Κατά τη διάρκεια της πορείας ενός ταξιδιού, προσπερνούμε μικρά και φαινομενικά ασήμαντα κτίσματα ή και μνημεία ακόμα, απλά και μόνο γιατί δεν ξέρουμε τη σημασία ή ακόμα και την ιστορία τους και ακόμα πιο πολύ γιατί δεν ξέρουμε πόσο σημαντικά ήταν για τους ανθρώπους, όταν αυτά ήταν σε χρήση. Ένα τ...

East of the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis (the Illuminator), in the village of Marathasa, Kalopanagiotis, the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary is built on the slope of the bed of a tributary of Setrachos.

It is built in the 12th century simultaneously with the Monastery of Agi...

Kalopanayiotis village is found on the shores of Setrachos river on an altitude of about 700 metres. The houses that make up the settlement, “rise” onto the western side, with an intense slope on the valley of Marathasa, in the depth of which the river flows.

The village does not have a l...

The Cedar Valley can be found on the route from the Monastery of Kykkos to Stavros tis Psokas. It covers areas of the southern slope of Tripylos and part of the north. The location as it has been described as the "Cedar Valley" is located on the southern slope, in the Paphos Forest. Administrativ...

Cyprus is a small island somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Ever since we have evidence, it was twice abandoned by all its inhabitants, because the heavens were not giving rains. Forests prevent people from discovering the "hidden" sources gushing from the bowels of the mountain, creatin...

The picnic area “Marathos” is found on a slope of Troodos at an altitude of 1300 metres. It was created by the Department of Forests of Cyprus and it has been equipped with all the facilities a Cypriot or foreign visitor would wish for.

On the middle of a steep slope, the Department of Fo...

The Location “Petrokefala” is found 8 kilometres before the village of Kampos tis Tsakkistras at an altitude of 702 metres. You will find it when travelling from the area of Orkonta to Pyrgos and Kampos.

Apart from the amazing view that it offers towards the gulf of Morfou and our occupie...

The picnic area of Xerargaka has a capacity of 650 people. It spreads on a narrow strip of land, whose width does not exceed 40 metres and it is part of the bed of a small stream that is formed by the natural sources gushing out along its length.

It is an organised picnic area and the vis...

Oikos Marathasas is a very small mountain village, with about 200 residents. It is found built on the east slope of the ravine that holds the waters of the river Setrachos, going to the dam of Kalopanagiotis.

The village “climbs” on the steep slope of the mountain, and it gives the visito...

The Location Vouppos is the east shore of the river Xeros in Morfou. On the peak of the hill, it dominates the gulf and the field that spreads from the feet of the hills, until the sea of the occupied City. The dam of Kafizis and the areas of green due to the water, combine perfectly with the blu...

The Holy Church of Timiou Stavrou tou Agiasmati, is found five kilometres northwest of the village of Platanistasa, on the geographical periphery of Pitsilia. It is the Katholikon (major church building) of the Monastery carrying the same name, that existed in the area from the 15th century.

At the river of Elia, that has its sources high on the slopes of the Madari mountain, there are two Venetian bridges. The Medieval bridge of Agios Epiphanios that is found a little before the village of Lagoudera, and the Medieval bridge of Xyliatos. The two Venetian bridges were the only passage...

The path of Panagia tou Araka - Stavros tou Agiasmati, has its starting point at the Medieval Monastery of Panagia tou Araka, from the point where the giant oak is found, and it has its end at 8 kilometres east, where another Medieval Monastery, Stavros tou Agiasmati is found.

It is a ver...

From the very ancient years, the people that lived on the slopes of the mountain of Madari, used a path that followed the journey of the river Elias to reach the lowland villages. They always gave names to locations to be able to delimit their itinerary.

At some point, a few hundred metre...

The Holy Monastery of Panagia tou Araka is found on the northwest side of the village of Lagoudera, on a road that takes you to the nearby village, Saranti. It is a construction of the 12th century and it belongs to the single aisled Churches with a dome.

The Church is covered with a gabl...

