Abandoned Villages - Foinikas
Published 29th of March, 2017
Looking Back To The Dam
The view back to the dam was similarly beautiful.
Foinikas in Spring
It should be pointed out before we go any further, that Springtime is a good time to see Cyprus snakes. So do bear this in mind before you are tempted to go skipping barefoot through the meadows. Also bear in mind that a lot of Cyprus vegetation is VERY painful if trodden on, so wear decent walking boots and stick to the paths.
British Built Water Supply
We see these in most abandoned villages. It was also recently pointed out in the comments section on the forum, that virtually all of these villages will have been without electricity and running water. So while Foinikas is set in idyllic scenery, there will have been a price to pay for such beauty.
A Typical Outdoor Oven
Now, lets get on with a bit of history. Foinikas was a Turkish Cypriot Village, which was emptied in 1974. There was an attempt to repatriate it with Greek Cypriots displaced from the North, but that came to nothing. The village was eventually abandoned. The final nail in the coffin came when the valley was dammed. When the reservoir is full, part of Foinikas is underwater.
Beautiful
There is a map at the end of this article, and I have posted a population table on it too. The table comes courtesy of the PRIO website.
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Foinikas Views
We just can't keep away from Foinikas. Somebody posted some pics of the abandoned village on our Paphos Chat facebook group, and people were asking how to get there. We bumped an old blog showing the route, but decided that a film was also needed. While we were out shooting it, we decided to take some more shots, but this time we went for some outstanding views...
Foinikas by the Lake
The abandoned village of Foinikas lies on the banks of the Asprokremmos Reservoir. Now that the waters are lapping at the village boundaries, we thought we would pay it another visit, to see how it looks now.
Foinikas Is Cut Off!
While Paphos waits for the Asprokremmos Dam to overflow, we thought we might as well photograph the rest of the reservoir, which is to all intents and purposes, now full. So we set off to Foinikas looking for some beautiful landscape nature shots. We didn't get very far though...
Who is Vandalising Foinikas?
The Asprokremmos is filling up fast, so we decided to see if we could still drive to Foinikas, the abandoned historical village which lies on its banks. We succeeded, and took some lovely photographs, but also had a nasty surprise...
Chrysochou
Chrysochou lies nestled between Goudi and Polis, on the North West Coast of Cyprus. From the B7, where you will most likely have seen it, it is notable for the well preserved mosque that dominates its skyline. But Chrysochou has other points of interest, and a few surprises should your curiosity entice you to explore, including a fully restored water mill!
Foinikas Heights
We love Foinikas, the abandoned village on the banks of the Asprokremmos Reservoir. We've already blogged about it twice though, so we thought we would take a look at some of the surrounding countryside, and see what else the valley has to offer. Hopefully we will show you that you can find stunning, remote scenery only a stones-throw from Paphos. You don't need to travel all the way to the Akamas or Troodos to lose yourself in rugged beauty...
Foinikas Revisited
When we first blogged about Foinikas it was springtime, and the abandoned village was bathed in a sea of yellow. It was always an essential destination on our holidays, but we had never been in Spring, so it came as a pleasant surprise. However, it made it difficult to explore, as you never know what you might tread on when you have to wade through thigh-high flowers. As frequently happens with our blogs, people posted more information about the site in the comments. So we decided to pay another visit a few days ago, and explore it in more depth...
Should We Be Worried About Our Water?
Over the last few years, the water level in the Asprokremmos has gotten lower and lower. Should we be alarmed? Has it been this low before?
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We first stumbled upon Melandra last Autumn. We were trying to find an interesting route from Pano Panagia to Polis, and having visited a number of isolated villages, decided to venture off-road. The countryside at the time was very brown and arid. So when we revisited the village this May, we hardly recognised the place.
Abandoned Villages - Souskiou
It's time to return once more to the Diarizos Valley, which lies on the border of Paphos and Limassol. Before Easter we had been exploring the abandoned villages and sleepy hamlets, and I want to show some more of the pictures we took, before the approaching summer heat makes them unrecognisable. So on this blog we shall visit Souskiou. Easy to miss as you drive up the valley, it is nevertheless one of the largest abandoned villages you will likely meet on your travels in Cyprus.Related Pages
Video ClipDriving Off Road Through Foinikas
A quick clip of a drive through the abandoned village of Foinikas near Paphos, in the spring of 2018. The area is about to become a sea of yellow.
Video ClipDon't Go This Way!
This is a short clip attempting a track that I used last year but that had been eroded in the winter rain.
360 PanoramaFoinikas Views
360 PanoramaFoinikas Heights
A visit to Foinikas isn't complete if you just visit the abandoned village. Spend some time to explore the surrounding countryside. You will NOT be disappointed!
360 PanoramaFoinikas in Summer 2018
Foinikas is an ancient village which now lies abandoned, on the banks of the Asprokremmos Reservoir. In springtime it is a sea of green and yellow. In the summer, it is a lot more barren, though much easier to explore!
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
