BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES

The name of the village came from the surname of a Frankish feudal governor, Juan de Feniou or Finiou, who had accompanied the king of Cyprus Peter A' to Europe (1359 – 1369) during the Frankish occupation. Fini is one of the most picturesque villages in Cyprus, having a rich environment, full of very tall trees. The houses have kept large elements of the Cypriot, folk architectural tradition with their tiled roofs.

Agios Theodoros was a mixed village until the Turkish Cypriots left the community after the Turkish invasion in 1974. Nowadays, it has about seven hundred inhabitants and extends to the coastal area, as several residents have chosen to build their residence in the area of Pentaschinos, while it has almost an equivalent number of holiday homes. It is one of the largest villages in Cyprus in size and this is evident from the fact that its coastal front is 8.5 km long. The name of the village came from the patron saint, to whom the majestic church of the village is dedicated. The village is not marked on old Cypriot maps and it is very likely that it was created by ancient settlements that existed in the area and appear on medieval Cypriot maps, such as Anastadia, Xeugalio, Capno, Vasilopotamo and Pendasino. The road leading to the coastal area of the village is called "Valley of Pentaschino" as it is washed by the river Pentaschinos that crosses the village and ends at the sea. One of the many traditions about the name of the village mentions that it was named so because of the existence of a large snake river ("koufi") in the area that was as long as five ropes.

The Municipality of Athienou is one of the 6 Municipalities of the Larnaca district. It is one of the most historic areas of Cyprus with great contribution to the development of the rural tradition of the island. There are many versions of the origin of the name of Athienou, with one of them saying that some residents from Athens came and settled in Athienou and thus gave the name of their city "Athens" to Athienou. It is believed that the area of Athienou was inhabited since the 14th century BC according to important findings of archaeological excavations. In fact, the colony was originally named Golgus either by the name of Golgus (leader of the Achaeans) or by the surname of Golgia Aphrodite, for which there was a sanctuary in the area. During the Turkish invasion of 1974, the Turkish army occupied Athienou, then withdrew from the area and the inhabitants of Athienou returned to their homes in 1975. However, 65% of the administrative land of Athienou is not controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. By law, this territory belongs to the Republic of Cyprus, while de facto it is controlled by the non-recognised state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

There are beautiful stone-built alleys in the village around the main square. It is a village enriched with traditional stone houses, whose interior reveals beautiful idyllic courtyards. The settlement of Kalavasos existed during the Middle Ages with the same name and is marked on old maps with the name Calavaso and Calavato. The excavation of the specialists and the systematic archaeological survey in the area of Kalavasos resulted in the discovery of many archaeological sites, which are part of almost all phases of the Cypriot prehistoric and historical chronological periods. The most important of these sites, in chronological order, are the pre-ceramic Neolithic settlement of Tenta (7000 – 6000 BC), the Neolithic settlement of Kalavasos A' in Kokkinogia of the Ceramic Neolithic II period (4500 – 3800 BC), the Chalcolithic settlements in Agioi and Kalavasos B' in Pampoules (3500 – 2500 BC).

Kato Drys is located southwest of the district of Larnaca and is bordered by the villages of Pano Lefkara and Vavla. A characteristic privilege of the village is its hilly relief shape with the narrow deep valleys. There are two versions of the origin of its name. The first version says that it took its name from the many oak trees that existed in the village. According to a second version, many years ago there were two villages, the Pano Drys and the Kato Drys and between the two villages there was a huge oak (drys). During the period of Frankish rule it kept the same name while in some old maps it is marked as Catodi. The village existed during the Byzantine period, since it is mentioned that it was the origin of Saint Neophytos the enclaved, who lived when the change from the Byzantine period to the Frankish period took place. According to tradition, between Kato Drys and Lefkara, there was another settlement called Apliki, which was abandoned in the late 18th century due to frequent landslides and land erosions. According to tradition, the parents of Agios Neophytos came from Appliki and moved to Kato Drys, where the Saint was born.

