From Vretsia to Kelefos Bridge
Fire Engine Friendly
Believe it or not, in the winter time, this is a flowing river. Not just tourists like this spot either, you will often find firemen here. You may also find an Ice Cream Van here, but you will pay for the privilege of an ice cream. They weren't cheap!
Onwards To Foini
So that's how we get from Vretsia to Kelefos Bridge. Once there, you can either go and explore a couple of other nearby Venetian Bridges, by turning left on the tarmacked road, or you can go right. On this occasion we turned right, as we were heading for Foini. We will cover the other bridges later though, rest assured.
Even More Stunning Scenery
The route to Foini is not exactly shabby either.
One day we will add foreign language options to this website. I can't help wondering what a Greek speaker would make of the phrase: "Η διαδρομή προς Φοίνι δεν είναι εξίσου άθλια.", which is how Google translates the above.
If I translate that back to English, it reads: "The path to Phoenix is not just as shameful."
Interesting times ahead!
Foini
So, Foini translates as "Phoenix". To me this suggests that the place once suffered a major fire. However, a quick google reveals otherwise:
According to one version, Phini took its name during the Frank era from a Frank feudal lord -Juan De Fejniu or Feniu- that had accompanied the King of Cyprus Peter I in Europe (1359-1369). Whether the Frank nobleman was actually an owner of the village has not been absolutely confirmed because the village is not mentioned anywhere as a feud. Even if he was, he most probably adopted the name of his village as his surname, something quite common for the era.
Most probably the village existed during the Byzantine years and its name originates from Palm, in Greek "Foinikas", the known tree or its fruit "Foiniki". Several other villages and regions of Cyprus carry names that originate from that word.
The Subject of Another Blog...
We will visit Foini in another blog. Suffice to say that there is plenty to explore there, and if you have time after your forest excursion, and have had enough of Off-roading for the day, it is well worth a visit.
We didn't come here to visit Foini on this occasion. No we were here to visit Handara Waterfall. That too deserves it's own blog though. Having committed myself to at least four new blogs in the course of this article, I think it best I stop now!
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Related Blogs:
Abandoned Villages - Vretsia
Cyprus has more than it's fair share of abandoned villages. The troubles caused the displacement of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.The environment itself has caused other villages to be abandoned for reasons of safety. Whatever the reason, the abandonment caused emotional pain and suffering to the affected people. So is it right to right a series of blog articles on them? I thought about this for a while, but decided that yes it was. Cyprus is a land built on antiquities, and these villages are just the latest example. I had no problem blogging about a Necropolis after all. However, some of these villages, and especially Ventris, do still get visits from the displaced families. So if you do decide to visit these places on the strength of these articles, please bear that in mind, and treat them with respect. The urban exploring motto "take only pictures, leave only footprints..." nicely sums it up.
Vretsia Tavern
We recently did a blog on the abandoned village Vretsia. Until recently, a tavern still operated there. Unfortunately, last summer it appears to have burnt down. It is now a very eerie place to visit...
Roudia Bridge
Now that we have covered the route from Vretsia to Kelefos, let's return to the subject of Venetian Bridges. This time, we will feature Roudia Bridge. For years this eluded us, as we drove past it without realising it was there. With the help of the previous blog, you should now be able to locate it and know where to park the car. So let's take a look at the bridge itself...
Kelefos Bridge
Kelefos Bridge is probably the most well-known of all the Venetian Bridges in Cyprus, for good reasons. It features on the UK TV holiday adverts for Cyprus, showing a couple cycling over it on an afternoon ride. In reality, you won't find any cyclists here, but you will find a bridge full of charm, and surrounding countryside to match...
Chantara Falls
This waterfall, tucked in the woods behind the mountain village of Foini, has long been a favourite of ours. You can either pay it a quick visit, and have a paddle in the lower falls, or, if you are a bit more adventurous, you can climb the steps to the upper falls, and take a dip. The really adventurous can go beyond that, and have a stream-hopping adventure through the ancient woodland...
Playing With The Vretsia Donkeys
We meet any number of animals when we are out on our travels. On the last bank holiday, we thought we would pay some of them another visit, so we packed a picnic and headed off to Vretsia, to say hello to the donkeys...Related Pages
360 PanoramaRoudia Nature Trail
Roudia Bridge also has a small nature trail which starts on it's top. If you follow it through the rocks you can see fine examples of pillow lava, and interesting crystals. Not to mention some stunning views at the top.
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.
