the southern slopes of the Papoutsa peak has abundant water, some of which gushes out of the rocks at a place called Styrakas, which is surrounded by large walnut and plane trees. Drive through the village, following the signs for Kalo Chorio, and then go left at the signpost for Lemesos (Limasol). You are now in the heart of the Commandaria wine country (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & Wine). Go left at the t-junction and follow the signs for Louvaras. Drive through the village until you come to the very old part

where the streets are made of concrete and are extremely narrow. Park your car and walk along Agiou Mama Street, following the signs ‘Agios Mamantos 15th Century Church’. The church is below road level and all you can see as you approach is part of the sloping red roof. The church houses some of the island’s best preserved 15th century frescoes. In the churchyard is a restored olive press. A walk round this part of the village will give you glimpses of old stone-built houses, some of which are restored, large bread ovens, and massive pitharia wine jars. To leave, drive back through the village and go left at the small green signpost to Kakomallis Forest Station. After 200 metres, go right at the crossroads onto K. Evagorou Street. As you descend, you will be driving through the western edges of Kakomallis Forest. Go left at the main road and go left again at the signpost to Apsiou. The map at the village entrance points you to the paved village centre, a winery, traditional houses and an old water mill. Leave on the road signposted to Mathikoloni and go right, following the blue road sign at the fork after the village.

Commanderie of the Knights of St John. The old part of the village is on the slopes below and legend says that it was made up of seven ‘quarters’ and had seven churches. There are the remains of two watermills by the stream that bisects the village. As you continue, the view opens up and you can see the village of Akrounta in the valley below and the road along which you drove earlier snakes up the hillside opposite. Just before the road turns away from this valley, there is a glimpse of Germasogia dam below and opposite, at eye level is the rock-face on top of a crag that you passed on the way to Germasogia Dam. After driving through a small gully, an amazing panorama awaits you. The vista sweeps from Amathous to your left, through to the Akrotiri peninsula and beyond. Many Limassolians have built houses in this area, as the newly improved road allows them to commute daily from homes on a cool hillside with an extraordinary view. Go left at the roundabout onto the motorway.

As you drive down the mountain, there is a deep river valley to your left. Mathikoloni, the modern part of which lines the main road, once belonged to the Grand

Go right and drive between tall rows of eucalyptus, cedar and pine trees shading lush citrus groves and vineyards. This area was reclaimed from marshland in the 1930s. Birdwatchers can make a side trip to the

Route 7

Lemesos (Limassol) West Coast

Distance: approximately 90 kilometres ñ West from Lemesos (Limassol) along the Pafos coastline ñ A mediaeval castle and impressive Graeco-Roman ancient sites ñ Wetlands and wildlife ñ Charming rural villages with vineyards and olive groves ñ Panoramic views, great walking and cycling ñ Accommodation Leave the Pafos – Lemesos (Limassol) motorway at the exit for Erimi and Kolossi, go left on the B6, turn right at the sign to Trachoni and go to Kolossi Castle, which is in the middle of the fertile Lemesos plain, where sugarcane, cotton and the grapes for Commandaria grew in mediaeval times. (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & wine) In 1210, the Knights of St John of Jerusalem built the castle as their headquarters and the present three-storey square ‘keep’ dates from 1454. Beside the castle are the remains of a vaulted sugar refinery and the aqueduct that brought the water for working the mill. The small 12th century church of Agios Efstathios is well worth visiting. 86

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Phasouri (Fasouri) reed-beds by going right onto a tarmac road after about four kilometres and going right again into a dead-end road. The main route goes straight to Akrotiri village.

Kolossi Castle

The Akrotiri Environmental Education and Information Centre informs visitors of the unusual nature and ecological importance of the Akrotiri peninsula. The centre, which is very child-friendly with interactive displays and computer programmes in English, 87

Route 7

Lemesos (Limassol) West Coast

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Phasouri (Fasouri) reed-beds by going right onto a tarmac road after about four kilometres and going right again into a dead-end road. The main route goes straight to Akrotiri village.

Kolossi Castle

is open seven-days a week and entrance is free. The Akrotiri Salt Lake is a unique corner of Cyprus. It has over 20 types of habitat and around 70 per cent of the island’s bird species, migratory and resident, are found there. Also, the endangered Green turtle and Loggerhead turtle nest on its beaches. It is a Ramsar listed site. The earliest traces of Man, dating back over 10,000 years, were discovered on the Akrotiri cliffs, along with fossils of pygmy hippopotami and dwarf elephants.

then go left at the sign for Kourion Museum. Take the left fork and the museum is up this road on your left. It is housed in an attractive two-storey building and contains findings from Kourion and surrounding sites.

mark the sanctuary as a 7th century BC shrine to the sun-god Apollo in his role as ‘Hylates’ or god of the woods. Most of the ruins are early Roman. On leaving, birders can take a side trip by taking the track opposite the road to the Sanctuary.

The name of Episkopi village means ‘home of the Bishop’ and comes from the fact that when the nearby site of Kourion was abandoned in the 7th century, the Bishop moved his Seat here. Today’s village has rural accommodation and several restaurants.

Back on the main road, drive through the residential British base at Episkopi and go right onto the F606 to Avdimou. Go left onto the F607 in the village and follow the signs to Anogyra. On the way, you pass the semi-restored monastery of the Holy Cross and a winery

To leave, go left at the museum and follow the signs for Kourion, going right at the main road. Go left at the sign at the sign for “St Ermogenis” and you will come to a good bathing beach beneath vertical limestone cliffs. There are several restaurants here and the area is a good birdwatching location.

Go back the way you came and, after Kolossi castle, go left onto the B6 and head for Erimi, which was a settlement in the Chalcolithic era, between the Stone and Bronze ages. On the left as you leave the village is the Cyprus Wine Museum, where you can learn about Cyprus wine and taste a glass too. Continue on the main road to Episkopi and go right at the sign for the Police Station. Go left opposite the mosque (signpost Kourion Museum) and drive through the old part of the village,

To continue, go left to the Kourion Archaeological Site. Leave Kourion and go to the Stadium, which is on your right. This was built during the Roman period in the 2nd century AD. The horseshoe shaped arena is surrounded by three tiers of seats to accommodate 6,000 spectators. This is an enjoyable walking area with cistus and aromatics growing among low pines. Back at the main road, go right to the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates. Toppled columns and stone fragments

at the village entrance. Anogyra has good examples of the limestone dwellings typical of this region, some of which have been converted into rural accommodation. Cool water used to come to the village through a stone-built channel. The village is renowned for producing carob syrup and carob toffee known as pastelaki. There is a small pastelaki museum, and a pastelaki festival takes place each August. (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & Wine). Before leaving, take a side trip to ‘Oleastro’, an ecological olive press and museum about three kilometres after the

village on the road to Pachna. Leave by the road on which you came and take the right turn to Agios Thomas, which is probably of Byzantine origin. Go right to Platanisteia (Plataniskia), a hamlet engaged in carob, olive and vine cultivation. The village is also home to an art school, run by a very well known local artist and engraver. Head for Alektora, where you will see vineyards of table and sultana grapes. Go left after the tunnel of trees and go right onto the main B6. After 100 metres, go left to Pissouri. Drive through the narrow streets of this hilltop village, following the signs to the beach. The fertile lime soil around Pissouri yields abundant crops of sweet table grapes. The rugged cliffs of Cape Aspro, the highest point along the coast between Kourion and Pafos, overlook Pissouri Beach, where stone buildings, now restaurants, were carob stores when this was a thriving port. Go right at the mini roundabout and drive up the valley. Just over halfway up, look for a concrete road to the right, which has a brown road sign with its back to you. This takes you to an old water cistern and well, both of which are restored. You can walk into the cistern – but beware of low flying swallows! Go right at the end of the road and left onto the B6, signposted to Pafos, and drive to Petra tou Romiou. At Petra tou Romiou, the three huge limestone rocks are known collectively

as Aphroditeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rock. Mythology says it was here that Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility, emerged from the sea foam. The location is one of the most beautiful on the island and images of this spot, with its clear blue water and pebble beach, have become synonymous with Cyprus. The name Petra tou Romiou commemorates the Byzantine Greek hero Digenis Akritas, also known as Romios. Legend says that when marauding Saracen corsairs attacked the Pafos coast, Romios, a mythical giant, rested his hand on the Kyrenia mountain range and hurled huge boulders into the sea at Pafos to destroy the ships. The place where he rested his hand on the Kyrenia range is called Pentadactylos (five fingers), and the rocks he threw are Petra tou Romiou. To join the motorway, travellers from Pafos should go west and all other travellers should go east.

Kourion has existed as a focal point of cultural, political and religious life for several millennia. A settlement was built here in Neolithic times, probably because of its strategic position and the city-kingdom was founded in the 12th century BC by

Mycenaean Greeks. It was an important and prosperous centre under the Ptolemies and the Romans, when the city numbered around 20,000 inhabitants. The nearby stadium was built during the Roman period. Here, 6,000 spectators would watch pentathlons consisting of running, the long jump, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing. The Sanctuary of Apollo Ylatis was a centre of worship until Christianity supplanted the cult. By the 5th century AD, Kourion was the seat of a Christian bishop. Its defensive position atop a coastal cliff and the power it wielded over the surrounding area were its greatest assets. Earthquakes and raids finally destroyed Kourion and it was

not rediscovered until 1876. Many of the finds from the various archaeological digs are at the Kourion Museum in Episkopi village and the Lemesos (Limassol) District Archaeological Museum, both of which are well worth a visit. Kourion is open daily.

Kolossi castle open 09:00-17:00 Nov-Mar; 09:00-18:00 Apr, May, Sept, Oct; 09:00-19:30 June-Aug. Akrotiri Info centre open daily 08:30-15:00 Cyprus Wine museum open Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00 Kourion Museum open Mon-Fri 09:00-14:30 + Thurs 15:00-17:00 except July & Aug Kourion Archaeological site open 08:00-17:00 Nov-Mar; 08:00-18:00 Apr, May, Sept, Oct; 18:00-19:30 June - Aug. Sanctuary of Apollo as Kourion site.

