Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

(Image from Panagia Araka-Lagoudera village) 

Snow at the Medieval Bridge in the route Xyliatos-Saranti, Pitsilia area, Nicosia

Snow at the Medieval bridge near Saranti 

After we left the Xyliatos dam on our way to Saranti village, we just had to visit the Medieval bridge which was on our way.

Located just before the water source "Vrysi tis Shyftis" , the bridge is hidden under a more modern bridge which will take you deep into the forest and up to the old Church of "Stavros Ayiasmati"!

Lucky for us the snow was still covering the bridge and the surroundings and we had the chance to see something really unique!!

The river was flowing, the trees were covered in snow and some icebergs on the leafs and the bridge completed a nice picture which we were experiencing for the first time!

It is a spectacle we highly recommend you visit if you love nature and history!

Snow in Saranti village, Pitsilia area, Nicosia

Snow in Saranti village

It is not every day we have the opportunity to visit the beautiful village of Saranti covered in snow!

Fortunately for us the day was good enough to allow us safely to reach Saranti.

Once we arrived the scenery of the mountains, streets, trees, roof tops covered in snow was simply magical!

We took our time walking around and admiring the view of the village from the top but also by walking inside the small alleys. In some areas the snow was so high we just couldn't go through and had to go back and find another way.

I have to admit this was one of the most beautiful expeditions we had so far. Being so close to Christmas and having snow in the mountains makes the season feel so much better!  

Snow in Xyliatos Dam, Nicosia,

 Snow in Xyliatos Dam

It is not a common thing to have so much snow so early in Cyprus.

Just in a few days the snow covered the mountains and even some city centres!

It was the perfect opportunity for us to explore another view of Cyprus!

Our Sunday trip begun from the Xyliatos dam near Xyliatos village towards Saranti.

Fortunately for us the snow was still covering a big part of the area and just made the scenery a lot more beautiful than usual.

The day was sunny and it was easy for us, and many more who stopped there, to enjoy their time taking pictures, walk around and play with the snow.

The Seventh Issue of our E-magazine

Click to view Secret Cyprus Travel Issue 7 on GLOSSI.COM

Special Forces Monument, Egkomi, Nicosia,

Special Forces Monument

Walking around the area of Egkomi we came across a nice park which is in the middle of a residential area.

The park apart from being a meeting point of young people and kids who play there, also hosts a monument dedicated to the soldiers of the special forces who died  or are still missing due to the Turkish invasion in 1974.

On the monument one can read the names of Cypriot and Greek soldiers who gave their life defending the democracy of Cyprus.

A smaller sign on the side indicates that the monument was revealed on 17th July 1994 by the ex-president Glafkos Clerides.

Walking in the streets of old Nicosia

 Walking in the streets of old Nicosia

It was a lovely Sunday afternoon and we thought it would be great to take a walk on the streets of old Nicosia.

The old part of Nicosia, which is within the Venetian walls, has transformed the past couple of years from a declining territory into a place full of life mainly due to the cafeterias and restaurants.

Walking in the streets of Nicosia one can still admire the traditional houses of the 19th century with their dates engraved in the metal frame just above the wooden doors.Some have been well restored but some have been abandoned for years.

One thing is for sure, the city has its own unique character and the blend of cultures along with the contrasts of the new additions vs the old buildings and signs makes it something very special!

We walked around the many small alleys which seems like a labyrinth for many hours and it is true what they say that you do not really know your city until you walk it.

The Monument of Hero Stylianos Lenas, Egkomi,Nicosia

The Hero Stylianos Lenas

It wasn't the first time we came across a monument of Stylianos Lenas!

The previous time was in Potamitissa village a few months ago. (see the story here). This time though the monument was located in Nicosia at Leoforos Iroon (Heroes Avenue) in Egkomi area.

Stylianos Lenas was born at Chandria village, in Pitsilia area, in 1932 and was one of the first to participate as a member of EOKA. He participated in numerous fights against the British troops until 1957 when he died.

My grandmother would often say how close friends they have been with my grandfather when they both moved from their villages in Pitsilia to Nicosia.

The Monument of Hero Elias Papakyriakou, Nicosia

The Hero Elias Papakyriakou 

Elias Papakyriakou is one of the many heroes Cyprus has given birth to.

A fighter for the freedom of the island, Elias Papakyriakou fought and died during the 1955-1959 struggle against the British colonists.

He died on September 2 1958 at one of the most heroic acts of the EOKA struggle.

Along with 3 more friends (Fotis Pittas,  Christos Samaras and Andreas Karyos) they were surrounded on a barn, in Liopetri village, by the British troops after a long period of manhunt. The four of them gave an epic and uneven battle until they were killed by the bullets of the British troops.

"I will live a free man or I will die fighting" is written on the monument!

The monument is found in the area of Egkomi in Nicosia near the Cyprus exhibition centre.

Muslim Temple at Souskiou village, Pafos

Muslim Temple at Souskiou

Souskiou has been mainly a Turkish-Cypriot village for many years.

One of the main reason the village is in this situation today is beacuse many of its residents left in 1974 after the Turkish invation.

The village is abandoned and the houses destroyed, but the Muslim temple which stands at the corner of the village is in a much better condition.

The entrance of the yard is destroyed and the doors are locked. It want be too long for the bulding to have the same fortune as the houses of Souskiou.

Images inside the Church of Saint Constantine, Souskiou village, Pafos

Images inside the Church of Saint Constantine

It was the second time we visited the Church of Saint Constantine just outside the village of Souskiou.

This time we spend some more time taking a closer look at the inside of the Church. The wall paintings, which are really beautiful, barely show some of the most important events of Christianity.

One of the wall paintings shows the "Last Supper" and another the resurrection of Lazaros.

Some others show images of Saints, but of course in the situation they are now we can not understand who they are. The only one we can be sure of is Saint Constantine with Saint Helen holding the Holy Cross!

At the side exit of the Church we saw a Cross on the ceiling.

It is indeed a beautiful Church and we do hope that it will be soon restored to preserve a part of our history!

Walking in the streets of Souskiou village, Pafos

Walking in the streets of Souskiou village

As we came closer to Souskiou village we realized that it must have been once a village with a lot of life and agricultural activity.

A number of water sources we came accross justifies just that. All of them were constructed in the 50's as the indication on them revealed.

There are many houses at Souskiou but all of them have fallen apart. No doors, no windows and no items left behind from the people who lived there once.

It is quite strange to walk in the streets of a village like Souskiou. The feeling you get is that the place probably deserved better than what it finally got.

Souskiou abandoned village, Pafos

Souskiou abandoned village

Souskiou is one of the many abandoned villages in the Pafos district. We passed many times near the village as we were going from Kouklia village towards Archimandrita.

This was the first time we decided to visit the village and see ourselves in what condition it was. As we approached the village from above (it is located in a valley) we saw that almost nothing was in a good condition.

The only thing that gave life to a dead place like this was a farm with goats at the entrance of the village. Apart from that a Church and a Muslim temple seemed to be in a fair condition.


Thus we decided to take a closer look and we approached Souskiou village carefully as the road was in a really bad condition!