Fyti

Fyti is one of the most famous villages in the province of Paphos, situated 26 kilometers northeast of the homonymous city, 80 kilometers northwest of Limassol and 173 kilometers southwest of Nicosia.

A beautiful settlement at the top of a plateau at an altitude of 680 meters and amidst a magical natural environment with ancient oak trees, grain crops, vegetables and fruit trees, Fyti with the approximately 50 permanent residents enjoys an exceptionally dry climate with plenty of cool breezes in the summer. The picturesque and tranquil settlement is “decorated” with the flower gardens and the vineyards of the stone-built houses with the tiled roofs and the traditional buildings.

Fyti, which is also known as Foiti, has existed since the Frankish rule as a feudal land, and was thus named due to the many plants (fyto in Greek means plant) that surround the community. In the 19th century, Fyti became a spiritual and educational center, as the children of the surrounding villages attended here as well, hence the second version of the community name (Foiti from the Greek word foito – attend school).

The village, which preserves the traditional folk architecture, is considered one of the most beautiful not only in the province of Paphos but also in the whole of Cyprus, while at the same time it is historically the main textile center of the province. As a constituent element of the tradition and landmark for the economic development of the region in the past centuries, weaving flourished during the Middle Ages and especially during the rule of the Lusignan kings (1192-1489). One of the most important occupations of the women on the island of Aphrodite, weaving made Fyti well known and the woven textiles made in the village, known as “Fytiotika Yfanta (textiles of Fyti)”, are distinguished for the variety of their designs, but also for the rich and lively colors of their formalized linear themes taken from local life, the rural environment, the animal and the plant kingdoms. This local form of art may be disappearing as the years go by, but the Museum of Textile and Folk Art of Fyti preserves this traditional form of handicraft, making it the most important point of interest for the visitor. Opposite, in the Textiles and Painting Exhibition, visitors can see the loom with its accessories or buy woven textiles made by the women in the community.

Next to the famous museum visited by many Cypriots and foreigners to admire the creations of the Cypriot home craftsmanship, there is the bust of the community benefactor Konstantinos Fotidis who, at his own expense, irrigated the region. Around the bust, there is the paved square with pots of colorful flowers, a stone spring with two drinking fountains and a preserved old olive mill. Opposite the square dominates the main church of the village, Agios Dimitrios, a 19th century building (1857) with the imposing stone-built bell tower and the two bells. Other landmarks in the area are the forestry department house, a restored building used as a cultural center, and the Oak of Akrikous (a centenarian oak which has been declared a monument and the Department of Forestry has been taking care of and maintaining it) just outside of the village and at a spot with spectacular views.

Once the tour of the village has been completed, the visitor can drink his coffee or enjoy local meals at the taverns within the community. Near Fyti and in the surrounding villages, there are rooms, luxurious guest houses and traditional houses for rent.