Akrotiri Salt Lake

Route 8

The

Wine Villages

Go left onto the E601, signposted to Omodos, and then take E612 to Malia. This is a village with a long history of wine-production, whose old winery was re-opened in 1996. Many of the well-preserved

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Distance: approximately 120 kilometres

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ñ Through the major wine producing region to the foothills of the Troodos ñ Vine-covered hillsides with small regional wineries ñ Interesting old churches and monasteries ñ Lovely villages with traditional architecture ñ Accommodation Leave the Lemesos (Limassol) - Pafos motorway at the exit for Avdimou, go onto the F606 and head for Pachna. On the way, the slopes are covered with carobs (ceratonia siliqua) the characteristic trees of the eastern Mediterranean that shade flocks grazing the sparse vegetation of summer. Pachna, a large village of two-storey houses of rectangular limestone blocks, sits picturesquely amid vineyards. In addition to its winery, the village has a couple of tavernas and cafés. Back on the F606; go left at the sign for Agios Amvrosios and as you drive down the hill, there is a panoramic view of terraced vineyards covering the south-west flank of Troodos and Mount Olympus towering above.

stone houses have stills for making zivania, a local spirit distilled from grape must (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & wine). Leave the village and continue on the E612 to Arsos. Arsos is scenically perched on a steep chalky hillside and some of its fine traditional houses are now holiday accommodation. A walk through the narrow lanes will take you to an olive press, mineral water springs and a folk art 93

Route 8

The

Wine Villages

Go left onto the E601, signposted to Omodos, and then take E612 to Malia. This is a village with a long history of wine-production, whose old winery was re-opened in 1996. Many of the well-preserved

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Distance: approximately 120 kilometres

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museum, while the wineries are on the outskirts. Go back the way you came and just before Mallia, go straight ahead at the signpost â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vasa, Omodos old roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Wander through quaint streets among whitewashed houses to the mediaeval linos (wine press), which is still in working order, or visit a rural life museum in one of the traditional houses, or you can even watch village women making intricate cobwebby papilla lace, fine exhibits of which can be seen at the Centre for the Conservation of Pipilla lace within the monastery. Around the square are cafĂŠs and small shops selling wine, honey and the speciality arketena bread, baked with chickpea leaven instead of yeast. Away from the square are several good restaurants.

Along here, the dry stone walls that retain the hillside terracing are home to the large endemic Agama lizard (agama stelio cypriaca), which you may be lucky enough to see basking in the sun. Vasa was, and still is, a major wine producing village and many of the red-roofed white houses have pitharia (large wine jars) and zivania stills in their yards. The compact village has a spring of pure mineral water, a Byzantine museum and several good restaurants. You will pass a winery built in the traditional architectural style of the village as you depart for Omodos. Omodos is the capital of the Krasochoria (wine villages). The village centre is closed to traffic, so go right into the large free car park at the entrance. The village huddles round Timios Stavrou Monastery, at the end of the attractive cobbled square.

To leave, go right and follow the signs for Mandria and Platres. Along the narrow old road, are more wineries in vineyards, after which the vines give way to hawthorn, poplar and apple trees. Go right at the main road and head for Platres. Kato Platres is a small community in a picturesque setting among fruit trees with a village winery and several good tavernas on the main road. An altitude of 1,128 metres, surrounding forests and the Kryos

Potamos (Cold River) all help give Pano Platres its excellent climate. This is a popular holiday resort and a regional centre with several good hotels, a cottage hospital, petrol station, a tourist information office and shops.

pressed, is still there. Laneia is one of the Commandaria villages, in which the sweet dessert wine is made. (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & wine). It is also home to several artists who welcome visitors to their studios.

Leave by either of the two exits for the B8 and Lemesos (Limassol) and go right. Driving down the steep, twisty road, the Troodos Forest looms to your left. Stay on the B8 at the major crossroads. Trimiklini is a good place to stop for coffee en-route - look out for the unusual double bridge that spans the river nearby. After Trimiklini, you will be on the eastern escarpment of the Kouris River, with a panorama of vine-clad terraces across the valley.

Go left at the main road and, after 100 metres, go right at the signpost to Doros. This village has traditional architecture with two-storey houses with arches and balconies overhanging the winding alleyways. Walk into the dead-end streets at the bottom of the village for a breathtaking view across the Kouris valley.

Pass Laneia police station and go left at the signpost to Laneia. Set among vineyards and almond, walnut and fig trees, Laneia is a well-preserved village of narrow cobbled lanes of tile-roofed elongated houses with beautiful gardens and courtyards, where pitharia wine jars store the house wine. The old linos, a wooden contraption in which grapes are

At the village exit, go right to Monagri along a narrow lane that used to be part of the road from Lemesos to Platres. At the village entrance, the centre with two small wineries and a very old olive press are ahead of you. Standing above the river valley to your right is the Archangelos Michail Monastery, now a contemporary art centre and nearby, down a road to the left is the Monastery of Panagia Amasgou, which houses some impressive 12th century frescoes. To leave, follow the signs for Lemesos and go right on the B8. Down the hill, take the F817 signed to Agios Therapon and head for Lofou. There is a good view of the Kouris Reservoir and near the village is open pastureland with dry-stone walls. Follow the signs for Agios Therapon to the exit of Lofou and go right to park. This attractive Commandaria village spread

museum, while the wineries are on the outskirts. Go back the way you came and just before Mallia, go straight ahead at the signpost â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vasa, Omodos old roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

atop a limestone hill (Lofos means hill in Greek) has an abundance of water from the Kouris and Kryos rivers. The houses are of typical stone-and-timber architecture and there are Vahkis scheme tavernas serving authentic Cypriot food, a small Byzantine museum and an olive mill. Continue through the vineyards to Agios Therapon, going right at the church and taking the right fork into the village. Here are twelve preserved vaulted houses (vota) with ground-floor arched rooms used as storerooms for pitharia wine jars or donkey stables. Drive across the valley to the junction with the E601 and into Agios Amvrosios. In this small village of treeshaded whitewashed houses, is a winery, an old olive press and an agiasma (Holy well). Go back to the E601 and head for Erimi and the motorway.

Timios Stavros (Holy Cross) Monastery at Omodos dates back to the 4th century. Folklore says that it was built over a cave that became a small chapel for housing holy relics given by St Helena. They are believed to be a piece of the True Cross and a portion of the rope that

bound Christ to the Cross. The place soon became a shrine and then an important monastery, around which the village of Omodos grew. The monastery, which is now disused, was built in the 12th century with wooden roofed monastic buildings standing on three sides of the church. The present 19th century church contains an intricately carved iconostasis. The holy relics are in cross-shaped silver-gilt reliquaries in the church and the skull of the Apostle Philip is in a reliquary with the seals of four Byzantine emperors to vouch for its authenticity. Do not miss the beautiful reception hall (archontariki) of the monastery with it carved wooden ceiling.

at Kato Amiantos are some unusual old dwellings with overhanging balconies. Near the top of the steep gradient, mavrahero, wild lentils colour the hillsides mauve in spring. Stay on the B9 at the crossroads and follow the signs for Kakopetria. Karvounas is the

Route 9

Troodos and the Solea Valley

Distance: approximately 160 kilometres

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ñ Unique, UNESCO World Heritage Site churches, with outstanding frescoed interiors ñ Charming mountain villages, with traditional architecture ñ Good hill walking and cycling ñ Pine forests and moufflon sanctuary ñ Accommodation Leave the Lemesos (Limassol) - Pafos motorway at the exit for Ypsonas and Kouris Dam and head for the dam. Mount Olympus is ahead as you drive through wild olives and Aleppo pines to the west of the reservoir, following signs for Alassa. Go left onto the B8 to Trimiklini, a village thriving on the production of almonds and fruit. At the major crossroads, go right onto the E801(B9). Saittas is a settlement built around a government-run experimental fruit nursery. Its setting among tall pines on the left bank of the Kouris River attracts many visitors and there is rural accommodation at a small hotel. The houses in tiny Filagra are now mainly summer homes. You can take a detour off this road to Mesa Potamos, where there is a delightful monastery and waterfalls. Back on the main road, on your left 98

saddle between Troodos and the Madari range and the watershed between the Kouris and Kargotis rivers. The terrain now changes to immense pines (Pinus brutia). As you go down, a hundred metres after the turning to Platania picnic site, there is a moufflon reserve on the right.

Route 9

Troodos and the Solea Valley

Distance: approximately 160 kilometres

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Further down the road are several trout farms, some with their own restaurants. Go left at the sign for Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis and continue to the church. St Nicholas of the Roof, built and painted in the early 11th century, is one of the ten mountain churches on the UNESCO World Heritage List. A steeply pitched outer roof protects the original dome from rain and snow. Go back and go left at the sign for Kakopetria. Clinging to both banks of the Kargoris to your left as you enter, is the old village of stone and mudbrick houses with pitched roofs, many of them restored. Kakopetria is a holiday resort with banks, petrol stations, hotels and restaurants, including a Vahkis scheme tavern. It was a silk producing centre and there are still many mulberry trees around. As you leave on the road to Galata, there is a restored 18th century watermill to your left. Huge trees shade the square at Galata and nearby are fine examples of its distinctive terraced buildings with wooden balconies and staircases. Some of them have been restored and one is a Folk Art museum. Across the river is the UNESCO World Heritage listed church of Panagia tis Poditou, an early 16th century building with its outer roof extending almost to the ground to cover the portico. The Solea villages run into each other and next up is Kaliana with its preserved hani, inn, with arches, mudbrick walls and sloping roof. The 18th century building is a

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Folk Art Architectural site and you can see examples of pitharia wine jars and a traditional bread oven in the yard. Driving to Temvria, you continue through a metaphorical fruit salad. After apples, pears, plums and cherries, you now come to mespila, loquats, citrus and pomegranates among gardens awash with colour.

terminus of the old Cyprus Government Railway, completed in 1915 and which went from Ammochostos (Famagusta), via Lefkosia (Nicosia) to Evrychou. Go back to the main road, go left and left again at the t-junction.

a village of almond trees and traditional houses, and follow the road signposted

Evrychou is a large village where cotton used to grow. Today it is a regional centre and the seat of the Bishopric of Morfou, Fork right at the church, drive up to the B9 and go left at the signpost for Lefkosia.

