Skarinou

Skarinou is a village in the Larnaca District, situated some 32 kilometers southwest of Larnaca, 53 kilometers southeastern of Nicosia and 42 kilometers northeast of Limassol.

The settlement, which was probably founded in Byzantine times, was named Skarinou according to two possible versions. The first speaks of the name’s corruption since the Frankish rule, as it is listed on old charts like Scharino and S. Harino (the letter S means Saint and probably refers to St. Haritone of the Byzantine era). The second version of the historian Nearchos Clerides indicates that the name came from the name or property of the first settler of the area, assuming that he was called Scarinos (a shepherd who scarize the sheep, that is, bringing them to night grazing).

Situated at an altitude of 190 meters above sea level, among beautiful mountainside landscapes, that consist of a unique to Cyprus stone, Skarinou is a small picturesque settlement with uphill paved alleys and houses built and restored by this stone, maintaining its traditional architecture. The privileged spot of the village gives Skarinou its great climate, which has attracted the interest
of many foreigners and Cypriots who have bought land to build their country houses here in recent years. Today’s large residential development, traditional houses with newly built apartments, rich Cypriot nature and taverns, as well as the development of agrotourism with the accommodation in the village make Skarinou an ideal destination for the visitor who will come to this area.

As an old settlement, it has a rich history, and it became known all over Cyprus for its station, the Skarinou Station, located on the old street of Limassol – Nicosia. In the early 1900s, the Cypriot merchants, travelers and pilgrims traveling to Limassol and Paphos, stopped at this famous oasis of coolness with eucalypti, pines, acacias and cypresses in order to rest and eat. The station fell to misuse in the 1980s when the new highway was opened.

Panagia Odigitria, the main church of the village, which is visible from everywhere in the area and celebrates on September 8th, along with the chapels of Agios Georgios (it operates twice a year, Monday of the Easter and on April 23, when it is celebrated with the litany of the Holy Icon of the Saint) and the Apostle Luke (celebrated on 18 October), are the religious sights for anyone who arrives in the village. The old drinking fountain is situated at the center of the community, while the Environmental Information Center of Mountainous Larnaca informs visitors about the nature of the area. The FATSA Wax Museum, the Reforestation Park as well as several local traditional businesses such as the two cheese dairies or the largest donkey farm in Cyprus producing donkey milk, the Golden Donkeys Farm, are some of the points of interest that also highlight the local identity of the area. As a matter of fact, in 2014, the first donkey festival took place in the village. In Skarinou, embroidery of the Lefkarian style, the world-famous Lefkaria embroidery, is available in the small shops of the village and is a component of the tradition of Cyprus. The approximately 350 permanent residents are engaged in crops cultivation, olive trees and agrotourism.