The village of Lagoudera is found on the outskirts of the mountain peak of Madari, in the area of Pitsilia, and on the west shore of the river Elia. The journey to the village that begins after the water dam of Xyliatos, will take you through the pine tree forest that covers the deep ravine creat...

Upon travelling from Kykkos Monastery towards the picnic area of “Stavros tis Psokas”, the excursionist will cover a distance of 26 kilometres through the forest of Troodos and then through the forest of Paphos. The journey is destined for… strong travellers. Even though the road is linear, apart...

The journey Kykkos Monastery - Stavros tis Psokas, can be easily characterised as one of the best that the mountain area of Cyprus may offer us. Emotions succeed one another and each road’s turn has a good surprise.

The sinuous road, seems to be hanging from nowhere, since it passes above...

The Holy Monastery of Panagia tou Kykkou is found on one of the highest mountain peaks of the mountains of Kykkos, in the forest of Troodos. It is a male monastery that was founded after a series of miracles that concerned Byzantine masters of Cyprus, as well as the Emperor Alexios Komninos himse...

On the mountain of Koroni, next to the abandoned Turkish Cypriot village “Agioi Iliofotoi”, a chapel is found built dedicated to five brothers who became Saints due to their monk life. Agioi Iliofotoi were among 300 Alamano monks that arrived in Cyprus, after being persecuted by the Orthodox mona...

Upon your excursion to Mitsero, apart from the old metal mines, the Kokkinolimni (red lake) and the two small dams, you will have the opportunity to see the small chapel dedicated to a relatively “unknown” Saint. Agios Marios.

The small chapel is found built between a small torrent and th...

In the village of Nicosia, Mitsero, there is a small chapel dedicated to Panagia Lampadiotissa. It is a single aisled basilica and it has a tiled roof. It was built by residents of the village, after a certain vision. It is said that as he was asleep, a man had a vision that someone pushed him to...

The Holy Church of Agios Kyriakos Anachoritis is built in Kampos tis Tsakkistras is a 1881 construction and it was built after another, smaller one that was there from the Frank Empire dedicated to Agios Kyriakos, was demolished.

It is a gabled Basilica church, built opposite the monument...

One of the two dams that are found in the village of Lythrodontas, is accessible on the road going towards the Monastery of Profitis Ilias, south of the village and it is called “Pano Fragma” (Upper Dam).

It is a construction of 1952 and it works with gravity. Its dyke has a height of ten...

There is a small picnic area next to the monastery of Prophet Ilias in Lythrodonta. It provides its visitors with the most necessary things for a comfortable stay of a few hours, for rest and for food preparation.

A rotisserie gives the excursionists the opportunity to prepare their food ...

The abandoned and ruined monastery of Profitis Ilias is found seven kilometres south of the village of Lythrodonta, that belongs to the district of Nicosia. It is built on the peak of a hill that is part of the Kionia mountains, in the forest of Machairas.

The Church of the monastery is i...

On the north of Nisou, the catacomb of Agios Eftichios or Agios Epafras is found. No one knows if they are two different people or if the two names belong to the same Saint.

The catacomb was a hellenistic tomb which later on, during the first years of Christianity the Bishop of Akanthou E...

On the west side of the village of Sia, on the road going from Sia to Mathiatis, humans dug into the ground to find copper and pyrite for many years. The small trains went downhill into the galleries, they were filled with soil and went up to the earth’s surface with difficulty to transfer their ...

The river Xeros Morfou has its sources at the north mountain peaks of the mountains of Kykkos and mostly at the northeast forest areas of the villages of Kampos and Tsakkistra. It has its mouth between the occupied villages Xeros and Karavostasi, that are found on the gulf of Morfou.

Vrysi tou Klamenou is found just a kilometre away from the picnic area of the Holy Monastery of Kykkos and two kilometres before the Monastery itself, as you are heading from the village of Gerakies to the Monastery, in the location of “Aspro Xilo”.

The water gushed out free from the moun...

Kampos tis Tsakkistras is built on a smooth slope of the Kykkos mountains, that compared to others, looks like a field. A few hundreds of metres south, you will find the village of Tsakkistra. Since there are no areas of land able to be used for cultivation, its residents “descended” to the field...

