Paphos Caving
A few months ago we read a report in the papers about an interesting cave that lurked within Paphos itself, behind an old church. After a bit of investigation we found it, and did a bit of spelunking.
The Old Church
The first hurdle in locating the cave was locating the church. Once located, I had to work out a route to it. My initial attempt resulted in a bird's eye view of the church's roof, from the cliffs above. I arrived there from the direction of the crossroads above Mesogi Lidl. Studying the roads, it became apparent that a better approach would be from the main Kissonerga road.
Newly Restored
There is plenty of space to park at the church.
Anybody Care To Translate?
Thanks to Jean Kariolou for the following translation:
The reconstruction of the church of Ayios (Saint) George and the clearing of the surrounding area was undertaken in 2010 by the Archeological Department in co-operation with the church committee of Emba.
Treasurer : Mario's Polyviou
President : Antonia Nikiforou
Members : Georgios Tapakoidis
Nikos Konstantinou
Georgia Tselepi
Inside
The church interior is fairly typical of small Cypriot churches. Note the older parts of the walls though. You can just make out the remains of ancient murals.
Into The Woods
Anyway, the article I originally read stated that the cave could be found in the woods behind the church. So I set off.
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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.
