Aphrodite's Birth Place,"Petra tou Romiou", Pafos

Aphrodite's Birth Place

Cyprus has the "nickaname" the "Island of Love" for hundreds of years now.

This is due to the Greek mythology which says that Aphrodite was born here.

The myth says that after Zeus killed his father Kronos for the leadership of Olympus, the blood of Kronos was spilled in the shores of Cyprus and Pafos in specific.

 From the sea of Pafos Aphrodite was born! The most beautiful goddess of all!

Sunset at "Petra tou Romiou", Pafos

Sunset at "Petra tou Romiou" 

Sometimes you just get lucky by being in the right place the right time!

This is how we felt when we had to divert from the highway when driving towards Pafos, and use the old road.

We passed by the famous site of "Petra tou Romiou", the place Aphrodite was born, just when the sun was about to set.

And what a beautiful sunset it was! The scenery was just perfect. The sea had a deep blue colour and was very calm. The big orange sun gave nice vivid colours to the cloudy sky. A few moments of peace, quite and magic!

The 6th Issue of our E-Magazine!!

Click to view Secret Cyprus Travel Issue 6 on GLOSSI.COM

A visit at the Salt Lake "Aliki", Larnaca

A visit at the Salt Lake "Aliki" at Larnaca

The Salt Lake of "Aliki" in Larnaca city is the most known in Cyprus although it is not the biggest one.

This is due to a number of reasons that make people visit it throughout the year.

"Aliki" is a protected area under the "Natura 2000", declared a Ramsar site , a special protected area under the Barcelona Convention, and an important Bird area due to the Flamingos that fly every year to Cyprus.

Furthermore the temple of Hala Sultan Tekke , one of the important shrines within Ottoman Islam.

Its location near the Larnaca International Airport makes it visible to anyone that visits Cyprus. The best period though to visit the Salt Lake is when the Flamingos come and give a magnificent spectacle to the area!

Will sure visit "Aliki" at Larnaca as soon as the Flamingos arrive!

Winter in Saranti village, Pitsilia area, Nicosia

Winter in Saranti village

We love the beautiful village of Saranti both in Summer and Winter season.

In winter time there is always something special in the mountains of Cyprus. You can feel so much warmth, despite the cold, and perhaps that is because of the tradition and the nostalgic moments people feel going back to their roots.

In this video we took, we show a small part of the village's centre and the river flowing, full of water.

It gets very cold in Saranti but we enjoy it every time we go there, especially when we are with good friends!

The Holy body of Saint Neofytos Egklistos, Pafos

 The Holy body of Saint Neofytos Egklistos

During our visit at the Monastery of Saint Neofytos Egklistos we had the chance, even for a little while, to watch the ceremony of the day.

After the ceremony we had a few moments to see the inside of the Church.

We were fascinated when we saw the Holy body of Saint Neofytos which was placed in front of his icon inside a silver coffin.

The story of Saint Neofytos is a very fascinating one as he did not only created the monastery and helped spread Christianity but he also published 16! books about spiritual life which made him the most important author of the medieval ages in Cyprus.

The Holy body of Saint Neofytos has been kept intact for almost 800 years and people from around the world gather to the monastery to pray and ask for help.

We definitely recommend a visit to the monastery for many reasons but this is something truly unique!

The Monastery of Saint Neofytos Egklistos near Tala village, Pafos

 The Monastery of Saint Neofytos Egklistos

The Monastery of Saint Neofytos Egklistos in Pafos is one of the most well known monasteries in Cyprus. Saint Neofytos is one of the most important Saints of Cyprus as he was born in Lefkara village in Larnaca at 1134 A.C.

Despite the fact we had only half an hour to spare on our latest visit in Pafos, the monastery was very close to the place we were going so we thought to pay a visit.

It's been many years since we've last been there which was usually at Easter time with my family.

We entered the premises of the monastery and left our car at the parking area. We walked up the stairs and saw on the one side the old monastery of Saint Neofytos (crafted on the rocks of the mountain) and on the other side the Church and the accommodation facilities.


Apart from the accommodation facilities, halls and of course the Church we also noticed the area of the museum which holds the old and important documents and items of the monastery.

 As we approached the Church even further we noticed a monument and a grave outside the main entrance. It belongs to one of the most profound Leaders of the monastery, Iakovos Michaelides Myrianthefs, who was the head of the monastery between 1898-1933.

