Agios Nikolaos Paphou

Agios Nikolaos Paphou is a village in the province of Paphos in Cyprus and it is situated 47 kilometers northeast of the homonymous city, 45 kilometers northwest of Limassol and 100 kilometers southwest of Nicosia.

Built at an altitude of 750 meters among wild mountainous vegetation and vineyards, apple trees, pear trees, peach trees and other fruit trees, Agios Nikolaos Paphou belongs to the ambelochoria (wine-producing villages) of the island that flourished until the 1970s with the main variety cultivated being that of the black grapes. Inside the beautiful settlement there are small buildings of the local traditional architecture with wooden doors and well-kept courtyards, old drinking fountains surrounded by plane trees, pine trees and cypress trees. The beautiful square of the village constitutes the living center of the area, while its main church is dedicated to the homonymous Saint Nicholas. The small temple is a stone-built building of Byzantine style and was built at the beginning of the Ottoman domination with local stone. Today it has been restored by the Department of Antiquities and it is one of the ornaments of the community.

A Turkish Cypriot village with few Greek Cypriot residents until 1960, Agios Nikolaos Paphou was a refuge for the refugees who arrived here after the Turkish invasion of 1974. The last Turkish Cypriots moved to the occupied northern areas of the island and in their place came the displaced Greek Cypriots. In the area still stands the mosque – a reminder of the past of the place. For those who want to stay in the village, there is the camping site “Agios Nikolaos”, while for local mezedes and homemade food the tavern of the village satisfies even the most demanding gourmets.

One of the most important nature attractions in Agios Nikolaos Paphou and also throughout Cyprus, is the famous Venetian Bridge of Tzelefou, the largest medieval bridge on the island that attracts thousands of locals and foreigners throughout the year. The bridge with its sharp bow has an opening of 10.70 meters and almost the same width, while it is located in a magnificent location dominated by the green colors of the high plane trees and beneath it flow the waters of Diarizos river all year round.

Together with the Elia bridge and the Routhkia bridge, they belong to a cluster of bridges built to serve the commercial needs and movements of the inhabitants as the only way connecting the villages of the west bank (Milikouri, Vretsia, Agios Ioannis) with the villages of the eastern bank (Agios Nikolaos Paphou, Kaminaria, Treis Elies).

Also, the Tzelefou bridge, along with the previous two, is a part of the so-called “kamilostrata” (meaning “the road of the camels”), the main commercial copper transport route from the Pera Pediou mine to the port of Paphos. The transfer was made by camels to Pera Vasa, where the ore was processed and from there was transferred by horses to the harbor.

Also, the visitor who likes hiking should definitely follow the Venetian Bridges Path of Nature that offers a unique experience.