Amazing view of Cyprus

Amazing view of Cyprus

You do not often get the chance to see a nice view of Cyprus from above when you are flying. Especially the occupied side of Cyprus that so many of us do not the chance to admire.

It so happened that during my last flight, on my way back, we passed over Rizokarpaso and Ammochostos. Never before I had the chance to see those beautiful territories of Cyprus from above!
The view was simply amazing and the emotions mixed. Non the less I took my camera and took a few pictures. Who knows when the next time will be that I will get such a view?

Images inside "Panayia Araka", Lagoudera village, Pitsilia area, Nicosia

Images inside "Panagia Araka"

A visit to the monastery of "Panagia Araka" is something unique for us. Fortunately we visit it a lot since we often go to the nearby village of Saranti.

"Panagia Araka" is one of the protected Churches by UNESCO in Cyprus, and declared a world heritage site. It was constructed at the 12th century and that makes it one of the earliest Churches in Cyprus.

Fortunately most of the beautiful wall paintings have not been destroyed and are in a very good condition. During the Ottoman reign in Cyprus most of these Churches have suffered destruction of their images specially in the faces of Saints.

One of the very rare things one can see at "Panagia Araka" is an image above a door of the Holy roof tile!

Very few icons can be found inside the Church, most are wall paintings and show representations of Saints and the life of Jesus like his resurrection  and baptism.

Walking in the streets of Agios Theodoros, Pitsilia area, Limassol

 Walking in the streets of Agios Theodoros

Walking in the streets of a beautiful village in Cyprus on a sunny day is all you need to appreciate the culture and history of Cyprus.

Every corner and every alley have their own stories to tell and this was no different at Agios Theodoros village at Pitsilia area.

Our afternoon walk around the village was more than pleasant and our friend Anna was more than happy to shows some of the highlights of the village and introduce us to some of the locals.

It is always a pleasure for us to see how slowly time passes in places like Agios Theodoros and how much the locals enjoy their day. It makes all our worries go away as we enter a new time frame!

A View of Nicosia near Askas village

A view of Nicosia

After a short visit at Agios Theodoros village at Pitsilia area we decided to go back to Nicosia on a different than our usual route.

This time we went by the villages of Askas and Fterikoudi which are located between Palaichori and Platanistasa.

After we left Askas we found nice spots with great view of Nicosia. So we stopped to admire the view and take some nice photos of Nicosia and the mountain of Pentadaktylos!

The Slaughter house of Kalopanayiotis, Marathasa valley, Nicosia

The Slaughter house of Kalopanayiotis

Walking around the narrow streets of Kalopanayiotis all we could find was houses and smiley faces of the people who live there.

We had just finished our walk in the forest and headed back to our car. Well preserved buildings and newly reconstructed streets were really making each corner look great.

One of the buildings we came across looked really interesting so we had to check it out. We found that it was the old slaughter house of the village!

A sign above its metal entrance indicated it was constructed in 1941. Surely it was yet another important point for the village for many years. Now it is closed and we couldn't get inside. All we could see from a window on the side was the main area where animals were slaughtered.

Perhaps it can be a place to be used as a museum now or other activities.

Monument of the "Woman fighter of Pitsilia", Agros village, Pitsilia area, Limassol

Monument of the "Woman fighter of Pitsilia" at Agros 

During our visit at the Church of Saint Kyriaki at Agros village we found out that the family of Alexandros Stephanis have also sponsored the construction of a monument.

The monument which shows a woman's figure, is dedicated to all the women of Pitsilia area, of the 1955-1959 generation, who contributed to the liberation struggle of the island.

The monument of The woman fighter of Pitsilia, stands tall just above the Church of Saint Kyriaki and it is easily accessible.

The Church of Saint Kyriaki, Agros village, Pitsilia area, Nicosia

 The Church of Saint Kyriaki at Agros village 

I cannot count the times that I have visited Agros. I have been doing so since I was born! I have many relatives leaving at Agros and it is a pleasure visiting them as often as I can.

One sunny Sunday we decided to visit my mother's uncle Alexandros at his house at Agros. He has retired there with his wife after a long time leaving and working in Nicosia.

Alexandros and his wife Aliki (along with their children) have constructed a nice small church outside Agros which we were visiting for the first time. The Church of Saint Kyriaki.

Kyriaki was the mother of Alexandros and my mother's father Vasos. The Church was constructed in 1993 and is dedicated to the memory of Aliki's father who was a priest (Papachristodoulos Avgousti). Papachristodoulos was living in Agros and was an important figure of the 1955-1959 struggle of EOKA.

The Church is located in a beautiful spot with a great view towards the mountains of Limassol. As we also learned many have used the Church for ceremonies like weddings and Christenings. The Church is usually locked but the key can be found at Alexandros house near by.

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Sulphur Springs at Kalopanayiotis, Marathasa Valley, Nicosia

Sulphur Springs at Kalopanayiotis 

After our visit at the Venetian bridge at Kalopanayiotis it was time for us to visit the famous "Sulphur Springs" or "Healing Springs" near the river.

The Sulphur Springs have been well known in the area for hundreds and probably thousands of years. Their healing power have made Kalopanayiotis a special place for many through the centuries.

As locals say, the sulphur water taken in small quantities can be very beneficiary for stomach problems. For women, the sulphur inside the water can be a great way to naturally preserve the skin in a great condition.

