| The octagonal mosque, built in 1816, is
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| | traces of a settlement from the 16th
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| considered the finest example of Ottoman
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| | centıry BC and an ancient olive press
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| architecture in Cyprus. the Tekke and its
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| | have been unearthed. Forty-five stone
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| grounds have been completely renovated.
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| | anchors were recovered from the sea near
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| In winter, the Salt Lake, which is one of
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| | the site, some of which are now in the
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| the two main wetlands in Cyprus, is home
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| | Larnaka Archaeological Museum. To leave,
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| to colonies of flamingos and other
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| | follow the signs for Nicosia and go right
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| migratory birds. He lake is below sea
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| | to Psematismenos, a compact little
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| level and seawater seeping in through the
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| | settlement with traditional architecture.
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| porous lime rocks leaves a thick deposit
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| | At the main road go left, and then go
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| of salt as it dries out. The Salt Lake is
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| | right onto the F116 at the signpost to
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| on the Ramsar list as a wetland of
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| | Tochni. Tochni is a picturesque village
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| international importance. Leave the
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| | straddling a gully. On the bridge in the
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| Tekke, double back round the airport
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| | centre is the 19th century Timios Stavros
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| roundabout and follow the signs for Kiti.
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| | church that stands on the site of a 4th
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| Birdwatchers can take a side trip to an
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| | century once said to have been founded by
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| extension of the Salt Lake known as
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| | St. Helena to house a piece of the True
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| Spiros' Pool and the hide at the Water
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| | Cross. Tochni is a very popular area with
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| Treatment plant by going left in Meneou
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| | hikers and cyclists and has rural
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| village at the sign for Meneou Beach. In
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| | accommodation. Cross the bridge, go right
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| Kiti, go right at the sign to Angeloktisi
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| | and at the end of the road go left onto
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| Church and then first left. The Byzantine
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| | the E133 to Choirokoitia. Turn right into
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| church of Panagia Angeloktisi was built
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| | the village at the sign for Agios lakovos
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| around 1,000 Ad on 5th century ruins. It
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| | church. The postal ahency and grocery
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| was rebuilt in the 12th century and has
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| | store in the square opposite the church
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| later additions. It contains a rare and
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| | are in traditional buildings. To leave,
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| very impressive 6th century mosaic of the
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| | go to the left of the church back down to
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| Virgin and Child, flanked by the
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| | the E133, signposted to Vavla. After 200
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| Archangels Michael and Gabriel with
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| | metres go left at the sign for Panagia
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| peacock-feather wings. The church is open
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| | tou Kampou and go right at the fork. This
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| daily, closing between noon and 14:00
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| | will take you to the site of the castle,
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| hrs. Back at the main road, go left and
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| | where on 7 July 1426 the Marmelukes
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| head for Mazotos. At Mazotos you can
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| | defeated the army of King Janus, the
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| visit the museum of the self-taught
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| | Frankish king of Cyprus. all that is left
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| contemporary artists Costas Argyrou. On
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| | are the remains of a barrel-vaulted room.
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| the way the road is bordered by flat
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| | The left fork takes you to the small
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| farmland with the sea in the distance to
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| | church of Panagia tou Kampou, which is
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| your left. A camel park and petrol
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| | usually open. Go back to the EI33 and go
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| station are on your left at the junction
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| | right to the Neolithic site of
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| of the road to Mazotos. Go straight ahead
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| | Choirokoitia. Leave the settlement, go to
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| on the road towards Zygi. This is a
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| | the main BI road and join the
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| market gardening area, with fields of
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| | Larnaka-Lemesos motorway at junction 14.
