Abandoned Villages - Melandra
Published 6th of June, 2017
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.
Spring Has Sprung!
Yes, that's right. Melandra is now yellow and green. Though by the time you are reading this, it is probably green and purple, or green and brown. I should point out from the start that an easier route to Melandra can be found if you come from the Lysos direction. But we were in our Pajero, so we went the fun way! To view a map of the area look in our directory.
The Ubiquitous Water Feature
An abandoned village wouldn't be an abandoned village without it's circa WW2 water outlet, courtesy of HM.
Some Ruins
The first proper ruins soon presented themselves to us.
An Interesting Sign
Now this sign is quite interesting. However, it is at odds to information I found on the PRIO Database, which makes no mention of Greek inhabitants. I have no idea who put the sign up, but there are a number of them throughout the area.
Ornate Window
This window must have looked lovely at one point.
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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.
