The Abandoned Village of Theletra - Part 1
Old Theletra was abandoned several decades ago. The threat of landslides drove the population up the hll to a new settlement. Since then the village has mainly been left to crumble, save for its church and a few buildings which are still inhabited. At first glance, there is not much to see here, aside from some picture-postcard views. But get adventurous, and there is a whole host of places to explore...
View From New Theletra
If you are feeling adventurous, you can drive to Old Theletra from Miliou, by farm tracks. We covered that route in a previous blog a week ago. You can also drive direct from the B7. The turning is just before Giolou, if you are coming from Stroumpi, and it is signposted. At the moment the road is pretty good, though in rain that situation can change. So for the sake of this blog, we are approaching from above. If you drive through New Theletra, which is off the Kathikas-Stroumpi road, you will come to this scene. Continue on the road as it winds down the hill.
Theletra-On-The-Hill
And there Theletra stands. It is built into the side of the hill. This is significant, as you shall see, because the roof of one house becomes the garden for another. A lot of the houses are literally built on top of each other.
From a distance, you could be mistaken for thinking this is an ordinary village. It doesn't look like a wreck.
Close Encounters
However, as you approach, you will soon see that many of the buildings are in fact dilapidated.
Distant Sulphur Spring
If you follow our blogs regularly you will know this view. That gorge leads to the sulphur spring near Miliou. You can't walk down most of it, more's the pity. However, it still looks lovely.
(Incidentally, if you are new to our blogs, we include links to related blogs at the bottom of each page. So once you have had your fill, continue the fun with the other adventures.)
Inside
What can we see from looking in here? Well, for a start, the buildings are in a better state than the average abandoned village. In Foinikas, Maronas and the like, you would see bare stone. But that's not all. Look down...
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Related Blogs:
Abandoned Villages - Agios Fotios
Given that I wrote a blog about Statos last week, it would be unfair of me not to cover its close neighbour, Agios Fotios. Their histories are intertwined, as they were both abandoned for the same reason. Indeed, they merged to form a new, single town, called Statos Agios - Fotios. So what was left behind...
Abandoned Villages - Statos
Statos is unusual, as abandoned villages go. People deserted it not because of inter-communal fighting, but because of the threat of landslides. And then, no sooner had they emptied, some of the abandoned buildings were repopulated. Were villagers returning, or had outsiders moved in, prepared to take the risk of landslide?
Abandoned Villages - Evretou
Evretou is just off the B7 near Polis. It lies on the banks of the Evretou Reservoir, and is another sad testament to the troubles of 1974.
From Miliou To Theletra
While we were exploring the sulphur springs of Miliou a few weeks ago, we couldn't help but notice a village in the distance. When we realised that it was the abandoned village of Theletra, we were surprised, as we hadn't appreciated how close the two places were. So we thought we would find a scenic route between the two locations...
A Crystal Road Trip
Today Max takes us on a road trip around the Paphos district, to look at some of the fine crystal formations you can find by the roadside. He also shows you a nice vineyard where you can stop for a break and sample their wares...
The Crystal Hills of Polemi
We were introduced to the Crystal Hills a few years back. It was the first time we visited Polemi and we were on the hunt for geocaches. This particularly one was a near perfect example of what makes a good cache: an interesting location that we would have been unlikely to find had there not been a cache there. The only thing that let the cache down was it's size, but we won't go into that here. Instead we shall have a look at the terrain, and see why the cache was called "The Crystal Hill".Related Pages
MapThe Abandoned Village of Theletra - Part 1
Old Theletra was abandoned several decades ago. The threat of landslides drove the population up the hll to a new settlement. Since then the village has mainly been left to crumble, save for its church and a few buildings which are still inhabited. At first glance, there is not much to see here, aside from some picture-postcard views. But get adventurous, and there is a whole host of places to explore...
Good Pages To Visit
FB PagePaphos Life on Facebook
Like us on Facebook and stay notified of new blog posts.
FB PageOur Facebook Chat Group
Paphos Chat has been created for people who like our site and want to chat using Facebook. You can also easily upload photos of any size here. A lot of people are members of the Facebook chat group and the main forum. It's entirely up to you.
ListBlog Locations
Planning a day out? Then use our map of blog locations as a handy guide. Some of the places we visit our closer to each other than you might think, so take a look and start planning your next adventure...
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.
