Setting
The charming village of Kritou Terra lies on the fringe of the Akamas Peninsula in North-western Cyprus. At an altitude of 450 metres, the village is tucked away into the hillside, from where it boasts fantastic views over the entire Troodos mountain range and Chrysochou Bay below. Apart from offering respite from the maddening tourist crowds along the coast, Kritou Terra is ideally situated, within half an hour's drive from Paphos town and just 15 minutes from the beaches of Latchi & Polis.
Village History
Kritou Terra features a host of fascinating stories of its past. It is said that the village dates back to the 7th Century, when the ever-flowing spring was first discovered. Due to the abundant supply of water, the once thriving village community enjoyed a high degree of self-sufficiency. Kritou Terra was the first village in the area to have electricity (hydropower!) and its fertile ground was, and still is, lush with fruit and nut trees, such as its famous walnut trees.
Kritou Terra was home to the Dragoman Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, perhaps the most influential and powerful personality of the Greek Cypriot community in the early 19th Century. The Dragoman's function was to act as the interpreter in the Governor's Palace, treading a fine line between the Christian population, the Archbishopry and the Ottoman authorities.
Local Attractions
Kritou Terra is one of the five villages of the Laona Project, an initiative of rural regeneration through the restoration of traditional houses and agrotourism. For further information, please send an email to [email protected]
The charming village of Kritou Terra lies on the fringe of the Akamas Peninsula in North-western Cyprus. At an altitude of 450 metres, the village is tucked away into the hillside, from where it boasts fantastic views over the entire Troodos mountain range and Chrysochou Bay below. Apart from offering respite from the maddening tourist crowds along the coast, Kritou Terra is ideally situated, within half an hour's drive from Paphos town and just 15 minutes from the beaches of Latchi & Polis.
Village History
Kritou Terra features a host of fascinating stories of its past. It is said that the village dates back to the 7th Century, when the ever-flowing spring was first discovered. Due to the abundant supply of water, the once thriving village community enjoyed a high degree of self-sufficiency. Kritou Terra was the first village in the area to have electricity (hydropower!) and its fertile ground was, and still is, lush with fruit and nut trees, such as its famous walnut trees.
Kritou Terra was home to the Dragoman Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, perhaps the most influential and powerful personality of the Greek Cypriot community in the early 19th Century. The Dragoman's function was to act as the interpreter in the Governor's Palace, treading a fine line between the Christian population, the Archbishopry and the Ottoman authorities.
Local Attractions
Kritou Terra is one of the five villages of the Laona Project, an initiative of rural regeneration through the restoration of traditional houses and agrotourism. For further information, please send an email to [email protected]
