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