As we came close to the "Sulphur Springs" we found the source with an old indication from 1937. That was probably the year that they decided to separate that source so anyone would know which is the normal drinkable water and which contains the sulphur.

Of course we tested the sulphur waters in small quantities as we were instructed before we continued our expedition.

This is indeed a highlight of the village and something you do not find easily around the island, so we recommend a visit if you are in the area.

A Venetian bridge at Kalopanayiotis village, Marathasa Valley, Nicosia

A Venetian bridge at Kalopanayiotis

After we finished our expedition inside the forest of Kalopanayiotis we found ourselves very near to the Monastery of "Ioannis Lambadistis".

The Monastery was on our right side and on our left side the river of Kalopanayiotis. At that point we also saw the medieval bridge of the village.

The bridge at Kalopanayiotis dates back to the 16th century when the Venetians ruled Cyprus.

Like in many other places around the island, the bridges were constructed at the same period and facilitated the movement of goods to the ports. Of course they also facilitated the movement of people in each area.

At Kalopanayiotis though, the bridge has also a gate in front of it. This is not a common thing and probably shows its importance at the time!  

Walking inside the forest of Kalopanayiotis, Marathasa Valley, Nicosia

Walking inside the forest of Kalopanayiotis

After our visit at the watermill we decided to walk through the forest and admire the nice scenery.

The river of Kalopanayiotis had water running through despite the fact it hasn't rained in Cyprus for a long time. The water comes from a big underground source which provides water throughout the year!

We followed the natural trail and we crossed the river going deeper into the forest. The plantation is quite impressive as you can find a good variety of trees and flowers growing there.

At some points the trail gets very narrow and a bit slippery from the autumn leafs on the ground. Non the less it as an exciting root to take at this time of the year.

After about 15 minutes walk, the trail became a lot easier for us to pass and the scenery begun to change. Now we were surrounded by pine trees.                        

The sun reappeared and we were getting closer to the main road. At the finish point we were just a few meters away from the beautiful monastery of "Ioannis Lambadistis"!
                                                                                                  

Watermills of Kalopanayiotis, Marathasa valley, Nicosia

 Watermills of Kalopanayiotis 

It was a pleasure to visit Kalopanayiotis once more! A village with long history and tradition were you cannot stop admiring the things it has to offer.

Our first stop at our latest expedition was at one of the five watermills of Kalopanayiotis.

Located very near to the river, one can only go on foot to see the well restored watermill.

It is a fascinating construction, testament of the importance of the village as an economic and industrial centre at the area in the past.    

The watermill may not be in operation but its restorations give a clear picture to the visitors as to what were the tools and machinery used at the time to make flour!

The bridge of Apliki village, Nicosia

The bridge of Apliki village

During our expedition at Apliki village we came across the sign indicating the location of the Saint George's Church.

In order to get there we had to cross an old bridge located between the old Apliki settlement and the new settlement.

The bridge was new on top suitable for use, but underneath one could see the old structure dating decades back if not longer.

Being there on autumn season is perhaps the best time, since the trees and the rest of the plantation get a nice yellow and brown colour mixed with green.

Underneath the bridge some locals seemed to be gathering the fruits and herbs that nature offers!

The water source of old Apliki, Nicosia

 The water source of old Apliki

Somewhere in the middle of the old settlement of Apliki village we found the water source that was the core element of the village.

The water source was also in a bad condition since the village was abandoned but as we learned it was renovated a few years ago.

Amazingly, when we used the tub, water was coming out! It seems that the locals thought it would be a good idea to make sure the water is still be available.

The settlement of old Apliki, Nicosia

The settlement of old Apliki  

Exploring the old settlement of Apliki was very fascinating for us as we did not even know its existence.

The old settlement is located further inside the mountains from the new settlement. It mainly consists of destroyed houses dating back hundreds of years ago.

It was clear for us that the population had moved many decades ago to say the least. As many of the abandoned villages we came across in Cyprus, Apliki was built near a river. Water was the most important component for a settlement for thousands of years now.

As we later learned the settlement was probably destroyed by an earthquake. Access from the main road is easy but the plantation does not leave much room to move around.

It is a positive thing though to see that the people who live at Apliki have renovated the old Church. Perhaps a few more renovations will make this place more easy to access and attract visitors to see it.

The Church of Saint George at old Apliki - A safe house for a hero, Nicosia

The Church of Saint George at old Apliki - A safe house for a hero! 

After we found the route for the old settlement of Apliki village, we headed through the mountains not knowing exactly what we would come across.

A while later we saw a sign indicating the location of Saint George's Church.
Once we reached the Church we saw that it was recently reconstructed and that the locals have taken good care of the surrounding area too.

We found something else though we didn't know about. On March 25th 1956, Grigoris Afxentiou, the second in command of EOKA, found refuge at the Church with his team. The British military were searching for him at the near by village of Palaichori and Afxentiou with his team managed to escape at Saint George's Church!

Fortunately for us the Church was open and we visited the interior also. Usually though it is closed as we found out and someone must look for the key at the village.

A view of Apliki village, Nicosia

A view of Apliki village

We passed many times near Apliki village but never stopped. If you are heading towards Palaichori or Agros you just can't miss it.

The first thing that creates a positive impression about this small village, are the many flowers that create a beautiful scenery as you enter from the main road.

Despite being small in size, we found out that Apliki has been an important element of the area in general, due to its source of copper hundreds of years ago.

Its small distance from Nicosia seems to be an important factor for people to remain in the village and not abandon it.