Fresh herbs are an integral part of Cypriot cuisine, and many herbs such as thyme and sage grow wild in the countryside. Because of the island’s dry climate the herbs contain a higher than normal quantity of natural oils, which makes them very pungent.

As you drive north, the pines give way to olives and cereals and you can see Morfou Bay on your left. Go right onto the road to Koutrafas and follow the signs for Asinou Church. Kato Koutrafas, with its stone and mudbrick houses, is on the edge of the Mesaoria, central plain and the cornfields are parched and barren in summer. At one time, you had to hire a donkey at Nikitari to take you to Asinou, but now it is just a short drive.

Follow the signs for Korakou, where figs and prickly pears are added to the fruit bowl. Go left at the fork and round the church; then go right at the street sign ‘Eleftheria Avenue’. Follow this road until you come to an old watermill and ruined bridge opposite the signpost for Evrychou, then go left after first building, a modern olive mill, onto a cobbled road, which was part of the old camel road from Lefkosia (Nicosia) to Troodos. It ends at a railway station - the

Panagia Asinou, one of the most well known of the UNESCO listed churches, sits in a tiny isolated meadow among dense forests. It was built and painted in 1105 and contains fascinating frescos. Go back and go left at the small green sign to Agios Theodoros. This all-weather forest road is bumpy at the start but smoothes out at the top of the hill, from where there is a panoramic view of Morfou Bay, the central plain and the Pentadactylos (Kyrenia) Mountains. Go left at Agios Theodoros,

to Spilia. The beautiful Atsas River valley winds up through well-irrigated terraces of almonds, olives and vines. At Kourdali, stands the mediaeval church of the Panagia. The belfry of the village church dominates the skyline at Spilia, a village popular with hikers and which has rural accommodation. Leave on the F929 signposted to Kannaviou and go right at the top, heading for Kyperounta. On the way down are wide views of terraced vines and the Madari hills. Go left onto the E909 and go right at the sign for Kyperounta. Then take the left fork and on your right is the Rural Life and Natural History Museum in a restored building. The village also has a winery and a hospital. As you drive to the apple growing village of Dymes, there is a deep wooded valley to

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a village of almond trees and traditional houses, and follow the road signposted

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your left. In Potamissa, many people grow their vines on frames across the road as there is no room on the steep hillsides. Take the F806 to Pelendri and go into the village to the UNESCO World

Continuing, on the hillside to your left are the ruins of old Korfi, which was abandoned after landslides, and after new Korfi, there is a vista of the Kouris Dam, Lemesos (Limassol) and the Akrotiri Salt Lake. Go right into Apesia, and behind the church and restored olive press is a small area where time seems to have stood still. Old houses and villagers inhabiting them just as their forefathers did. Go back to the main road and go left for Lemesos (Limassol) and the motorway. Asinou Church: open 09:30-17:00 May - Aug, 09:30-16:00 Sept - Apr. Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis: Tue-Sat: 09:00-16:00 Sun: 11:00-16:00.

Heritage listed 13th century church of Timios Stavros. Also, do not miss the Panagia Catholiki church with its Byzantine/Italian frescoes. As you head for Trimiklini, you will pass a winery on your right. Go left onto the B8 and go left again onto the F812, signposted to Agios Mamas. Drive through the centre of this village of whitewashed stone houses, then go right and head for Kapileio. This village, which is known for early peaches, stands on a hillock and has extensive views all around.

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your left. In Potamissa, many people grow their vines on frames across the road as there is no room on the steep hillsides. Take the F806 to Pelendri and go into the village to the UNESCO World

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Route 10

Troodosand the

Marathasa Valley

at Alassa, go left onto the F815 signposted to Monagri and drive down the valley. The Kouris River begins its 56 kilometre journey to the sea from 1,800 metres high up in the Troodos. Long before global warming and the dams at Trimiklini and Alassa diminished it,

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Distance: approximately 160kms

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ñ Vineyards, wineries and pine forests ñ Fascinating geology ñ Fertile valley famous for its cherry and fruit orchards ñ Delightful mountain villages and interesting museums ñ Unique, UNESCO World Heritage Site churches, with outstanding frescoed interiors ñ Good hill walking and cycling on specially prepared routes ñ Accommodation Leave the Lemesos (Limassol) - Pafos motorway, Lemesos (Limassol) bypass at the exit for Polemidia and Troodos and go onto the B8, signposted to Troodos. As other routes cover the villages on the way to Troodos, this route looks at the landscape and astonishing geology of a journey from sea level to 1,951 metres, but which also takes you to what was once the bottom of a very deep ocean around ninety million years ago. As you start to climb, the coastal lowland gravel and sand give way to plateaux of cream-coloured limestone and chalk on which grapevines flourish. After passing the Kouris dam to your left 104

it carved a deep valley of limestone cliffs and river terraces on which orchards and almonds now thrive in rich alluvial soil. Cross the bridge and go through Silikou. Stop at Kouka to visit the small cruciform church from where there is a superb view of the Troodos massif towering majestically above you. After going right onto the E802, signposted to Saittas, the white chalks give 105

Route 10

Troodosand the

Marathasa Valley

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Distance: approximately 160kms

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way to outcrops of brown bulging pillow lavas, bubbles of once-molten rock frozen in the icy sea, indicating the beginning of the Troodos ophiolite, which is a chunk of ocean crust.

and shows films of the unique natural environment of Troodos. There is also a 300-metre botanical and geological path, as well as a cafeteria and toilets.

Continue on the B9 at the major junction. A hundred metres after the turning to Platania picnic site, there is a moufflon reserve on the right.

Go left and through Troodos Square,

Drive right down the Solea valley on the B9, go left onto the E908, signposted to Prodromos and pass the olive-producing villages of Linou, Flasou and Katydata and the slag heaps of the Skouriotissa copper mines. Katydata is a delightful village with a very interesting mining museum.

Rejoin the B8 at the crossroads and go left to Moniatis and Platres. As you climb alongside dense deciduous woods, the rocks change to steep slabs of hard grey diabase. It was from river pebbles of this rock that Neolithic man shaped axe heads. from where you can take a side trip to the summit of Mount Olympus (Chionistra) by going left at the roundabout, signposted to Prodromos, and taking the left fork along this road. The view from beside the white-domed military installations is stupendous.

Stay on the B8 and drive to Troodos through a stark landscape of umbrella pines and dark coarse-grained gabbro rock formations. Go left to the Troodos National Park Visitor Centre and as you step out of the car, you will be standing on rocks that come from below the floor of the primordial Tethys Ocean, the predecessor of the Mediterranean. The Visitor Centre houses a first-rate collection of local ecological specimens

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On the main route, go onto the B9, signposted ‘Amiantos’ at the roundabout. You are now on part of the earth’s mantle that was six kilometres below the solid surface when dinosaurs walked the earth. The mantle is the middle of the earth’s three layers, sandwiched between the thin hard crust and the semi-liquid core. Perhaps this knowledge will help you see the defunct asbestos mine in a different light! One last point before we come back to the here and now: The Troodos Mountains are still growing - so if you do this journey next year, you will have to drive one millimetre further!

Orchards and olive groves fill the floor of the narrow steep-sided lower Marathasa Valley. Several large restaurants shelter under huge plane trees before you get to Kalopanagiotis Dam, in which trout, bass and other freshwater fish are raised. Two-storey balconied houses, some of which offer overnight accommodation, line the steeply winding streets of Kalopanagiotis. The sulphur springs are in the valley, near Agios Ioannis Lambadistis Monastery, one of the ten painted churches on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Don’t miss the monastery’s impressive Byzantine museum, which is open to the public every day except Mondays. The houses clinging to the hillsides at Moutoullas have steep-pitched roofs to cast off snow. This village is famous for its spring water and for growing the tastiest pears. The church of the Panagia, built in 1280, is also one of the UNESCO churches.

Pedoulas is a summer resort and centre of the Marathasa with banks, hotels, restaurants and a petrol station. It is famous for cherries and you will see the trees lining the roadside. Houses blanketed with climbing vines stand on narrow terraces. Here is another of the UNESCO churches, the 15th century Agios Mihail, opposite which is a Byzantine Museum. Nearby is also a charming folk art museum.

Cyprus has a rich Byzantine heritage and fine examples of religious wall paintings and iconography can be seen in many of the old churches and monasteries including the 10 churches in the Troodos designated as World Heritage sites by UNESCO. There are extensive views from all around Prodromos, the highest village in Cyprus at 1,400 metres. Prodromos has abundant natural vegetation, fruit orchards, cool water and healthy climate. It is also home to the Cyprus Forestry College. Go left at Prodromos roundabout, signposted ‘Platres’ and go right after 100 metres onto the E804, signposted to Lemithou (where you can find rural accommodation). Stay on this road through Palaiomylos, a village of meandering

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way to outcrops of brown bulging pillow lavas, bubbles of once-molten rock frozen in the icy sea, indicating the beginning of the Troodos ophiolite, which is a chunk of ocean crust.

and shows films of the unique natural environment of Troodos. There is also a 300-metre botanical and geological path, as well as a cafeteria and toilets.

Continue on the B9 at the major junction. A hundred metres after the turning to Platania picnic site, there is a moufflon reserve on the right.

Go left and through Troodos Square,

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streets and well-preserved traditional mountain-style houses, and drive to Foini (Fini), a village famous for pottery made of the red clay from the surrounding hills. Alas, the huge onion-shaped pithara wine jars are no longer made but examples can be seen in the Pilavakion Pottery Museum in the village centre. Back on the E804, go to Kato Platres and go right onto the E802, and head for Mandria and Pera Pedi. Mandriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim to fame is that the first inter-town telephone service linked the village to Lemesos (Limassol) in 1881. The main road at Pera Pedi skirts the village centre and goes beneath the shade of plane, alder, apple and pear trees. On your left behind the trees, you can just see the old winery, built in 1881 and still in use.

restaurant serving authentic Cypriot food. To leave, head for Agios Amvrosios and on your right, is the Donkey Sanctuary housing around 140 elderly and abandoned animals. As you leave, look back at this pretty village before going left on the E601 to Erimi and the motorway. Troodos National Park Visitors Centre Open daily 10:00-15:00 Jun-Aug Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00 Sept-May Closed on Public Holidays. All monuments in Marathassa valley are open daily, except on Mondays.