At the picnic area of “Kionia” a very interesting path of observation of Cypriot nature is found. It is called the path of “Kionia - Profitis Ilias”, it has a length of about seven kilometres and it ends up at Profitis Ilias in Lythrodonta. It is a very difficult journey and this is why the Depar...

At a distance of a kilometre from the picnic area of “Kionia”, and 100 before the peak of “Kakokefalos”, at an altitude of 1235 metres, you will find the beginning of the path of observation of nature “Kakokefalos - Mantra tou Kampiou”.

The path has a length of 5,5 kilometres and it has a...

On the highest mountain peak of the forest of Machairas, at Kionia, you will find the picninc area “Kionia”. It has a capacity to host 550 people and it occupies the slopes on the east and west sides of the road.

It is an organised place with cooking equipment for food preparation. The ta...

The overflow of a dam in Cyprus is a very important moment. Its importance is not only extracted from the amount of water collected by the dam. The Water Development Department of Cyprus made sure that at most of the dams, if not all, that were created from 1960 until today, the overflow is combi...

The Diplopotamos area in Kalo Chorio of the mountainous part of Klirou, is one of the most beautiful valleys in Cyprus, and this is why it is included in the Natura 2000 programme.

From the bridge of the river Maroullena, a narrow path that takes you deep into the gorge, just 20 metres fr...

Cyprus is an island that often suffers from droughts. In its history there are periods of time where all of its citizens have abandoned it due to droughts that lasted for years, but not due to insufficiency of water. Cyprus has and always had a lot of water. Hundreds of natural taps exist all ove...

The Holy Cathedral of Agios Nicolaos at the village of Episkopeio in Nicosia, belongs to the Holy Metropolis of Tamasos. It is a newly erected Church and its inauguration ceremonies will take place from the 18/02 until the 22/02/2015. During these days, a part of the relics of the Saint will be t...

In the village of Mathiatis, in Nicosia, inside the pinewoods found southeast of the village, there is a small chapel dedicated to Agia Irini Chrysovalantou.

The small but very beautiful chapel, is an offering realised by the residents of the neighbouring village of Mathiatis, called Agia...

After the winning result of the Greek Revolution, Turkey fell into a severe economic crisis. Upon trying to find a way to get rid of it, they were obliged to sell Cyprus to England. For Turkey, Cyprus was not a beneficial colony.

The greek citizens of the island, as well as a part of the ...

The government chose to build a small dam and to create a small, oblong, magnificent lake, in a truly wild and virgin landscape formed by the Gialias river. It was enriched with fish, among which hundreds of goldfish give life to the small lake, as they move in shoals. On the shores of the lakes,...

The riverbed of Gialias is not offered morphologically for big dams. Thus, from the area  north of the Lythrodontas village until the bridge of the intercity motorway from Nicosia to Limassol, in Nisou, there are six small dams. One of these is between the village of Kotsiatis and Nisou. It ...

There is a small but impressive lake at the Ergates village in the district of Nicosia. It has a circular shape and in the middle there is a “small island” with a few trees on it.

It is found east of the village, on the road that leads you to the Psimolofou village. The river Pedieos that...

At the Orkontas station that is found on the shores of the river Setrachos, in the valley of Marathasa, there is a natural source of potable water. The residents of the settlement, transform it to a stone built tap.

For many years, back when the visitors still stopped at the restaurants o...

From the medieval years, there was a road that crossed the Marathassa valley, that followed the same route with the current one. The medieval bridge of Orkonta that joins the shores of the Setrachos river is a witness of the ancient road.

It is found a few metres from the Orkontas station...

The water dam of Kalopanagiotis is found a few hundreds of metres after the station of Orkontas. It is built on way of the river Setrachos and can store 363 thousand cubic metres of water. The height of the dam reaches 49 metres and it creates a deep and impressive lake.

From the dam (tha...

A few hundreds of metres before the dam of Kalopanagiotis, the small settlement of the above village, Orkontas is found. The settlement has very few houses; they do not exceed the number of ten. The houses are built along the east coastline of the Setrachos river.

On the opposite shore, y...

