LOFOU VILLAGE
Travelling for 25 minutes, just 26km northwest of Limassol, one meets the picturesque village of Lofou. It is built amphitheatrically on the hills at an altitude of 800 meters. Going up the road of Limassol-Platres and turning left just after Alassa, you ´ll get to the village in 15 minutes.
Lofou is listed as an architecturally important village by UNESCO. Little more than 20 years ago it was an abandoned village but now the villagers are returning and restoring the homes in keeping with their original character and is widely regarded as one of the most enchanting and unspoiled villages in Cyprus.
The location of the village is ideal for both winter and summer.
ATTRACTIONS / EXCURSIONS / ACTIVITIES
The area is perfect for daily excursions either to neighboring villages, known as the ‘wine villages’, or the Troodos mountains, or even more tourist destinations such us Platres, Omodos and other villages. There you can enjoy the unique architecture, the culture and hospitality of people, as well as the picturesque and breathtaking view and natural beauty of the whole area.
Going downhill for 25 minutes by car, will take you to Limassol with its seafront, old town and plentiful shopping. In the opposite direction going uphill, you will find yourself high in the Troodos Mountains, with forest walks, waterfalls and even skiing in the winter months.
Nowadays, the renovated houses of the village with their wooden balconies as well as the stoned narrow streets give the village a special, distinctive beauty which could now be described as one of the most striking ones of the area. A village which has remained intact through times, without any tremendous changes; a unique example of a traditional Cypriot village. A consignment, so that we – in this day and age – can enjoy and at the same time admire a vivid folkloric architecture. The peace and tranquility to be found in the village makes Lofou an ideal destination for those wishing to escape the pressures of modern life. Lofou gives a feeling of timelessness and wonder.
The traditional olive and flour mills at the Rural Museum, the taps and tanks, give the visitor a glimpse of the beauty from the past.
In the village there are traditional taverns. During the whole year two of these taverns are open. Whichever you choose, it is certain that you will depart contended and pleased, since they have both been awarded prizes, they are traditional and you can enjoy traditional Cypriot meze.
At the highest point of the village, one can come across the empty old school, a neoclassical building built in the 1920s. Despite the fact that it’s been lots of decades since the last time there were pupils in this school, the schoolyard becomes alive again every summer, since different events and festivals are organised by the Friends of the Village Association who use the renovated area there. In the inside of the school, several exhibitions about the history and tradition of the village have taken place. Come and enjoy the best sunset ,in Lofou village! The ideal place for this is the School area. You may sit up there absolutely calm and tranquil and count the stars in the sky.
Do not leave the village without lighting a candle in the church. The church in Lofou is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Holy Mother. It is an impressive church, a large building of the 19th century. It is built on a hill in the west of the centre of the village. The main building was probably built between 1854 and 1872. The Holy Mother in Lofou is celebrated on the 25th March and there is always a huge festival; hundreds of pilgrims visit it to light a candle and pray.
The chapel of Profitis Elias is located about 1500 metres south of the village. It is built on a hill along Alassa-Lofou street with a fantastic view of the sea and Kouris dam.
The chapel of St. George is located in the west of the village, about a hundred metres away from its centre. In the small temple, there is the large icon of St. George, which was painted in 1957 by the Monks Kyrillos and Nymphonas. Inside the chapel, there is also the cemetery of the village as well as an enormous water tank.