We then entered the Church and watched the ceremony which was near its end. We finished just in time to make it back to our original schedule but we will surely return soon to find more about the monastery and its history.

Saint Andronikos and Saint Athanasia Church, Kalopanayiotis village, Marathasa valley, Nicosia

Saint Andronikos and Saint Athanasia Church at Kalopanayiotis

At the narrow streets of Kalopanayiotis just opposite the old slaughter house we found one of the important and old Churches of Kalopanayiotis.

The Church dedicated to Saint Andronikos and Saint Athanasia. At the moment the Church is under the protection of Cyprus Antiquities Authorities.

One of the most fascinating things about the Church is the icon of the two Saints which was stolen in 1936 but was recovered after it was tracked in New York 70 years later!

Unfortunately during our visit the Church was closed and we didn't have the time to ask someone to let us in. We will though return another time to learn more about this Church and its stories.

Archaeological site near Souni-Zanakia, Limassol

Archaeological site near Souni-Zanakia

It was time for us to return home after a long weekend in Pafos.

Using the high usually holds little to no surprises for anyone. Yet after we passed the tunnel we took the exit to Souni-Zanakia village.

We had no reason to take that exit to be honest, we just did because we missed the previous exit that would lead us to Kourion.

After a while we decided to visit Souni-Zanakia anyhow and see what that place had to offer. We followed some small signs indicating that an archaeological site existed just outside the village.

A few minutes later we found ourselves at the top of a peak with a small archaeological site in front of us. Unfortunately there were no signs to tell the story of the ruins and their importance.

We can only speculate that either a temple or a small community was established there thousands of years ago!

The position of the site was excellent as it was facing the sea of Limassol and the view was simply amazing that afternoon with the sun giving a beautiful orange colour on the valley behind us.

We left the place with a sense of satisfaction that we discovered something we did not expect. The trip back home with the new Skoda Rapid was as exciting as the day we had. Our driving partner gave as the most relaxing and comfortable experience!

Removing Curses at Saint Kyprianos Church, Menico village, Nicosia

Removing Curses at Saint Kyprianos Church at Menico village 

It was the first time we were visiting Menico village which is located just outside Nicosia towards Troodos mountains.

One thing that Menico is famous for is the Church of Saint Kyprianos. Kyprianos is one of the most common names in Cyprus which also states the importance of the Saint in our island.

Saint Kyprianos is known for removing curses and relieving people from bad spirits. For that reason many people visit the Church of Saint Kyprianos in Menico.

The local priest will perform a small ceremony were he will read a prayer for you and your family to relieve you from bad spirits. After the short ceremony he will give you a small piece of cotton with oil to take with you.

We were not only impressed by the number of people who visit the Church but also by the big percentage of foreigners who know about the Church and go there.

Lucky for us we were just in time that Sunday because the priest stays there until 18:00.

Our experience was unique and we recommend that you visit Saint Kyprianos regardless if you feel depresses or cursed!

Images from the Monastery of "Ioannis Lambadistis", Kalopanayiotis village, Marathasa valley, Nicosia

Images from the Monastery of "Ioannis Lambadistis" at Kalopanayiotis 

It was a long day for us exploring Kalopanayiotis village, but it was exciting as always!

A visit at the monastery of  "Ioannis Lambadistis" is always something we look forward too. This time we had the chance to take some nice pictures outside the monastery.

The priest that lives in the monastery was more than happy to talk to us and explain a few things about the developments around the monastery but also about religious issues.

He was also more than happy to let us take his picture with the promise that we will take him a copy next time we are there!

If you happen to be visiting the monastery we recommend you ask him to tell you the story of the buildings and the Saints that made their name synonymous with Kalopanayiotis.

A view of Morfou Bay

 A view of Morfou Bay

Travelling the route from "Stavros Ayiasmati" Church, towards the road of Xyliatos dam there are various spots where someone can admire a nice view.

In some areas the view is towards Nicosia but as you get further into the forest the scenery changes and the view you get is of the beautiful Morfou bay!

Morfou has been occupied since 1974 and it is one of the most beautiful bays of Cyprus! It was also the favourite spot of many Nicosia residents for swimming at the time.

The view form the route of "Stavros Ayiasmati" - Xyliatos dam, is one of the many you can find but it is one of the most beautiful ones we have seen.