The Municipality of Pano Lefkara is located in the area of Larnaca, southeast of the Troodos mountain range. One could say that Lefkara is located in the heart of Cyprus, just 50 km from Nicosia, 35 km from Larnaca and 55 km from Limassol. There are three possible versions of the origins of the village's name. The first is that the word is complex and means White Mountains, where it comes from the limestone rocks that exist in the area, which create a white and pyrolithic landscape. The second version is that it comes from clusters of small poplars that grew in the region. Finally, it is believed that the name of the village may have come from a settler of the area called Lefkalos. The first written evidence of its existence with the declared name comes from the Formal Testament of Saint Neophytos, who states that he was born in Lefkara in 1134 AD. According to historical testimonies, in the 14th century the leading members of military order of the Templars were exiled in Lefkara. During the Venetian occupation (15th-18th century) it is reported that Lefkara was a tourist resort for the ladies of the Venetians. According to some reports, the scenario is that the ladies taught the Lefkaritiko embroidery to the women of the village. Moreover, it is believed that at this time Leonardo da Vinci visited the village, where he bought a large tablecloth for the Holy Table of the Cathedral of Milan.

Built between the hillsides at an average altitude of 190 metres above sea level, Skarinou is the heart of Cyprus. It is on the road axis of the island that connects Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca. The village according to tradition, took its name during the Medieval years. On old maps it is marked as Scharino, but also as S. Harino, where the letter "S" means Saint. But it is not certain what the name of the Saint is (perhaps Chariton), because it is a name was corrupted during the Frankish rule. Therefore, it is possible that the original name of the village was hagiological during the Byzantine period, e.g., Agios Chariton, from where the current name originates in an altered form. According to another view mentioned by Nearchos Clerides, the name of the village came from the name or the status of the first settler, who he assumes to have been called Skarinos (meaning shepherd taking the sheep out into night grazing). Whichever of the above versions we accept, the conclusion we draw is that the village of Skarinou was probably founded before the Frankish period, during the Byzantine era.

The unique architecture of the village is a guarantee for the beauty of Tochni, as the main material used in its buildings is the stone that originates from the area. The narrow alleys and the upper floor houses all built with stone give a special charm to the village. During medieval times, Tochni already existed under the same name, constituting a feud. There is no clear information about the name of the village, although one version states that, according to local tradition, "Tochni" originated from a corruption of the word "Art" referring to the special art and craftsmanship needed to build the village. The Turkish Cypriot inhabitants had given the village the name Taskent which means stone settlement.

The picturesque village of Choirokoitia is located in a hilly area in the district of Larnaca, 33 km from the city of Larnaca and is connected to the southeast by the Limassol – Nicosia motorway with these two towns. To the north it is connected with the villages of Pano and Kato Lefkara while to the northwest it is connected with the village of Vavla. Undoubtedly, the settlement of Choirokoitia is the best preserved prehistoric settlement of Cyprus, dating back to the later phase of the Aceramic Neolithic period (around 7000 BC). UNESCO, in 1998, declared the settlement a World Heritage Site. It is one of the most impressive examples of early permanent settlement of populations on the island. A wide wall of fencing has been built to the west of the settlement.

The village is built on the left of the valley of Kourris and is about 25 km outside the city of Limassol. The village of Agios Georgios is known as "Agios Georgios Sylikou" or "Agios Georgios Agkathiotis". According to tradition, the surname Agathiotis was taken during the Turkish era, because the conquerors did not manage to set foot in the village, since the dense vegetation of thorns did not allow the Turkish conquerors to proceed to the village. In honor of Saint George, who was and has been to this day the patron saint of the village, he was attributed the surname Agathiotis.

The village is built about 45 km west of the city of Limassol. According to the findings of excavations in the area, the village of Anogyra was continuously inhabited since the Neolithic period. There are three versions regarding the name of the village. One mentions that the village took its name from the plant anagyris, while the other argues that the name was derived from the fact that Anogyra was the upper part of the village Gyroi. Finally, a third version states that the name comes from the Upper Sanctuaries (Ano Iera), because the sanctuaries are located in the village.

Lania is 25 km away from Limassol and is built at the foot of Troodos. There are 2 versions of the origin of the name of Lania. One version maintains that the village was named after the daughter of the god Dionysus, Lana, while the second version says that the name of the village comes from the fruit of the "oak" tree. A third version, wants the name of the village to come from the bird "shrike" otherwise called "Lanios". The female bird of this species bears the name "Lania

Limnatis village is located in the centre of Limassol district, 20 km southwest of Limassol town. Due to the large number of lakes in the area, the village is assumed to have taken its name from the word "lake". According to historical sources, Limnatis predates ancient times, namely the classical period (500 – 323 BC). According to the French historian, Louis de Mas Latri, Limnatis was a nobleman's feud.