Go right onto the E803, signposted to Koilani, and drive through orchards and, nestling beneath a huge plane tree, is Agia Mavri church with its 12th century frescoes. Opposite is Afames Mountain, which has given its name to the wines from this area. Go right into the village centre to find interesting traditional architecture, a couple of wineries and rural accommodation. Do not miss the Monogenis church with its small ecclesiastical museum. Back on the E803, go right to Vouni. In the narrow winding streets of this vine-growing settlement are some impressively restored arched houses with courtyards. There is also a Vakhis scheme

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Route 11

The Pitsilia

and the

suggests that it was built over an earlier Christian site. The slender belfry stands in perfect juxtaposition with the minaret of one island’s most beautiful mosques – a very good example of the peaceful co-existence of the

South-West Mesaoria Distance: approximately 110 kilometres ñ Drive through the diverse landscape of the central plain to pine clad mountains and rich fertile valleys ñ Unique UNESCO World Heritage Site churches with outstanding frescoed interiors ñ Tranquil monasteries ñ Traditional architecture ñ Excellent walking and hiking ñ Impressive scenery There are no petrol stations on this route after the B9, so fill up before you go. Leave Lefkosia (Nicosia) on the A9 (B9) Troodos motorway, go right at the roundabout at the end and drive to Peristerona. Peristerona straddles a dry riverbed on the south-west edge of the Mesaoria, the plain separating the Kyrenia and Troodos mountain ranges. The area is renowned for its watermelons and in spring, a profusion of wild flowers including the rare crimson Myrtou tulip, carpet the fields. The church of Saints Barnabas and Hilarion is one of only two five-domed basilicas in Cyprus, and both of these are very rare in the world - the other is at Geroskipou, near Pafos and a stone screen found during excavations 110

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Christian and Muslim communities of the island. A walk round the village will reveal many fine examples of mudbrick and stone buildings. Go back the way you came on the B9 to the traffic lights and go right onto the E906. At Orounta, follow the signs to Agios Nikolaos Monastery and drive down to the riverbed through the narrow village streets. The remains of an olive press and well near the renovated monastery - now a nunnery 111

Route 11

The Pitsilia

and the

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suggest it was once a much larger building. The nuns at the monastery are very devoted and welcoming and have created a delightfully serene atmosphere. Back on the E906, go right. As you drive up the mountain through an area of arable and livestock farming, and olive groves, Kato Moni is to your left. This was once a Grand Commanderie village belonging to the Knights Templar.

between 1980 and 1982. Carry on up the E907 and, as you climb, on your right is the beautiful Adelphi Forest, culminating at the 1612 metre Adelphi Peak. This is a true hikerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s country. The houses at Lagoudera cling to the mountainside and their grape vines overhang the narrow village street. At the village exit, go right at the sign for Saranti.

Go right onto the E907, signposted to Agia Marina. As you pass the village, you will see some fine examples of traditional houses, built with small boulders and mudbrick, with steeply pitched roofs and wooden balconies. There is a magnificent panorama of the forested Madari ridge ahead as you approach Xyliatos. This village, which was probably a pre-Mediaeval settlement, it has some well-preserved traditional houses. Years ago, shepherds from the Madari used to bring their flocks here for winter grazing. Take the right turn onto a gravel road at the wooden sign for Xyliatos picnic site. Straddling the Elia River, there are tables, fresh drinking water, barbecue pits and toilets in an idyllic setting deep among trees and surrounded by mineral-rich rocky hillsides. Back on the main road continue up the hill to Xyliatos Dam, a small but delightful reservoir, with fragrant pine trees almost reaching the banks. The dam built

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The 12th century church of Panagia tou Araka (Our Lady of the Wild Vetch) is one of the ten churches on UNESCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Heritage List and it contains some of the finest examples of late 12th century Byzantine art in Cyprus. Saranti is a tiny village of huge chestnut trees and a few traditional houses built in the Pitsilia mountain style. Back at the main road, follow the signs for Troodos, and at the t-junction go left onto the F915, signposted to Polystypos. You are now travelling through the Madari wine- producing region,

where grapevines flourish up to an altitude of 1600 metres. Polystypos has traditional vine-covered houses, gardens of hydrangeas and walnut trees. The church of Agios Andreas may have originally been a monastery. In the village centre, go onto the E931 signposted to Alona.

in its narrow and winding streets. According to a board found in the roof, the church of Agios Ioannis Prodromos (John the Baptist) dates from 1560. It was extended in 1763 and has Byzantine-style frescoes.

In addition to grapes, Alona is renowned for its hazelnuts. As you drive down through the village, you will see several renovated traditional houses. The churches of Panagia Kardakiotissa and Agios Georgios are worth visiting. Leave the village and go back onto the F915, signposted to Fterykoudi. Stop at the viewpoint for a breathtaking view of the Madari ridge and the forests below. Go left into the village at the brown signposts to two churches (the signs are in Greek). Fterykoudi huddles on a rugged mountainside. A centuries old oak tree stands in the village square. The original foundations of the 16th century church are preserved beneath the present church. Drive back to the F915 and go left, signposted to Palaichori. On the way to Askas, you can take a short side trip to the Church of Agia Paraskevi, also known as Agia Christina, by taking the asphalt road to your left. The beautiful village of Askas has some of the most interesting traditional architecture to be found in Cyprus

Drive back towards Alona and go right onto the E906, signposted to Platanistasa. On the way down the mountain, you can see across to Adelphi Forest and the tree-filled valley below. Platanistasa is an attractive village with a vast grape vine shading the paved village square. This is a lovely place to sit a while and sip a coffee among pots of vivid flowers. The thrifty but imaginative villagers use an eclectic selection of plant holders, including buckets and even the steel drum of a washing machine! Pitharia, huge wine jars in which the house wine is made, can be seen in several yards.

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If you intend to visit Stavros tou Agiasmati Church further down the mountain, remember to pick up the key in the village before you leave (donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to return it afterwards). To get there, continue down the mountain and go left at the signpost to Stavros tou Agiasmati. This small church, one of the ten UNESCO World Heritage churches, stands isolated above a remote valley. Built in the second half of the 15th century, it is decorated with the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most complete cycle of frescoes.

Drive to Agrokipia and follow the signs to the Monastery of Agios Panteleimon. The monastery is perched on a hill overlooking the dry, dramatic terrain of the western Mesaoria all the way to the Pentadaktylos mountains. After the bleak terrain, the oasis-like nunnery garden, is a revelation. It contains large yucca trees, tree-size cacti and the most varied collection of geraniums to be seen anywhere. Drive back to the F905, go left and join the E903 back to Nicosia.

Go back to the E906 and as you drive descend, you will pass Panagia Bridge, with its picnic site and forest station. Shortly after, go left onto the E905 signposted to Mitsero. The slagheaps and craters are evidence of Mitseroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long history as a mining settlement.

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As you go along the valley floor, the ruins of Souskiou are across the river to your right, with sheep and goats inhabiting the tumbledown stone houses. Southeast of the village, archaeologists have unearthed Chalcolithic rock-cut tombs and copper artefacts.

Route 12

The Pafos Valleys

Distance: approximately 120 kilometres ñ Broad, virtually uninhabited river valleys ñ Excellent angling, birdwatching, walking and cycling ñ Outstanding scenery dotted with a few traditional villages ñ Mediaeval bridges and water mills ñ Remote monasteries and churches ñ Great photo opportunities Travellers from Pafos: leave the motorway at the exit for Timi and Anarita. All other travellers leave the motorway at the exit for Pafos Airport. Go left on the B6, signpost ‘Mandria’ and, just before a bridge, go left to Asprokremnos Dam, a good angling location and a favourite with birdwatchers and walkers. Drive across the dam wall, from which there are spectacular views, go left at the end of the road and drive to Nikokleia, a village scenically located on the banks of the Diarizos River. There is rural accommodation at the restored village inn. In the mid-1950s, an earthquake devastated many villages in the Diarizos and Xeros valleys and you will see the remains of temporary prefabricated bungalows that once housed the homeless. Today’s route is where you will see old village buses and ancient tractors worthy of a place in a museum. 116

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In the riverbed near Fasoula is the surface channel that carries water to the southern region. Mamonia is best known as the birthplace of the infamous Hassan Poulis. Hassan and his two brothers terrorised the area in the 1890s in what were supposedly ‘Robin Hood’ style raids. This and the next village, Agios Georgios, cultivate oranges in the wide river valley. Across the river at Prastio are the remains of the 12th century monastery of Agios Savvas tis Korones. 117

Route 12

The Pafos Valleys

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As you continue, the valley gets narrower until the road goes through a cleft, known as the kourtellorotsos, between large black rocks into a wooded area. This is where the Hassan Poulia gang ambushed unwary travellers making the long journey from Pafos to Troodos. Kidasi is the last village before the river crossing, where there is an old water mill and large shady oak trees beside a spring. As you climb, the views become increasingly beautiful and the restored Agios Antonios church is a good place to stop and look across the valley. Kederes is a vine-growing village known for the production of zivania (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food & wine) and there is a winery shortly after Praitori. At Agios Nikolaos, go left at the brown signpost and follow the signs to Kelafos Bridge. On the way, there are wonderful views of the Pafos Forest and of Arminou dam in the valley below. Kelefos Bridge is one of three pack-bridges originally built by the Venetians for transporting goods across the mountains. It is romantically sited under the shade of trees and is an ideal place to stop for a picnic lunch. Elea Bridge is in a wooded dell nearby and Roudia Bridge straddles the upper reaches of the Xeros River at the bottom of the valley between Vretsia and Agios Ioannis. Return to Agios Nikolaos, go right onto the F616, then go right onto the F617 at the signpost for Filousa. Go left at the coffee shop; drive down the valley and cross the Diarizos River.

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Note the remains of the rickety old bridge to your left. Head for Arminou and take the left fork after the coffee shops, then go right onto the F618 and follow the signs to Agios Ioannis. These country lanes are bordered by almond and olive trees and this is a good place to look out for prehistoric looking Agama lizards (agama stelio cypriaca), which can grow up to 30cm in length, sunning themselves on the walls.