One of the most beautiful valleys of Cyprus is the valley of Marathasa, which owes its existence, its creation and its formation to the Setrachos river.

The Setrachos river has its sources in the north slopes of Troodos and does not only rely on rain since it has dozens of natural sources...

On our way from Nicosia to Palaichori, 100 metres from the right exit towards Agrokipia and Mitsero, you will meet the dam of Akaki-Malounta.  It is built on the river Akaki and has a storage capacity of 2 million cubic metres of water. The percentage is very small compared to the total capa...

The river of Akaki along with the one of Peristerona, completes two parts of the big Serrachis river that runs through the west Nicosia and flows into the gulf of Morfou.

It has its sources in the north slopes of the Troodos mountains, from the area of the Palaichori village and the west ...

The river Serrachis is the third biggest river in Cyprus. It has a length of 55 kilometres, from its sources, until its estuary at the sea of Morphou, and it enriches the aquifers of many villages of Nicosia and a part of Morphou.

Serrachis is a worldwide phenomenon as far as it concerns ...

The river Pedieos is the biggest river in Cyprus. Its sources are found on the mountain range of Troodos, in the National Forest park of Machairas and on the northwest slope of the Kionia mountain peak.

After rain fills its bed, the water ends up initially in the Tamassos dam, after it pa...

Nine kilometres from the Vyzakia village, on the direction to the village of Kannavia, on your left you will find the exit that takes you to the Kapoura picnic area. This picnic area is found on the southeast shore of a tributary of the Elia river and it is integrated in the Kapoura forest statio...

The picnic area of Asinou is found a few hundreds of metres before the Byzantine church of Panagia Asinou (Our Lady of Asinou).

It is a small picnic area with a capacity of about 150 people. It includes a small park for children and some games, as well as spaces appropriately equipped for...

The path of observation of nature of Asinou - Agios Theodoros Soleas, was created by the Department of Forests of Cyprus and on a difficulty scale it is placed on two with a maximal score of three.

It begins at the church of Asinou and after it covers a distance of 5,6 kilometres it ends ...

During the Byzantine period, a sanctuary was found a little bit out of the village of Nikitari by people from a Peloponnesian area called Asini. The area they chose to build their settlement was found between among a narrow valley that was covered by pine forests. The valley was penetrated by a s...

The Holy Church of Agia Aikaterini in Vyzakia, is built in the old central part of the village. It was constructed mostly out of stones from the closeby river called Elia, and this is why it is very different from other Churches.

It was built in about 1885 and some parts were added later ...

Vyzakia is a village in the district of Nicosia and is at a distance of 40 kilometres from the capital. You will find it at 10 kilometres from the village of Astromeritis and 4 kilometres before the medieval church of Panagia Forviotissa or how it is better known “Panagia Asinou”.

The old...

The Spilia village is found when travelling from Nicosia to Troodos. After the picturesque Kakopetria, you should follow the relative sign that takes you to the left, and in a distance of about 3 kilometres you will see the village in the “hug” of the mountain peaks.

It is a village that ...

The river of Gialia or Idalia is the second biggest river in Cyprus, after Pedieos and the distance that it covers from its sources until the gulf of Ammochostos where it flows into the sea, exceeds 88 kilometres.

The river waters start their journey from the southeast slopes of the “Kion...

Five million years ago, Nicosia emerged from the seabed between the Troodos and Pentadaktylos mountains, thus joining them creating the Mesaoria plain.

It was the first area to be settled by humans in Cyprus. Being far from the shores, they were not threatened by the raiders that visited ...

From the point of entry in the picnic area of “Mantra tou Kampiou” in the National Forest Park of Machairas, coming from Kapedes, the path of observation of nature called “Monopati Mantra tou Kampiou - Throumpiari” begins.

The path leads you into the forest of Machairas and after a kilome...

The “Mantra tou Kampiou” picnic area, that is found on the limits of the National Forest park of Machairas, is another proof that the Department of Forests of Cyprus, is an active and creative organism.

Five kilometres from the Kapedes village, on the road going to the Panagia tou Machair...

The perimetrical path of observation of nature of the Xyliatou dam starts from the picnic area that is found at the foot of the dam, and after it covers a distance of 3.8 kilometres, it ends up back in the picnic area.

