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...
The Diarizos Valley

We've been exploring the Diarizos Valley a lot recently, but we first visited Trozena a long time ago, when we were out geocaching. What fascinated us at the time was that parts of it appeared only semi-abandoned. The cache description stated that hunters may have been using some of the buildings seasonally. We also found a church that was far from abandoned. Incidentally, if you don't know where Trozena is, you can find it on this map. In the Paphos Life directory, there is a section for blog locations. It is worth looking at if you are looking for inspiration on days out.
So on this visit, we headed to the church first. In this shot, you can just make out a ruin in the foreground, to the right of the tree. That is, in fact, part of Gerovasa, which is a different village. We may blog about that as well at some point, but there doesn't appear to be much there to see.
The Church

Given the remoteness of the area, I wonder why these churches are still used? I know, for instance, in Letymbou, that one of the churches is only used once a year. Are specific churches used for certain dates? Or perhaps, the churches are used for weddings, or baptisms?
Tie a Red Ribbon....

Whatever this church is used for, the celebrations involved tying ribbons to trees.
1885?

I've no idea what that sign says, but there appears to be a date on it. According to Wikipedia, the church of Agios Georgios was indeed built in 1885. It goes on to say that Gerovasa was Turkish Cypriot whereas Trozena was Greek Cypriot, and that they used to get on fine before the troubles started. Trozena itself was abandoned for economic reasons.

As you can see, the church is lovely, and obviously still used.
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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...
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 - 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?
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...
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...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.