There are no petrol stations on this route, so fill up your tank before you go. If you feel hungry, fresh bread, cheese, and olives are usually available at the village coffee shops (Kafenion). Numbers of the magnificent Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) have declined to dangerous levels, so the Cyprus Game Service has set up a feeding area on the cliffs at Agios Ioannis. It is not possible to visit the site but you may be lucky enough to see a vulture riding the thermals near the village. Leave Agios Ioannis by the road on which you came and go right onto the F618 at the signpost for Salamiou and go right again at the signpost for Kelokedera. Go through Kelokedera and Stavrokonnou and go right at the signpost to Agios Pandeleimmonos.

After you pass the ruins of Choletra, abandoned about forty years ago because of landslides, go through the ford and head for Nata, a village of traditional two-storey houses, many with large pitharia wine jars in their courtyards. After Nata, go right at the signpost to Axylou and at the main road go right onto the F622, and drive through Axylou and Eledio. After Amargeti, go right onto the F623 at the signpost to Agia Maria Kelokedaron. This road takes you down through the beautiful Zirupillis forest. There is room by a roadside shrine shortly after a church to stop and take in the view. After climbing out of the valley, you enter the village along a road bordered by almond trees. Agia Marina is one of seven villages in the Kilithes Project for the Sustainable Development and Management of the River Valleys of Eastern Pafos. The other villages are Amargeti, Episkopi, Eledio, Kelokedara, Nata and Salamiou. An information centre is in the Postal Agency building on your right as you leave the village. Drive to Pentalia and, as you near the village you get a magnificent view of the summit of Mount Olympus, with its ‘golf ball’ radar stations. At the t-junction in Pentalia, follow the signs to Panagia tou Sinti down the road to your right and you will have magnificent views of the church as the track descends.

added later. It was restored in the 1990s and one of the outbuildings contains an exhibition of the restoration project. The project received the prestigious Europa Nostra Award. On either side of the river nearby are the remains of two water mills. To leave, drive down to the riverbed and go straight ahead on the track among the boulders. The track meanders but is easily discernable. Go right after fording the river and keep the orange groves on your left. There are hillsides studded with olive trees on either side and further on are limestone cliffs where you might spot a Bonelli’s eagle, if you are very lucky. When you reach the tarmac road, go right heading for Nata (you drove along the last part of this road before) and go left at the fork before the village, following the signs for Anarita. Just before the Anarita, birdwatchers can take a left turn to Phinikas (Foinikas), a deserted village on the bank of the Asprokremnos. Drive through Anarita, a village engaged in livestock farming. A little further on at Timi you will see the Church of Agia Sofia, now a mosque. Just after Timi you will come to the main road. Go right for the motorway to Pafos and left for all other destinations.

The church of Panagia tou Sinti, on the west bank of the Xeros River, was built around 1500 and had monastic buildings

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The church of Panagia tou Sinti, on the west bank of the Xeros River, was built around 1500 and had monastic buildings

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Route 13

Pafos and the Akamas

To continue, go right and right again at the fork, then left and you will be between banana groves and peach orchards. Go right onto the E701 and left onto the E708 to Coral Bay, then left at the sign to Maa Palaiokastro, to a Bronze Age settlement and museum.

Distance: approximately 145 kilometres ñ Wild coastal scenery with wind-carved rocks and sea caves ñ Abundant flora and fauna ñ Stunning scenery ñ Pretty hill villages, some specialising in handicrafts ñ Excellent walking and cycling, with specially designed nature trails for all levels of ability ñ Accommodation If you are staying in Pafos, take the road to Coral Bay and turn right at the sign for Lempa. If you are coming from the Lemesos (Limassol) direction, follow the signs for Polis at the end of the motorway at Pafos and go right onto the B7 at the t-junction. Go immediately left, signposted to Empa, then right at the next t-junction and left again into Empa village where there the 12th church, Panagia Chryseleousa, has beautiful frescoes. Go straight ahead at the crossroads and right at the t-junction, then left at the signpost to Lempa. Go right at the next t-junction and immediately left. Take the first right into the village and the ‘Lempa Artistic Wall’ of the Cyprus Art College is on your right. Follow the signs for the Prehistoric Site but watch for the turn to the Lempa Experimental Village, as the sign is obscure. 120

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Back at the main road, go left and drive through banana, olive, citrus and almond groves. A side trip to the Sea Caves is via a track to your left where the road doubles back. On the main route, go right at the t-junction, left at the next one and drive to Agios Georgios Pegia, the site of an early Byzantine settlement. A tiny Byzantine church, fishermen’s cottages and tavernas overlook the fishing harbour and Geronisos island. 121

Route 13

Pafos and the Akamas

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Go back and go left at the signpost to the Akamas Peninsula. This wild and rugged area is practically uninhabited and is a nature lover’s paradise of thick forests, abundant flora and fauna, a beautiful coastline and a patchwork of geological formations. After a short distance, the road becomes a dirt track but it is easily passable with a little care.

Over millennia, winter floods and snow melts have created some impressive gorges. These make excellent places to hike and explore. The most

popular are Avakas, Androlikou and Petratis. When you reach the sign for Avakas Gorge, a narrow defile between towering cliffs, take a side trip to walk and explore this stunning location, and don’t forget to take your camera. Continue on along the main road and you will soon see Jurassic rocks carved into fantastic shapes by wind and water. Go right onto a concrete road at the signpost to Ineia. You can take a side trip to the Turtle Hatchery and Lara Beach by going straight ahead and can continue to Neo Chorio but the road is best suited to 4wd vehicles. As you climb, on your left is a perfectly preserved stiadi (makeshift house), built by shepherds from the plateau,

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who set up mandras (sheepfolds) on the coast for winter grazing. There are sweeping views of the coastline below and of the geologically diverse hills around you. As you near the Laona Plateau, you come to terraced vineyards with dry-stone walls. Go left at Ineia and left again then follow the sign for Pittokopas. You will see Chrysochou Bay to the right just before you go through Pittokopas, a village of only half a dozen stone houses, and take the right fork to Androlikou. This mostly ruined village is home to vast herds of goats. The brilliant white reef limestone of this area is quarried for the building industry. Go left onto the E709 signposted to Polis and go left again onto the E713 at the t-junction. Latchi (Lakki), is the fishing and pleasure boat port of Polis. From here you can take boat trips along the Akamas coast. In this area there is plenty accommodation as well as tavernas serving fresh fish and local food. After turning inland, go right to the area known as the Baths of Aphrodite. According to legend, this is the place where the goddess of love and beauty met her lover Adonis, and bathed in the cool water of a grotto, fed by a trickling stream and shaded by wild figs. There is a good beach beneath the nearby tourist pavilion and several delightful nature trails traverse the surrounding hillsides, offering stunning views of countryside and the crystal blue waters of the bay. During spring the entire area is carpeted with wildflowers.

Go back and go right on the F735 to Neo Chorio, which used to be a donkey-breeding village. Go left of the church, then straight ahead and fork right onto a dirt road signposted ‘Smigies’. Agios Minas, a 16th century church atop 12th century foundations near a small stream is a good place to spot indigenous Agama lizards. A little further on you come to Smigies picnic site, which has toilets, tables and fresh water. In this area are several nature trails and it is a good birdwatching area too.

The remote Akamas area is particularly beautiful during springtime when the wild flowers are in bloom. This region is particularly famous for its wild cyclamen, irises, anemones, tulips and narcissi. Go back through Neo Chorio and Latchi and go right onto the E709, signposted to Kathikas, and head for Drousia. This popular rural holiday spot has renovated arched village houses, a modern hotel, a weaving museum and wonderful views across Chrysochou Bay. Go on the F708, signposted to Pafos, to Ineia, where one of the old limestone houses is a basket-making museum. Looking across the vineyards to the coast you can see the Karavopetres, tall isolated

rocks in the sea. The next village is Kato Arodes, sitting at the head of the Avakas River and gorge. It is in these Laona villages that you are most likely to find older men still wearing the traditional vraka, baggy breeches. The varied rock formations have created spectacular gorges, karsts and undulating chalky hills around Pano Arodes, a village surrounded by vineyards and which is known for its white grapes and an old linos (wine press) that has been preserved among the vineyards. The houses are typical, narrow, two-storey stone buildings. Go left onto E709, signposted to Prodromi and go right at the sign to Kritou Tera, where there is a huge plane tree by the bridge as you enter. Saddlers and chair makers were prevalent here and the women made sweet pasteli, carob toffee. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the village was famous in the region because one of its coffee shops was a ‘casino’ where gambling took place and exotic dancers from abroad, mainly Smyrna and Adana, entertained the punters. Kritou Tera is home to an Environmental Studies Centre. Drive through the village, go right at the coffee shop with a spiral staircase, and follow the signs for Agia Ekaterini. As you drive down the valley between apricot orchards, there are wide views across to the Pafos Forest. Agia Ekaterini Church, with its interesting architecture, was founded in the 15th century by monks

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Over millennia, winter floods and snow melts have created some impressive gorges. These make excellent places to hike and explore. The most

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from Mount Sinai, who still own it. As you drive down the hill, there is a deep tree-filled gully to your right. Go right onto the main B7 road and right onto the F734 at the signpost to Kato Akourdalia, a village of traditional houses, some of which have been renovated as rural accommodation and a folk art museum. You can take a side trip by going right to Pano Akourdalia, which also has rural accommodation and a herbal garden. On the main route, take the road to Miliou, where most of the traditional houses have pretty flower gardens. Near the old monastery building of Agioi Anargyri are therapeutic sulphur springs. After going right onto the B7, Giolou is to your right. This is a fertile village of almonds, grapes, citrus fruit and cereals. This area is particularly beautiful in February when the almond tress are in blossom. Go right at the sign for Theletra, an old settlement tucked under a cliff. The village was abandoned several years ago because of landslides and the wind whistles eerily around the arched two-storey houses and meandering streets. At the top of the hill, go to Kathikas. The main income of this village was from grapes and winemaking but rural tourism is now a feature, with several traditional houses accommodating holidaymakers. The old village school is the Information Centre for the Laona Project and there is a winery on the outskirts as you follow the E709, signposted to Pafos.

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On your left among the vineyards, you will see a set of steps going nowhere. During the grape harvest, grape-pickers would climb them to tip grapes into sirizes, donkey panniers. As you drive down towards the coast, there is a spectacular view ahead, especially at sunset, when the sea turns to shimmering gold. Go left onto the F706 at the bottom of the hill for Pafos and the motorway.