Omodos is located 42 km northwest of the town of Limassol. In old maps found, Omodos has been marked as "Homodos", "Homocios" and "Omodos". Omodos was probably created at the end of the Byzantine period, after the dismantling of the settlements of Pano and Kato Koupetra. According to the French historian, De Mas Latri, the Omodos was a feud.

Prastio Avdimou is located 38 km west of Limassol. The village has existed since the medieval times. In old maps found, the Prastio Avdimou is recorded as "prastio" but also as "prasmo". Some argue that the name comes from the French medieval word "Prasti", which means field. Another version argues that the name comes from the word "suburb" which means settlement near the city.

Sylikou is located 28 km northwest of Limassol. The name Sylikou is of Latin origin and comes from the name "Celicia". It is a picturesque village of the Limassol district, as the beautiful countryside, the fertile land of the village and the water of the springs attract Cypriot visitors.

Amargeti is a picturesque village located 25 km east of Paphos. During the period of Frankish and Venetian rule, the village belonged to a feudal lord. Specifically, the French historian Louis de Mas Latri includes Amargeti in the list of villages that were feudal during these periods. During the period of Frankish and Venetian rule feudalism developed as the dominant institution of so-called feudalism, which in turn constituted a political and social system of land ownership during the Middle Ages. The village is traced on the old maps, with the name "Margieti". It is possible that the name of Amargeti is associated with the female franc name Amargueti. A widespread view is that the name of the community comes from a princess named Margot, who owned Amargeti as a feud.

Anarita is a picturesque village located in the district of Paphos. The origin of the name of the village is not known but the most likely version states that the word Anarita came from the word Parishioner ("Enoritis". The Byzantine word "parish" means ecclesiastical region. However, at the time of the Frankish rule it also had an administrative significance. Over time, the addition of the letter "a" at the beginning of many words was made as a supplementary ornament, so the word became "anoria" and the parishioner became "anoritis". Subsequently, the word became "anaritis". The other versions are that the community probably got its name from the existence of the monastery of Agios Onisiforos, whose ruins are visible near his church, while other sources associate the name with the "anari", the Cypriot type of cheese that is produced locally. Another version refers to Anavryta which, over time, became Anarita, because water was gushing from everywhere.

Kathikas is a picturesque village located in the district of Paphos. There are two versions of the name of the village. One seems to have come from the verb "to sit", because of the perception that the village, when seen from a distance, seems to "sit" in a flat location. The second version is that the caravans that started from Paphos towards Polis Chrysochous sat to rest and to water their animals in the water pit of the Community.

There are two versions of the name of the village. According to "Voice of the Communities" magazine, the name of the village is linked to an etymological explanation. Kallepia, as written in the magazine, came from the composition of the words "beauty" and "pia", which mean respectively "beauty" and "good speech", because "the inhabitants spoke with beautiful words". The second version, according to the "Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus", is that the name of the village is associated with the adjective "kallistos" which means very beautiful. It is believed that during the Frankish period, according to the French historian Louis De Mas Latri, the village was divided into Upper (Pano) and Lower (Kato) Kallepia. Pano Kallepia, as he mentions, was a medieval feud called Calopes, while Kato Kallepia was one of the estates of the royal family of Cyprus. Noteworthy, is a devastating earthquake that struck Paphos in 1953, being one of the worst moments experienced by the village, since Kallepia of the time, suffered serious damage. The village has been characterized as a traditional settlement. Most of the houses of the village are stone-built with local stones, such as the "athasopetra" stone and the "kofteri" stone, characterized by their enclosed courtyards. Moreover, while strolling around the village, one can observe the traditional cobblestone alleys and the fountains.

