Nata
Nata in Cyprus is a village in the province of Paphos and it is situated 19 kilometers east of the homonymous town, 66 kilometers northwest of Limassol and 128 kilometers southwest of Nicosia.
Built on the west bank of Xeros river (or Asprokremos) and on a slope of a small hill at an altitude of 230 meters, Nata is a beautiful village with many foreign residents (mostly English) who were mesmerised by the landscape and tranquility of the area and decided to move here. In addition to the grape vines that thrive here, local crops also include legumes, oranges, as well as many dairy products and honey.
The settlement consists of old stone-built restored mansions, some ruined houses and several new mansions and villas located around the old residential core. In fact, the oldest buildings follow the same architecture that is found in the neighboring and abandoned Phinikas, which flourished during the period of the Knights of the Templar. These houses are built entirely of stone and have a central entrance leading to an inner yard that was used as a stable for the horses, while an internal stone staircase led to the first floor where the rooms, the kitchen, the living room and the oven were located. Only here there were external windows and even those were very small, so that in the case of a hostile raid, these houses would turn into impenetrable fortresses.
All the infrastructure and the life of Nata are situated in its core, where are the paved square with the centenarian pine tree, as well as the important buildings of the village and its sights, such as the cultural center, the outdoor old olive mill and the community park. The Monument to the Fallen is dedicated to the two fighters Takis Christofides and Arestis Sergiou who gave their lives in the Turkish invasion of 1974.
The church of Agios Nikolaos on the east side of the square was renovated in 1993 and is a basilica with tiles of Byzantine style and was probably built at the end of the 19th century. The most impressive part of the church is the stone-made bell-tower with chiseled stone, constructed independently from the rest of the church.
Another religious point of interest is located 3 km northeast of the village and is the ancient chapel of Panagia Eleousa which was renovated in 2011.
The cave of the Saints Epiphanios, Chariton and Alexandros in the area of the hill “Moutti t’ ai- Bifani” (Peak of the Saint Epiphanios), is located on the main road from Axilou to Nata. The road constructions that took place at this point brought to light the back side of the cave, which is today its main entrance. The cave, located directly on the road, is dug in marble-like rock and resembles a carved tomb with a curved roof. According to sources, Saints Epiphanios, Chariton and Alexander were among the 300 Palestinian saints who fled to Cyprus and practiced here their religion.
In the community there is also a kindergarten for young children, while for the visitors who come to the area, the taverns of the village serve the famous kleftiko (lamb in the oven), exquisite appetizers and other meats.
One of the most important festivals in the region is the Papoutsosykos Festival of Nata, which has been organized for many years with great success, attracting people from the surrounding villages. The village of Nata, apart from Axylou, is also close to Eledio (7 km), Stavrokonou (6.5 km), Choletria (4 km) and Episkopi Paphou (5 km).
As a matter of fact, the new bridge of Xeropotamos, built in 2016 and connecting Choletria with Nata, helps in securing the transportation of locals in bad weather, but also improves transport in the isolated rural communities.