Lempa Prehistoric Site/Experimental Village The settlement belongs to the Chalcolithic period, c.3,500BC. Nearby, archaeologists have constructed six complete roundhouses using the same building methods as those in antiquity, in order to try to ascertain how such a mammoth building task was achieved without the use of carts. The wheel had not been invented at that time and each building required around 100 tonnes of earth, stone and timber. The ancient builders mixed mud with chaff and put up wooden posts to support a roof of beams, myrtle and earth. They lime-plastered the floor and walls and completed the building with wooden window frames and doors.

These constructions stand alongside the exposed foundations of their prehistoric predecessors. Many finds from the site are at the Pafos District Archaeological Museum. The Lemba site is open daily from dawn to dusk and you can wander freely. The site is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route. Maa-Palaiokastro is a 12th century BC fortified settlement built by Mycenaean Greeks seeking refuge after the collapse of their main centres of civilisation in the Peloponnesos in southern Greece, and who were attracted by Cyprus’ copper mines. Maa had a natural harbour and potable water and the settlers fortified the site with massive stone walls. Excavations have unearthed a large complex of rooms joined by a common corridor and other finds indicate that internal and external trade existed. Although the site was defendable and was a good vantage point from which to spot an approach from land or sea, the Mycenaeans Greeks abandoned it around 1150 BC and probably moved on to other parts of the island. The Museum of the Mycenaean Greek Colonisation of Cyprus at Maa is an impressive semi-underground modern structure, designed by the famous Italian architect, Andrea Bruno, and consisting of eight chronological themed areas and, with the help of explanatory texts, aerial photographs, maps and copies of finds, visitors can learn about the glorious history of late Bronze Age Cyprus, whose

prosperity was principally due to its copper deposits. One area focuses on the settlement at Maa itself, with details of the life and activities of its inhabitants and there is information about settlements from the same era at Enkomi, Kition and Alassa as well as on the influence exerted by the Mycenaean Greeks. Finally, there is a section on the development of writing and religious practices in Cyprus during the late Bronze Age. Entry is through the Maa-Palaiokastro site, the entry fee for which covers the museum too. Open Mon – Sat 10:00 – 16:00. Cape Drepano and Pegeia Early Christian Basilicas: In this area there was a Roman and early Byzantine settlement. It was almost certain that it was destroyed by earthquake and its ruins are scattered beneath the scrubland of the area. However, its small harbour, which was used during the early Byzantine period as a convenient harbour for trade between Egypt and Constantinople, is still in use today. There are rock-cut chambers on the cliff-side above the harbour, some of which bear Christian crosses of an archaic design. The offshore small island of Geronisos has what are thought to be the remains of a Roman garrison on its west side. The excavations of 6th century Pegeia Basilicas (which gets its name from the nearest village), are behind the fishermen’s cottages. Here you will find excellent floor mosaics depicting animals and birds.

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Shortly after the village of Pomos, go left by a banana grove – look for a small blue and white ‘Fishing Shelter’ sign on a telegraph pole. There is a wonderful view of the bay and mountains from the tiny harbour. The small beach is good for snorkelling and the seashore pebbles are an illustration of the geology of this area. Wet a few to see the varied colours.

Route 14

Polis, Kato Pyrgos and Kykkos Distance: approximately 165 kilometres

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ñ Interesting coastal and mountain drive ñ Ancient monasteries ñ Impressive scenery and views ñ Vineyards, wineries and pine forests ñ Good birdwatching and walking ñ Accommodation Leave Polis (once a very important ancient City Kingdom, now a small pleasant coastal town overlooking the delightful Chrysochous Bay) on the E704, signposted to Argaka. You are heading for Pachyammos and Kato Pyrgo along a narrow, fertile coastal strip with sandy beaches and capes to your left and mountains to your right. Along the way you will see a wooden pier. This was the place where the copper ore from the nearby mines at Limni was loaded onto the ships for transportation abroad. There is a picnic site just before the pretty hill village of Argaka, which is a short detour to your right. At Gialia, which is known for its tasty oranges, and at Agia Marina the houses along the beach have vibrant gardens of lilies in the spring and the cultivation of peanuts and small quantities of tobacco are unique to this region. 126

As you drive on, the coastal strip is replaced by pine-covered slopes that fall vertically to the sea. Pachyammos means ‘broad sand’ and here a beach of dark sand sweeps around the bay. The large church in the middle of the village is dedicated to Agios Rafael and is a popular pilgrimage site. After the village, you start to climb into the Tylliria, a swathe of austere forested territory on the north-west slopes of the Troodos Mountains. 127

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Polis, Kato Pyrgos and Kykkos Distance: approximately 165 kilometres

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The large bands of bare earth that can be seen traversing the forest are firebreaks, needed here because the ruggedness of this area makes access difficult for fire appliances. The barren terrain to your left is where, centuries ago, the trees were cut for shipbuilding and smelting in the long-since defunct copper mines. Keep your eyes open for the wandering goats that inhabit abandoned buildings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the animals often stray onto the road.

The archaeological museum in Polis houses an interesting collection of antiquities, all of which have been located in the area. These show the importance of this region in the past. The Museum is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route. Because of the new road, the economy and quality of life of the region has seen an upturn. This is particularly apparent when you reach the village of Mosfileri, where many of the old houses are being turned into holiday homes. You can see the remains of the narrow old road on either side just after Mansoura. Kato Pyrgos is the regional centre of the Tylliria. It is a holiday retreat with hotels, apartments, tavernas, banks, a cottage hospital and a petrol station. Now is the

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time to check your gauge because there is no more petrol to be had on this route. In the old part of the village, which is shaded by huge trees, go right onto the F743, signposted to Pano Pyrgos. Drive up the valley of citrus, bananas and peaches and go right to Pano Pyrgos. This tiny settlement is one of the last places in Cyprus where charcoal is produced. Logs (mainly deadfall) from the nearby forest are placed in pits on top of smouldering wood and covered with earth to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; slowly. The smoke-blackened stone houses are now mostly uninhabited but there is a little postal agency cum village store that also serves as the village coffee shop.

there are tavernas and a small guesthouse. Cherry orchards, vines and damask roses line the road to Tsakistra. As you continue up the road to Kykkos Monastery, the peak of Mount Olympus is to your left. Go back down the road and take the left fork signposted to Stavros tis Psokas. Just before the fork you will glimpse the sea in the distance ahead of you. At the next fork, take the forest road left, signposted to Cedar Valley, and you will shortly get a view of Olympus, the highest point on the island, and the tiny chapel of Throni tis Panagias, which overlooks Kykkos Monastery, to your left.

Pano Panagia is the birthplace of Archbishop Makarios III, first president of the Republic of Cyprus and you can visit his childhood home. Many of the traditional houses here consist of a one family room with an area behind for the animals and a shared front door. The village has several tavernas, rural accommodation and a winery. As you travel to Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery, there is an extensive view to your right of the surrounding countryside and Kannaviou Dam.

Back at the F743, go right and head for Kambos. The winding road now takes you into the Tylliria hinterland, with its deep river valleys, mineral rich rocks and thick forest. As you travel south along the Pyrgos River, you might see moufflon skittering down the rock face to drink. After climbing to Selladi tis Syrmenis there is room to stop to take a look across to Morfou Bay, Cape Kormakiti and the Mesaoria plain in the distance. The road now drops down and goes north along the Limnitis valley and climbs again, offering amazing views of the coastline. Stop at the top and listen to the haunting sound of the wind. As you go down into the Kampos River valley, go right at the signpost for Kampos. This narrow lane takes you to the quaint shady village of Kampos, where

Drive on and go left onto the tarmac, heading for Panagia. You get another view of Mount Olympus on your left before reaching the quiet and peaceful Monashilakas picnic site. After climbing to Pano Panagia between vine-clad terraces, go left onto the F622, signposted to Statos Agios Fotios.

Cedar Valley contains hundreds of the indigenous cedar trees, cedrus brevifolia, which differ slightly from their Lebanese cousin. The area has seats in the shade and toilet facilities. Hikers can walk up to the summit of Mount Tripylos (1,362 metres), from where there is a magnificent panorama of the Tylliria and Pafos Forest.

Travelling on, Agia Moni Monastery, one of the oldest on the island and believed to have been founded in 300AD over an ancient Temple of Hera, is to your left just before you go right onto the E702, signposted to Choulou. Driving down into the vineyards, the view sweeps across from the Pafos Forest almost to the Akamas. Go through old Statos, abandoned after the 1955 earthquake, although the villagers continued to keep their zivania stills here, (See Section 1, Chapter 5, Food and wine), and follow the road signposted

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to Pentalia. There is a winery at Statos Agios Fotios to your left. Go right again at the sign for Choulou, then follow the signs for Pafos. After going through the lower end of Statos and Agios Fotios, again abandoned but with some impressive architecture, you are in the heart of the Pafos wine country, with slow-moving villages where tradition holds fast. The rolling hills are covered with wild barley, almond trees and vineyards. In Choulou, a village of tall and narrow stone houses, go left at the signpost to Pafos and take the road to Lemona. In the past, this village was famous for its silk and quite a few mulberry trees remain. Some of the older inhabitants can still recite the Song of Arodafnousa, in which the secret love between a mediaeval King of Cyprus and a noblewoman from Choulou, is told. Cross the Ezousa River on the way to Letymbou, where you will see an old olive mill and a linos (wine press), in a tiny square to your right. The village has some beautifully restored houses and it is said that there are twelve churches within its boundaries, the most important being Agios Kyrikos and Ioulitas. The vineyards continue past Kallepia and Tsada, all the way to the B7 Polis – Pafos road. Makarios Birthplace: Open 10:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 18:00 daily

