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