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| tomatoes, artichokes and cucumbers
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| | Stawrovouni Monastery sits atop a steep
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| growing in the rich alluvio soil of the
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| | 750m peak that was called Olympus in
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| valleys of the rivers Xeropotamos,
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| | ancient times and where a temple to
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| Pentaschoinos and Maronâ¦
| |
| | Aphrodite stood. The monastery dates back
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| After about for kilometers, go right at
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| | to 327 when, legend tells us, the ship
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| the sign for Alaminos. Look carefully
| |
| | carrying St Helena, mother of Constantine
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| because the sign is not clear. From this
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| | the Great, home from Jerusalem with the
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| road, you get an excellent view of
| |
| | True Cross and the Cross of the Penitent
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| Stavrovouni Monastery on its solitary
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| | Thief, ran before a storm to the coast of
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| peak to your right. As you approach
| |
| | Cyprus. the holy woman dreamt that a
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| Alaminos, behind a modern house on your
| |
| | young man instructed her to build many
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| left is a good example of a rural
| |
| | churches on the island. On waking, she
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| two-storey farmhouse with upper and lower
| |
| | discovered that the Cross of the Penitent
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| arches. On your right is the recently
| |
| | Thief had miraculously transported itself
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| reconstructed Alaminos tower. Alaminos
| |
| | to the top of the mountain, so she built
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| was the fief of Philop of Ibelin during
| |
| | Stavrovouni church in which to house it.
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| the Frankish or Lusignan Period
| |
| | He monastery contains a large wooden 15th
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| (1192-1489AD) and this and similar keeps
| |
| | century cross minutely carved with scenes
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| at Xylofagou, Pyla and Kiti are thought
| |
| | from the life of Christ. It is encased in
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| to have been watchtowers from that period
| |
| | a silver reliquary that also contains
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| or the later Venetian one. The sheep pens
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| | what is believed to be a sliver of the
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| on the approach road to Kofinou indicate
| |
| | True Cross. Stavrovouni is a working
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| its dairy industry. Drive through the
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| | religious community of monks who follow
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| village, go left at the main BI road and
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| | the ascetic principles of Mount Athos.
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| take the left turn for Agios Theodoros at
| |
| | Although woman are not allowed to enter,
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| the bridge in the valley. The north side
| |
| | the views from the monastery are
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| of Agios Theodoros is abandoned but the
| |
| | spectacular.
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| remains of the stone houses are
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| | Choirokoitia, a Neolithic settlement
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| picturesque. After bypassing the village,
| |
| | surrounded by a stone wall ,is one of the
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| go left at the t-junction and drive to
| |
| | oldest excavated settlements in Cyprus.
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| the coast through the rugged
| |
| | Remains show that by 6,800 BC, it's two
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| Pentaschoinos valley, where dark cliffs
| |
| | thousand or so inhabitants lived in
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| overhang the road and orange groves fill
| |
| | beehive-shaped huts of stone and clay.
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| the river valley. At the coas, go right
| |
| | Many of the houses had under-floor graves
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| and drive to Zygi.Cyprus Holidays These
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| | where the dead were laid to rest in the
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| days Zygi is famous for its fish taverns
| |
| | foetal position surrounded by gifts and
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| but in the past it was a busy little port
| |
| | personal effects. The settlement was
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| and camel trains used to bring carobs for
| |
| | built on an easily defensible hillside
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| storage in the large stone warehouses to
| |
| | and surrounded by a wall. The
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| await export. The pier is derelict but
| |
| | Choirokoitians were well-organised goat
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| the village and warehouses are undergoing
| |
| | breeders, who cultivated the land and
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| considerable restoration. Leave by taking
| |
| | there is evidence of spinning, weaving
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| the road beside the white church,
| |
| | and pottery. Flint sickle blades,
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| signposted to Maroni and go right before
| |
| | figurines of fertility gods and stone
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| two large concrete water cisterns on a
| |
| | vases have been excavated, as well as
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| hill. As you approach the village, go
| |
| | necklaces of shells and cornelian. Houses
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| right, cross the dry bed of the river
| |
| | have been constructed near the site as a
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| Maroni cross the dry bed of the river
| |
| | pointer to how the people lived. Steps
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| Maroni and go left. Go right after the
| |
| | and a series of walkways enable visitors
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| old church and left at the end of the
| |
| | to see main points of the settlement and
|
| road. Go left at the old stone house and
| |
| | signs describe the key features of each
|
| into the village centre. The narrow
| |
| | area. Many of the finds are exhibited in
|
| streets of Maroni give you a glimpse of
| |
| | the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia and the
|
| some impressive traditional architecture.
| |
| | Larnaka District Archaeological Museum.
|
| There is anarchaeological dig on the
| |
| | The site is a Unesco World Cultural and
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| southern ourskirts of the village, where
| |
| | Naural Heritage Site.
|