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Kykkos Monastery, isolated among magnificent mountains and forests, is famous throughout the Orthodox world. It houses an icon of the Most Merciful Virgin, reputedly painted by St Luke the Apostle during the Madonna’s lifetime. This icon, which is kept in a silver phylactery, is venerated by Cypriots who pray to it regularly but especially at times of drought. Kykkos is of Byzantine origin, founded by the hermit Isaias, probably at the end of the 11th century, with the aid of the Byzantine Emporer Alexios Komnenos. The first monastery was built of wood. Over the centuries, Kykkos acquired considerable wealth and property in Cyprus and abroad and had close connections with the Russian Church. The current assortment of buildings date from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and the frescoes and mosaics are of recent design and execution. To the south-west is Throni tis Panagias (throne of the Virgin Mary), a place of pilgrimage overlooking the entire mountain range. Nearby is the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III, who was a novice at Kykkos and who chose this site as his final resting place. Kykkos is open year round from dawn to dusk. The Byzantine Museum at Kykkos Monastery contains a breathtaking collection of priceless ecclesiastical treasures. The state-of-the-art interior of the building, which is a finely balanced combination of ancient and modern, includes a small display of antiquities and a large gallery with Early Christian,

Byzantine and post-Byzantine church vestments, vessels and jewellery. There is a circular room with manuscripts and books and a splendid display of icons, frescoes and carvings in another chamber. Soothing Byzantine church music plays unobtrusively in the background. Open June – Oct 10:00 – 18:00, Nov – May 10:00 – 16:00. Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery (Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate) is in beautiful wooded surroundings 830m above sea level, with wonderful views over the west coast of the island. The monastery was established in 1152 by the hermit Ignatius to house an icon with the image of the Virgin Mary believed to have been painted by St Luke the Evangelist. The icon had washed ashore at Pafos after being thrown into the sea at Isauria in Asia Minor to save it from iconoclasts. A fisherman found it and hid it in a cave from where, four hundred years later, Ignatuis retrieved it after a vision in which he saw the icon radiating light and an angel told him to take it to Monte Rogia and enshrine it there. The miraculous icon is now kept in a special casket. A few years ago, the Abbott revived the monastery’s wine-making tradition using grapes from the monastery’s vineyards on the slopes of Mount Rogia. The winery is within the monastery’s cloisters and is open to visitors.

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Pafos Forest

village centre of Lysos and beside the restored old Church of the Panagia is a viewpoint where you can sit and take in the landscape of coastal villages and sea. Below the church is the original cobbled village square, which is notable for its many vryses (springs), where the women of the

Approximately 80 kilometres ñ Forested mountain roads with impressive views ñ Moufflon sancturary ñ Excellent hiking and birdwatching ñ Quaint villages with traditional crafts ñ Freshwater fishing ñ Accommodation Leave the B7 Polis to Pafos road at Skouli on the road signposted to Evretou Dam. From the dam wall there is a wide-angle view across the Chrysochou Valley to the Laona Peninsula and the Akamas. This is a popular place with birdwatchers looking for waterbirds and waders. Go back down the road and go right at the signpost to Steni and Peristerona. At the entrance to Peristerona, go left at the wooden signboard to ‘Aitichoulis Gorge’ and walk a little way behind the monument for an extensive view of the Polis area. This is a good vantage point from which to look for birds of prey wheeling above the gorge. Peristerona is the seat of the Bishop of Arsinoe and there is a very interesting Byzantine Museum on the ground floor of the bishopric. You pass an old olive press on the left as you leave the village. Follow the signs for Stavros tis Psokas. Drive into the narrow 132

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village used to go every day to collect water. You pass a small hotel as you leave the village and start to climb into the Pafos Forest. As you ascend, there is a deep valley to your right and rockroses thrive beneath the tall pines lining the road. Stavros tis Psokas is a government forest station that gets its name from a long-gone monastery. It is also the headquarters of the Fire Brigade for the Pafos Forest. Stavros tis Psokas is a favoured spot with Cypriots, 133

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who say it is the coolest place on the island in summer. There are barbecue facilities at the large picnic site and there is a small shop, café, and limited accommodation. By far the most popular reason for visiting Stavros tis Psokas is to get a glimpse of the rare and endangered moufflon (ovis orientalis ophion), which are reared and protected here in a huge government-run enclosure. (See Section 1, Chapter 2, Natural Environment). To leave, take the road to your left as you face back the way you came. This is an all-weather forest road signposted to Pafos on a dark green sign. Follow the signs to ‘Agia’ and on the way down, there is a deep valley to your right and a view of the hills to the south. Water seeps from the rocks and crosses the track into the trackside stream, where bracken and ferns grow, and where you may be lucky enough to spot freshwater crabs. Planes, oaks, arbutus and brambles line the valley floor. Agyia picnic site is in deep shade on a tributary of the Ezousa River and here you will find drinking water and toilets. A little further on is the Vrysi tou Diakou, an ice-cold spring, where moufflon come to drink, leaving dainty hoof-prints in the mud. Go right at the fork in the road, following the sign to Kannaviou. The road becomes a bit bumpy and narrow in places but is easily passable. After crossing a small bridge, you will see the blue waters of Kannaviou Dam to your

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right. The road skirts the dam, then climbs and joins the tarmac at a t-junction, where you go right, following the sign to Kannaviou. You will pass the dam wall on your right down the hill before going right onto the F725, signposted to Kritou Marottou. You are now in an area of olive trees, wild barley and grape vines. In the village, take the road signposted to ‘Phiti’ and follow the arrows. At the second church, go right and up. Fyti sits on a ridge and has extensive views all around. The arched ground-floor rooms of many of the traditional limestone houses are large in order to accommodate a voufa (loom). Weaving is still done at Fyti (See Section 1, Chapter 4, Rural Crafts and Skills) and you can see the women working and buy their fine linen. There is a weaving museum in the village square. The next village, Lasa, used to be a centre of chair-making and there are still a few carpenters working. There is an olive press on your left and the old circular stone threshing floors in the fields are still used. On the road to Simou, which is an almond growing village, there are views of Evretou Dam and the Pafos Forest. Many of the old houses in Simou have been restored and the village is gradually being repopulated as better roads make it easier for people to travel to Polis for work.

After the village, you can take a side trip by going right at the signpost to Skarfos Bridge and Watermills. Both are ruined mediaeval structures built over five hundred years ago. The little track beside the bridge, which sits in a field, is a remnant of the mediaeval road from Polis to Pafos. From the main route, which goes between almond groves and grapevines, there is a wonderful vista of Evretou dam, a favoured spot for anglers, with a backdrop of the Akamas hills. To fish in the dam, anglers require a license from the Department of Fisheries. (See Section 1, Chapter 7, Countryside Activities). Just a few hundred metres after going right at the signpost to Evretou dam, you will reach the water’s edge. You can drive round the dam to the eerily beautiful ruins of old Evretou on the opposite bank. Go back to the road and go right to the B7 Polis-Pafos road. An alternative route is head up to Lysos and return to Polis via Kynousa or Pelathousa villages where you will enjoy some superb views over the Chrysochou Bay as you head down from the hills. Arsinoe Byzantine Museum Apr-Oct, Mon-Fri 10:00-13:00, 14:00-18:00 Nov-Mar, Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00 Saturday all year 10:00-13:00

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CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATION Leoforos Lemesou 19, Lefkosia (Nicosia) P.O.Box 24535, CY 1390 Lefkosia(Nicosia) Cyprus, Tel. 22 69 11 00 Telefax: 22 33 16 44 E-mail: cytour@cto.org.cy Web-site: www.visitcyprus.com TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES (For personal and telephone enquiries only) Open every morning except Sundays and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons Lefkosia (Nicosia) Aristokyprou 11 Laïki Geitonia (East of Plateia Eleftherias) CY 1011 Lefkosia, Tel. 22 67 42 64 Lemesos (Limassol) a) Spyrou Araouzou 115 A’ CY 3036 Lemesos, Tel. 25 36 27 56 b) Georgiou A’, 22 CY 4047 Lemesos, Potamos tis Germasogeias (eastern entrance of Dasoudi beach) Tel. 25 32 32 11 c) Lemesos Harbour P.O.Box 55605, CY 3781Lemesos Service to all passenger boats Tel. 25 57 18 68 Larnaka a) Plateia Vasileos Pavlou CY 6023 Larnaka, Tel. 24 65 43 22 b) Larnaka International Airport CY 7130 Larnaka, Tel. 24 64 35 76

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Pafos a) Gladstonos 3 CY 8046 Pafos, Tel. 26 93 28 41 b) Poseidonos 63A, CY 8042, Kato Pafos Tel. 26 93 05 21 c) Pafos International Airport CY 8320 Pafos, Tel. 26 42 31 61 (service to all flights) Polis Vasileos Stasioikou A’ 2 CY 8820, Polis Chrysochous Tel. 26 32 24 68 Agia Napa Leoforos Kryou Nerou 12 CY 5330 Agia Napa, Tel. 23 72 17 96 Paralimni - Protaras Leoforos Protara - Kavo Gkreko 356 CY 5296 Protaras - Paralimni, Tel. 23 83 28 65 Platres CY 4820 Platres, Tel. 25 42 13 16

UNITED KINGDOM CYPRUS TOURIST OFFICE 17, Hanover Street London W1S 1YP Tel. 0207 569 8800, Fax: 0207 499 4935 E-mail: informationcto@btconnect.com

FRANCE OFFICE DU TOURISME DE CHYPRE 15, Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris Tel. (01) 42 61 42 49, Fax: (01) 42 61 65 13 E-mail: cto.chypre.paris@wanadoo.fr

IRELAND CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATION 71, Lower Leeson Str., Dublin 2 Tel. 00 353-1-6629269 Fax: 00 353-1-6629270 E-mail: cyprusinfo@eircom.net

BELGIUM OFFICE DU TOURISME DE CHYPRE DIENST VOOR TOERISME VAN CYPRUS Avenue de Cortenbergh 61, Kortenberglaan B-1000 Bruxelles/Brussel Tel. 02/735.06.21, Fax: 02/735.66.07 E-mail: cyprus@skynet.be

GERMANY FREMDENVERKEHRSZENTRALE ZYPERN, FRANKFURT Zeil 127 - 60313 Frankfurt Tel. (069) 25 19 19, Fax: (069) 25 02 88 E-mail: info@cto-fra.de BERLIN Wallstr. 27, 10179 Berlin Tel. 0 3023 4575 90, Fax: 0 3023 4575 92 E-mail: cto_berlin@t—online.de SWITZERLAND FREMDENVERKEHRSZENTRALE ZYPERN Gottfried Keller – Strasse 7, CH-8001 Zürich , Tel. (+4144) 262 3303 Fax: (+4144) 251 2417 Geneva: Tel: (+4122) 741 33 03 E-mail: ctozurich@bluewin.ch AUSTRIA ZYPERN TOURISMUS Parkring 20, A–1010 Wien Tel. (01) 513 18 70, Fax: (01) 513 18 72 E-mail: zyperntourism@aon.at

