Mountain villages

Mountain villages

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Our tour of ethnic Cyprus will begin in the village of Lofou, located at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level. Lofou was founded in the 7th century by coastal inhabitants seeking shelter from frequent raids by bandits and pirates in the mountains. Today, Lofou is one of the most vibrant open-air museums on the island, allowing visitors to understand how Cypriots lived and what they lived on several centuries ago.

 

Next on our itinerary is the village of Lania, located on a small plateau with magnificent views. Local residents honor the history of their ancestors, and it is not uncommon to see municipal stands with photographs of rural life from a century ago. Lania is also famous as the village of artists. Local residents have been decorating the facades of houses and everyday objects, such as dishes and wine jugs, since ancient times.

 

From Lania, our journey takes us to Kakopetria, a village located on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains. Kakopetria is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful villages in Cyprus. Here, you can stroll along narrow stone streets that have hardly changed since the Middle Ages, visit the Byzantine stone church of Transfiguration, and indulge in fresh trout at a restaurant in an old watermill.

 

We will then head to the fertile Marathasa Valley, formed by the Setrachos River, where the village of Kalopanayiotis is located. The settlement was formed in the 11th century around the active and still existing Monastery of St. John Lampadist, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. We will walk along ancient bridges, admiring neat houses and courtyards, and visit the picturesque Venetian bridge from the 15th century.

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