Kalokedara is not mentioned at all in the sources of the Frankish period, perhaps because the village at that time, was small and infamous. It is very likely that in the 14th century, it was the property of the noble Gautier de Moine, who also owned the area of Sintis (Sindes) located on the administrative area of the village. In his book, Nearchos Clerides states that "we do not know why it took this name", while in the Great Cyprus Encyclopedia it is mentioned that the village may have taken its name from the tree "good cedar". In addition, in the past there was a version that the village took this name because it was built in a valley of cedars, but this view cannot be justified etymologically. It is noted that, both in the past (to a greater extent) and nowadays, many residents of the village ("Kelokedarites") use the name "Tzelotziara" for their village. Kelokedara is built on the western slope of Mount Paoura, at an altitude of 490 metres. In the 1960s, the population of the village reached 758 inhabitants and until then, it was a traditional village with its own distinctive characteristics. The houses were all built with stone from the area and their roof was made of "volitzia" (Stones) with branches of trees on top of them, with soil and "conno" (a clayey soil, impermeable to rain) above.

The name of the village seems to have come from the many churches and monasteries located in or near the village, which are dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The area honours the Virgin Mary, what testifies the fact that all the churches in the village are dedicated to her. The first president of the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, was born in Panagia in 1913. In official maps and other records, the village is listed as Pano Panagia. In earlier times, there was another (lower) village also called (Kato) Panagia, which was destroyed. Another source, from Nearchos Clerides, reports that the old settlement of Panagia was replaced by a newer one when it was destroyed by the landslides. The newer settlement was built higher than the old one, which is why it also took the name "Pano". Finally, Panagia is the 2nd highest village in the Paphos district.

The settlement of Salamiou has a history of 4,000 years. According to historical sources, the community probably took its name from Salamis, the ancient city of Paphos or Salamis in Greece. According to researchers, the suffix "-iou" is diminutive and its meaning is comparative, since it indicates its size, that it is small. So, the name of the village has etymological origin from Salamis, like a small Salamis. According to rumours, Salamis was founded in the middle of the 11th century BC, while there are written references to the ancient city of Salamis even 500 years before its foundation, which refer to the Salamis of today. Remarkable is the existence of a local kingdom in the area of where Salamiou is today which, in addition to written sources in ancient texts, can be confirmed by a stone column with a bearded archer and a Cypriot inscription found in the village and transferred to the British Museum in 1874. The village of Salamiou can be characterized as a classically traditional village, since the stone-built houses in combination with the local stone (the so-called Athasopetra) used in the construction of the settlement refer to another period, probably Byzantine. Salamiou is a living museum of folk architecture, since it gives visitors the opportunity to study the Cypriot architectural tradition historically, while many of its residences have been characterized as listed and traditional buildings.

According to A. Papamichael, "Houlou was founded with the arrival of the Franks in the 13th century AD and the Franks chose this place because there were many waters. They established their headquarters there and built the palace in the courtyard of the present church. The present church was the church of the palace, the personal church of the feudal lord". According to one version, Houlou was named after the Syrian-born Feudal Lord, Gou. The village of Houlou is one of the most beautiful villages in Cyprus and it is distinguished for its natural beauty and rich folk tradition. The settlement belongs to the category of "vine villages", keeping its traditional character unaltered to date. Its architecture is special since it is characterized by narrow streets and white stone houses with a spacious courtyard and internal arches. A beautiful contrast is added by the wooden windows and doors, as well as the roof tiles. In the village, there is also the Turkmahalas (Turkish quarter) and the well-known minaret.

The Community of Agios Therapontas is a small picturesque village, at an altitude of 640 metres and it belongs to the geographical region of Krasochoria (wine villages) in the Limassol District. In 1461, the village belonged to a feudal lord named Petros Podokotorou. The saint from whom the village took its name was an ascetic in the area of the village, and specifically in the area where the holy water and the church of Agios Therapontas are located.

Agros is located on the slopes of Troodos. The Community of Agros is located at an altitude of 1000 metres and belongs to the geographical region of South Pitsilia of the Limassol District. The village of Agros took its name from the monastery of Megalos Agros, which was built on the site of the present Church of Panagia Agros. According to tradition, 40 monks from Cyzicus in Asia Minor, during the iconoclasm, abandoned the monastery of Megalos Agros and came to Cyprus, bringing with them, the icon of Virgin Mary. They ended up in the area where Agros is today, stayed for a while in a cave and then built a new Monastery and named it after the original, that is , the Monastery of the Megalos Agros.