The path demands appropriate preparation from the walker since it is g...

One of the most full picnic areas is found in the shadow of the dam in the Xyliatos village and it is called the “Xyliatos dam picnic site”.

It integrated the programme “nature 2000” and it occupies an area of land of about 7 hectares. It is an area that is covered by Alnus orientalis, Pi...

The Xyliatou water dam is found built on the Elia river and has a volume capacity of 1.430.000 cubic metres of water. It is a rockfill dam that overflows every year, creating beautiful images with its waterfalls.

The dam’s area is one of the best biotopes due to its snake called Natrix Na...

In the Mathiatis village, that belongs to the Nicosia district, you will find the church of Agia Paraskevi.  You will find it on your left as you are travelling from Agia Varvara towards Mathiatis and it is the first construction that you will find before entering the village.

It is ...

The Cypriot Department of Forests, has made the best out of the areas of the National Forest Park of Athalassa, and has created another very useful training centre, that aims to meet the Cypriots and foreigners with the plant life as well as the wildlife of Cyprus. They thus created the “Environm...

Within the “Linear Park” that falls in the Strovolos Municipality periphery, there is a small sports centre that is available for children above the age of 15 and to adults.

The place is called “the place of good physical condition” and it is found after the parking place we see on enteri...

The Holy church of High Sophia incarnate Word of God, or otherwise “Agia Sofia” was accomplished and opened in 2008. It was built based on the Agia Sofia church in Constantinople, and it has many characteristics in common with the greatest holy church of Christianity.

It is found on the i...

The monastery of Agios Prokopios, that is dependent of the Holy Monastery of Kykkos, is found built in Engomi, in the Nicosia district, only a few metres away from the Russian and the USA embassies.

The monastery has a long history that dates back in the Othoman period.  Back in the ...

In the “heart” of the wider part of Nicosia, the “Theoktistos” (built by God) garden belonging to the monastery of Agios Prokopios or as it is better known “Metochi Kykkou” is found. The garden is part of the surrounding space of the Monastery that was initially a large olive grove.

In 18...

On the journey from Kornos to Lefkara, after the Delikipos community park, you find the Gabion dam just after the Diplogefiro, that joined the shores of the Mylos river. On continuing this journey in a distance of 800 metres there is another old bridge on the Mylos tributary.

It is a brid...

The enriching dam of Gaibon was built on the Mylos river, in Delikipos a few metres before the Diplogefiro, on the road going from Kornos towards Lefkara.  It s a small dam, that offers magnificent images to the visitor during winter time.

The not so old years, the Mylos river fled i...

The old bridge that united the two shores of the Milos river was the Diplogefiro. It was named as such, since it consists of two great arches resulting to give the impression that it is a double bridge.

It is found 500 metres after the Delikipos community park, on the way to Lefkara. It i...

On your way from Kornos to Lefkara, in a distance of 3 kilometres, you will find the Community Park of Delikipos.  It is a small park, that is really ‘drowning’ in green.  The very high cypresses offer their shade and their perfume to you.

In the park you will find a play place,...

A few metres before the Lympia waterdam, on the base of a small hill, in a wild olive tree, you can see the small cave.

In it there are different icons of Saints From the icons’ pattern we came to the conclusion that the cave-chapel is dedicated to its creator, Agios Raphael.

We a...

The Lympia waterdam is built on the Tremithos river, and it is found if we are travelling from Alampra towards the Mosfiloti village, through the old road of Nicosia to Limassol.

It is at a distance of 22 kilometres from Nicosia. It is a small dam and it is the third in a row that has bee...

Aglantzia is the most privileged area in the whole of Nicosia, and this is because it is build from the medieval ages, on a hill that dominates the whole valley.

The Franc occupiers, chose this specific hill and built the settlement, that functioned as an observatory.  But its story ...

During the middle ages, and in the beginning of the 15th century, settlers of the byzantine settlement of Aglantzia, dug into a rock and created a church.  They dedicated it to Panagia Theotokos Glykofilousa.

A lot later, in the beginnings of the 20th century, some believer from the ...