Route in Antiquity/History

General description

The route to antiquity/ history is an educational activity for everybody (for families with young children, students, adults), which enables  travelers to be informed about important aspects of the history of Cyprus.

This route is proposed to be completed by road and can be carried out without the help of a guide, but the presence of a guide may provide more complete information about the historical events concerning each archeological site. It is noted that, it is suggested that the route is completed in 2 days given that Amargeti village is located quite far from the other villages of the route. However, if desired, travelers may make separate trips by visiting the 3 villages of Larnaca District as one route and  Amargeti  village as another route.

Due to the mild weather conditions that usually prevail in Cyprus, the route can be carried out all year round.

Detailed Description

For travelers based in the urban centres of Nicosia or Larnaca,  it is suggested that the starting point of the route is Athienou village, while for those based  in the urban centres of Limassol or Paphos, Amargeti village is suggested (following a reverse route).

In Athienou, visitors can visit the Kallinikio Municipal Museum where they will learn about  the history of Athienou from ancient times until today. Countless collective and individual narratives from local stories, but also from stories from every part of the world are displayed at the museum. The Museum consists of the Archaeological Collection, the Collection of Ecclesiastical Art and the Ethnographic Collection. They can also visit the archaeological site of Malloura, where until today a rural sanctuary, graves carved into a rock and a settlement dating from the Geometric to the Roman period have been discovered.

Then, heading to Choirokoitia, they can visit the Neolithic settlement of the village, in which remnants of all the phases of the Neolithic Age are evident and present a picture of the living conditions in the area during prehistoric times, as well as of how the Neolithic Civilization spread throughout the region.

Then, in Kalavasos village, travelers can visit the Neolithic settlement of Tenta, in which the excavations resulted in the discovery of many archaeological sites, which are part of almost all phases of the Cypriot prehistoric and historical chronological periods. In addition, in the community park visitors can see the train which carried copper and pyrite in the old days.

Finally, a very important archaeological site is located in Amargeti village, which is famous for its sculptures and inscriptions from statue bases, both of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In addition, in the village there are important archaeological finds, such as the ruins of the church of Agios Agathonikos.

In addition, if travelers so wish, a stop at the village of Kato Drys, located just 15 minutes from Choirokoitia, can be added to this route. In Kato Drys, in addition to the opportunity to rest and try the traditional cuisine in one of the dining areas of the village, travelers can visit the Folk Art Museum and the "Bee and Embroidery" Museum.

To complete the route, it is suggested travelers spend the night in one of the villages, either Choirokoitia, Kato Drys or Kalavasos (located in the middle of the route), where they can dine in one of the dining areas in the area and rest to continue the route the next day.