Amiantos is built in the mountain range of Troodos and belongs to the geographical region of Pitsilia. The name of the village came from the first resident of the village, Chatziktoris, who originated from Pelendri and use to come daily to the mine to work, where he created the first inn and in 1923, he became community leader and the village was named "the village of Chatziktoris" and the area of the mine was named Pano Amiantos. In 1924 another community leader was appointed and the village of Chatziktoris was named Kato Amiantos, which was also preserved until 2005 when the two communities merged and became Amiantos. Another version says that the name of the village came from the asbestos mine that existed in the area. The first inhabitants of the village were the workers of the mine. It is worth noting that, just before the creation of the mine, there was the monastery of Saint Mamas with orchards, gardens and cold running waters.

The community of Arsos is located at the borders of the Limassol and Paphos Districts, 40 km from Limassol and 45 km from Paphos and is built at an altitude of 790 metres on the slope of Mount Laona. It is one of the wine villages of the Limassol district and is known for its viticulture since ancient times. For the origin of the name of the village, there are three versions. One version says that its name comes from the ancient Greek word "alsos" which means small forest. The second version says that the community took its name from the Sacred Forest of the goddess Aphrodite which was built in the village. And a final version says that Arsos is one of the 4 cities built by Ptolemy Philadelphus in honor of Arsinoe.

The village of Askas is built on the mountain range of Troodos and belongs to the geographical area of Pitsilia. The living tradition says that for some time, there were only eleven families in Askas. Also, that there were once 14 goldsmiths and seven priests. This proves that the village, through the lapse of time, had periods that were full of life. There are 3 versions for the origin of the name of the village. One argues that it took its name because of the residents' involvement with the construction of bags ("aski"). The other claims that the village took its name from Manolis Askas, who was a landowner of the village in the 14th century. And a last one says that the village is built in the mountain cracks.

Kakopetria is located in the valley of Solea in the southwest of the Nicosia district, on the outskirts of the Troodos mountain range. It is built at an altitude of 665 metres. It is hidden in the greenery between the banks of the rivers Karkoti and Garilli where they merge in the village and form the river Klarios. Regarding the name of Kakopetria, there are three versions. One says that there was a husband and wife who were newlywed and were walking in the old village of Kakopetria. At one point there was a big stone. It rolled over and crashed the couple. The inhabitants named it "Kakopetra" and thus the village took the name Kakopetria. The second version states that there was some lord of Marathasa who had three sons, Nikos, Panagiotis and Petris. Petris, the youngest, was very perky, naughty, bad tempred and so unbearable that his other brothers had had enough of him. So, the father had to send him to the other side of the mountain to live. Petris arrived in the area of the old village. He was the first occupant. From the name Petris and the word "bad" ("kakos"), the village took the name "Kakopetria". And a last one says that Kakopetria got this name (complex of words, bad and stone), because in earlier times its location was not only rocky, but also difficult to climb.

Kalopanayiotis is located 60 km west of the Nicosia district. It dominates the valley of Marathasa, the mountainous volume of Troodos, in the heart of an impressive natural environment with rich forests and many springs. The area in which Kalopanayiotis is located was known from the very old times, but the village did not exist before the 11th century. There are 2 versions of the name of the village. One argues that the village took its name from its first inhabitant (called Panayiotis), who built his house near the monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis. The other version says that the village took its name from two brothers, Panayiotis who was the good guy and Peter who was the bad guy. The version claims that Panayiotis left the village where he used to be with his brother and the village where he went to live was called Kalopanayiotis (while the bad Peter stayed in the village, which was called Kakopetria).

Pedoulas community is located in the Troodos mountain range in the Marathas valley at an altitude of 1100 metres. Administratively, it is part of the Nicosia district. The history of Pedoulas begins in Byzantine times and specifically in 1100 AD. It is a village that holds an important religious place in the history of the island due to the church of Archangel Michael, in 1474, which is classified among the most impressive Byzantine churches of Cyprus, with frescoes of incredible technique, a UNESCO monument. There is no reference for the name of the village and this is explained by the fact that the name Marathasa also covered this settlement since it belonged to a single area which belonged only to one owner of the royal family of Cyprus. One version is that Pedoulas took its name from the word "pedilas", which means shoemaker; others associate the name with the shoemaker profession and the fact that in the village, there used to be famous tanneries which were small craft shops in Pedoulas.