THE NETHERLANDS CYPRUS VERKEERSBUREAU Keizersgracht 635, 1017 DS Amsterdam Tel. (020) 624 4358, Fax: (020) 638 3369 E-mail: cyprus.sun@wxs.nl SWEDEN CYPERNS TURISTRAD Norrlandsgatan 20, 1st floor, 111 43 Stockholm Tel. (08) 10 50 25, Fax: (08) 10 64 14 E-mail: info@ctosweden.org O

FINLAND KYPROKSEN MATKAILUTOIMISTO Aleksanterinkatu 48B, 00100 Helsinki Tel. (0) 9-476 09 100, Fax: (0) 9-476 09 120 E-mail: info@ctofinland.org GREECE CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATION ATHENS Voukourestiou 38, Kolonaki, Athens 10673 Tel. (210) 36 10 178, (210) 36 10 057 Fax: (210) 36 44 798 E-mail: cto–athens@ath.forthnet.gr

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UNITED KINGDOM CYPRUS TOURIST OFFICE 17, Hanover Street London W1S 1YP Tel. 0207 569 8800, Fax: 0207 499 4935 E-mail: informationcto@btconnect.com

FRANCE OFFICE DU TOURISME DE CHYPRE 15, Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris Tel. (01) 42 61 42 49, Fax: (01) 42 61 65 13 E-mail: cto.chypre.paris@wanadoo.fr

IRELAND CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATION 71, Lower Leeson Str., Dublin 2 Tel. 00 353-1-6629269 Fax: 00 353-1-6629270 E-mail: cyprusinfo@eircom.net

BELGIUM OFFICE DU TOURISME DE CHYPRE DIENST VOOR TOERISME VAN CYPRUS Avenue de Cortenbergh 61, Kortenberglaan B-1000 Bruxelles/Brussel Tel. 02/735.06.21, Fax: 02/735.66.07 E-mail: cyprus@skynet.be

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General

info THESSALONIKI 37 Nikis Ave., Thessaloniki 54013, P.O.Box 50046 Tel. 00 2310-242880 Fax: 00 2310-286881 E-mail: kotthes@the.forthnet.gr

ST. PETERSBURG Prospect Chernyshevskogo Flat 56, House 17, 191123 St. Petersburg Tel: 007-812-332-58-08 Fax: 007-812-332-58-09 E-mail: spbcto@yandex.ru

ITALY ENTE NAZIONALE PER IL TURISMO DI CIPRO Via Santa Sofia 6, 20122 Milano Tel. 02 58 30 33 28, 02 58 31 98 35 Fax: 02 58 30 33 75 E-mail: info@turismocipro.it

HUNGARY CIPRUSI IDEGENFORGALMI HIVATAL H-1051 Budapest, Dorottya Str. 3. III floor Tel. 00-36-1-266 6044 Fax: 00-36-1-266 6043 E-mail: ciprusinfo@t-online.hu

UNITED STATES CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANIZATION 13 East 40th Str. New York, NY 10016 Tel. (00 1212) 683-5280, Fax: (00 1212) 683-5282 E-mail: gocyprus@aol.com

POLAND CYPRYJSKA ORGANIZACJA TURYSTYCZNA Piekna 20, 00-549 Warszawa Tel. 48 22-827 90 36 Fax: 48 22-827 90 34 E-mail: cto@cypr.pl

ISRAEL CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATION Top Tower-14th floor, Dizengoff Centre 50 Dizengoff Str., - Tel-Aviv 64332 Tel. 00-972-3-52 57 442, Fax: 00-972-3-52 57 443 E-mail: cto@netvision.net.il RUSSIAN FEDERATION CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATIONMOSCOW Povarskaya 9, Building 2, 121069, Moscow Tel. 007 495 744 2953/54 Fax: 007 495 744 2955 E-mail: moscowcto@yandex.ru

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CZECH REPUBLIC KYPERSKâ&#x2C6;&#x17E;` ORGANIZACE CESTOVNI`HO RUCHU Pod Hradbami 662/9, 16000 Praha 6 Tel. 00-420-222-253 097 Fax: 00-420-222-251 639 E-mail: cto.prague@volny.cz MIDDLE EAST & ARABIAN GULF CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANISATION Al Ghurair Center, Offices Tower 436B P.O.Box 94670, Deira, Dubai, UAE Tel. (00971) 4 2277637 Fax. (00971) 4 2277638 E-mail: tourism@cyprusme.com

The fire hazard It is highly likely that fires would get started in the Cyprus countryside especially during the summer months when it gets parched and dry. Please be aware of the danger and avoid discarding cigarettes out of car windows, having barbecues in places not allowed or discarding glass bottles which can easily reflect the sun. If you do notice a fire or even smoke, please call 1407 immediately. Driving Driving is on the left, with priority from the right at roundabouts. The road layout and road signs follow the international system and distances and speeds are given in kilometres. Fairly good surfaced roads complying with international traffic requirements link the towns and the various villages. Four lane motorways connect the capital Lefkosia (or Nicosia) with the coastal towns of Lemesos (Limassol), Larnaka, Paphos and Agia Napa. Minor roads and forest roads are still largely unsurfaced but in good to fair condition. Appropriate care should be taken when using these roads especially during wet weather. Police will fine you for careless driving, not wearing a motorcycle helmet or a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving. Driving licenses Visitors in Cyprus can drive using a valid International driving license, or their National driving license, provided it is valid for the class of vehicle they wish to drive.

Cyprus weather Cyprus enjoys an intense Mediterranean climate, with long, dry summers from mid-May to mid-October and with mild winters from December to February which are separated by short autumn and spring seasons. Summer is the season of high temperatures with cloudless skies but the sea breeze creates a pleasant atmosphere in the coastal areas. Winters are mild with some rain and snow on Troodos Mountains. In Cyprus there is abundant sunshine. Even in December and January there is an average of six hours of bright sunshine per day. Clothing/Dress and Activities April-May: Days are pleasantly warm, but temperatures may fall a bit at night. - Medium-weight and summer apparel - Excellent season for those who prefer to enjoy nature as the countryside is green and flowers are in blossom. June-July-August: Warmest months of summer - Very light weight summer clothing - Ideal for swimming and all beach/water activities. September - October: Warm days, cool October evenings - Light weight apparel for the day and medium-weight for the evenings in October. November: Pleasantly warm days - Medium-weight apparel. Light woollies. - Ideal weather for autumn travel. Lunches in the open-air still a delight. Sunbathing and even swimming can still be enjoyed, as well as most outdoor sports.

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General

info THESSALONIKI 37 Nikis Ave., Thessaloniki 54013, P.O.Box 50046 Tel. 00 2310-242880 Fax: 00 2310-286881 E-mail: kotthes@the.forthnet.gr

ST. PETERSBURG Prospect Chernyshevskogo Flat 56, House 17, 191123 St. Petersburg Tel: 007-812-332-58-08 Fax: 007-812-332-58-09 E-mail: spbcto@yandex.ru

ITALY ENTE NAZIONALE PER IL TURISMO DI CIPRO Via Santa Sofia 6, 20122 Milano Tel. 02 58 30 33 28, 02 58 31 98 35 Fax: 02 58 30 33 75 E-mail: info@turismocipro.it

HUNGARY CIPRUSI IDEGENFORGALMI HIVATAL H-1051 Budapest, Dorottya Str. 3. III floor Tel. 00-36-1-266 6044 Fax: 00-36-1-266 6043 E-mail: ciprusinfo@t-online.hu

UNITED STATES CYPRUS TOURISM ORGANIZATION 13 East 40th Str. New York, NY 10016 Tel. (00 1212) 683-5280, Fax: (00 1212) 683-5282 E-mail: gocyprus@aol.com

POLAND CYPRYJSKA ORGANIZACJA TURYSTYCZNA Piekna 20, 00-549 Warszawa Tel. 48 22-827 90 36 Fax: 48 22-827 90 34 E-mail: cto@cypr.pl

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December-January: - It may rain occasionally, yet the promise of glorious sunshine is still there. - Winter clothing-not heavy coats though! - Outdoor activities and excursions can be enjoyed. February: The possibility of exceptionally warm days. Almond trees in blossom, occasional rain and mild day time temperatures are the harbingers of spring. It can be quite cold however in the evenings. - Winter apparel. - Conditions are ideal for snow skiing on Troodos mountains March: Moderating weather with plenty of sunshine and with nature at its best. - Winter apparel with medium-weight wear. - Most outdoor activities can be enjoyed and March is an excellent period for long country walks. Safety in the sun Avoid being in the sun between 11:00 -15:00 and always apply a suncream. Religion The dominant religion of Cyprus is Greek Orthodox. Visitors are welcomed in churches but must be properly dressed with long trousers for men and knee-high (or longer) skirts or trousers for women. At mosques you should leave your shoes off. Petrol Stations It is advisable to fill up before you leave towns. Petrol stations take electronic

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credit cards and have efficient and easy-towork self-service pumps when the garage is closed. Petrol is sold by the litre and 15% VAT is included in all prices. Pharmacies These are in main towns only and are open during shop hours. Pharmacists are highly qualified and able to assist with many minor problems. The list of late-night openings is displayed in all pharmacy windows or you can find out about it on 90901433. Photography Please note that you are not allowed to take photographs near military camps or military installations, in museums where a special license is required by the appropriate authorities and in churches with mural paintings and icons, if ‘flash’ is required. Wild flowers Please do not pick the many endemic and rare wild flowers and herbs you will find in the Cyprus countryside. Traffic accident In case of a road traffic accident call the police (199). Your statements will be taken in English and read to you. Get the name and number of attending police officers Liabilities are often agreed on the spot. Call your car hire company immediately. Afternoon relax hours (Siesta) Siesta time is still observed in most villages and shops might be closed between 13:00 –15:00 (or some cases 16:00) during summer time.