Abandoned Villages - Prastio
The Diarizos Valley really is the gift that keeps on giving. This is the fourth abandoned village we've visited recently. However, this one is a bit special, as it is an abandoned village that is truly abandoned. To get to it, you have to leave the safety of your car, and wade through shoulder-high thistles and grasses. Is it worth the journey? You decide...
Distant Prastio
Our most recent visit to the Diarizos Valley had been to photograph an old, abandoned monastery. A perusal of the map showed that there might also be something worth looking at further down the valley. So we selected a suitable farm track and set off. Now, the sight of a church in the distance is not exactly unusual in Cyprus. However, if you look closely at the picture, you will see that there are ruins dotted around the landscape, too.
Sensible Foundations
The church looks like it has been repaired in the not-to-distant past. I like the way they built it on top of a nice big solid rock, too. There is an archaeological dig nearby, where they investigated buildings that mysteriously fell down in the 12th century. Possibly the builders of this church took that on board when they drew up the plans.
Inside
Inside, the church looks a lot older.
Original Features?
It looks like there used to be a mural on the wall, though it is barely recognisable now.
Strange Window
This puzzled me. I haven't seen anything like that before. Is the pattern significant, or are they just random holes?
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Related Blogs:
Fasoula
Fasoula is nestled in the Diarizos Valley, between the abandoned villages of Souskiou and Maronas. We visited it in the Spring time, but have saved the blog for now, so you can remember how green Cyprus was just a few months ago, as you sit by the pool relaxing in the summer heat...
Abandoned Villages - Kato Archimandrita
A few weeks ago we visited the sleepy hamlet of Archimandrita. We touched briefly then, on its abandoned neighbour, but got distracted with other things before we were able to visit it and tell you what we found. Better late than never, here is our look at Kato Archimandrita, a village abandoned due to its remoteness and ruled now by goats.
Trozena Waterfall
When we visited Trozena last May, we read about a mysterious waterfall. Mysterious because though we could see remnants of an old stream in a picnic area between the village and the church, there was no waterfall at all. But then it rained. A lot. And somebody said there was a waterfall at Trozena. So we went and had a look. If you see one water feature after all the rains, you should make sure it is this one. It is spectacular...
Agios Savvas Tis Karonos
We first discovered this abandoned monastery a few years ago, when we were out geocaching.Visiting again, a few years later, I am paying more attention to the architecture than cache hiding places. There is certainly lots to see, and it is a fascinating place to have a look around. Plus, as it is slap bang in the middle of the Diarizos Valley, you know you can make a day trip out of a visit to the area, if you want to...
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.
Abandoned Villages - Maronas
Last saturday my wife and I were in Paphos with a couple of hours to kill. So we decided to take a trip up the Diarizos Valley. Being on the Paphos / Limassol border, this valley is on the edge of the Paphos Life radar. However, it has a wealth of sites to visit, as you shall see over the coming weeks. Our specific destination was the abandoned village of Gerovasa. There is a fascinating bridge near to it, and we visited the village itself a few years ago, to do a geocache. However, on our way up the valley, we spotted some ramshackle buildings on the other side of the valley, and decided to take a detour...
Abandoned Villages - Trozena
If you've driven over the iron bridge which lies just beyond the abandoned village of Gerovasa, near the outskirts of Paphos Forest, then you will also have driven past the abandoned village of Trozena. Unless you are very observant, you won't have noticed it though, as it is barely visible from the road. It is worth taking a detour to explore the ruins, as these photos will hopefully show...Good Pages To Visit
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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.
