Nicosia - Surrounding Villages

Alambra, off the Nicosia-Limassol Road, is the site of a Bronze Age settlement where excavations have been taking place since 1974. Some remains have been uncovered, but the casual visitor may be a little disappointed by the site.

In Dhali, on the road from Nicosia to Larnaca, there is a small sandstone church, built in 1317, with an interesting picture of the donors. Just beyond Dhali is Idalion, an ancient Bronze Age site and traces of the settlement, mainly ruins of city walls, are still visible but are not very impressive.

It was once one of the 10 City Kingdoms of the island and a center of worship of Aphrodite. According to legend, Adonis was killed near here by a bear or possibly a boar while he was hunting, a pursuit Aphrodite had repeatedly tried to persuade him to give up.

Palekhóri is a pleasant village lying in wooded hills. It was owned by the Knights Templar from 1297 and then passed to the noble Venetian Ibelin family. The main sites of interest are the churches; Panayia Khrysopantanissa dates from the 16th century but has been extensively modernized. It has some 17th century paintings, possibly by Philip Goul, a famous icon painter who traveled the Mediterranean, and a 10th century icon of the Virgin Mary.

The village is famous for its smoked pork and sausages and is in a particularly pleasant setting, with several good restaurants.

Peristerona, 19mi/30km from Nicosia, is famous for its church, which lies on the west bank of the river, which is almost always dry. It has five domes arranged in the form of a cross and was built in the 10th century. There is only one other church on the island constructed in that form, that of Yeroskipos near Paphos. It contains 16th century icons of the Presentation of Christ in the temple. There is also a wooden chest containing written church records and is decorated by a medieval scene painted on it.