Walk for Sophia for Children - April 1-4 2020
The Sophia Foundation Spring 2020 Walk that we designed constitutes a roughly 60-km long, four-day exploration on foot across a number of valleys and mountains in Paphos, and Limassol districts.
Natural Beauty and variety
The Sophia Foundation Spring 2020 Walk takes participants through some of the most beautiful scenery on the island : sparsely inhabited valleys like Xeros Potamos Valley (on the east slope of it - with the possibility of vulture spotting), Diarizos Valley, vineyards, forests, and rock formations on Troodos mountains.
Natural Beauty and variety
The Sophia Foundation Spring 2020 Walk takes participants through some of the most beautiful scenery on the island : sparsely inhabited valleys like Xeros Potamos Valley (on the east slope of it - with the possibility of vulture spotting), Diarizos Valley, vineyards, forests, and rock formations on Troodos mountains.
Rich Cultural heritage
The walk starts at Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge:
Other major cultural attractions on (or near) the itinerary include :
1) Panagia tou Sinti monastery in Xeros Potamos Valley (its repair in the 90s received the Europa Nostra award) - the itinerary passes a few km east and uphill of the monastery,
2) Picturesque villages (Salamiou, Trachypedoula, Arsos, Omodos)
3) Watermills
4) Close to another medieval bridge (Milia)
5) A number of monasteries/chapels (Holly Cross in Omodos, Apostle Philippos)
Day of Trip |
Distance in km |
Total ascent (m) |
Total descent (m) |
Average elevation (m) |
Day 1 - Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge - Trachypedoula village |
18 |
800 |
750 |
650 |
Day 2 - Trachypedoula to Arsos |
14 |
500 |
800 |
500 |
Day 3 - Arsos to Pano Platres |
19 |
950 |
600 |
900 |
Day 4 - Pano Platres to Troodos Squre |
12 |
900 |
350 |
1,550 |
The itinerary (summary)
Day 1 - Arrive at Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge and walk to Trachypedoula village
Day 2 -Trachypedoula through Diarizos valley to Arsos village
Day 3 -Arsos via Omodos village to Pano Platres village
Day 4 - Pano Platres via Caledonia Waterfalls trail and Persephone trail to Troodos Square - pickup and delivered to home city (in Cyprus)
Day 1 - Arrive at Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge and walk to Trachypedoula village
Day 2 -Trachypedoula through Diarizos valley to Arsos village
Day 3 -Arsos via Omodos village to Pano Platres village
Day 4 - Pano Platres via Caledonia Waterfalls trail and Persephone trail to Troodos Square - pickup and delivered to home city (in Cyprus)
Detailed Itinerary
At Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge - the start of the walking trip
On Day 2 initially travellers may have some time to explore the attractive village of Trachypedoula. In Trachypedoula one can find a Geology Wall, a recent construction showing geological formations in Troodos. The walk traverses Diarizos Valley. It goes close to Hasamboulia rocks, a narrow passage used in the 19th century by the infamous Hasamboulia gang (the place is lately used for rock climbing) as well as close to Trozena village. There is a spot on the way near Trozena that every other year usually, for a few weeks in spring, waterfalls (called Paradise Waterfalls) appear out of nowhere. A good part of the day's route takes place inside vineyard land. The trip ends at stone built medieval Arsos village. 
Medieval Apostle Philip chapel - between Arsos and Omodos village
The Day 4 route ascends the south slope of Troodos Forest. After initially climbing the scenic Caledonia Waterfalls trail (crossing the stream a few times, some times on wooden bridges and sometimes in the absense of any), walkers go east on a dirt road (enjoying at stretches views towards the coast of Limassol), before reaching Troodos Square via another nature trail, Persephone. The walkers are picked up at Troodos Square after a deserved coffee break. |
On Day 1 the walk starts from Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge and initially continues west, on the Medieval Bridges trail, inside the Paphos Forest. At some point the route continues high on the east slope of Xeros Potamos Valley. Walkers walk through forest, vineyards and almond orchards. They pass through the villages of Ais Yiannis and Salamiou (possibility to visit Salamiotissa monastery). Towards the end of the walk the travellers enjoy views both of Xeros Potamos Valley (at some point they can see Panagia tou Sinti monastery from a distance and mostly of Diarizos Valley. 
Stone-built Arsos village
On Day 3 the route takes walkers initially through prime vineyard land and then through a pine forest in the district of Limassol. It passes by the medieval Apostle Philip chapel (with its ancient laurel tree as belfry), close to wineries, through Omodos village with its historic monastery, Mandria village and finally ascends to Pano Platres village (a major tourist destination in Cyprus in the last century) on the way passing close to Milia medieval bridge.
View from Persephone trail
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