Ascent to the castle of Bufavento in Pentadakhtylos

The Salonica View team organizes a one-day hike to the Bufavento castle in Pentadakhtylos.

A few words about our route:

Our route will start from Nicosia and we will head towards the roadblock of SaintDometios. After about 1 hour we will reach the road that leads to the Castle. Just before we reach the parking lot of the Castle we will see on our left the church of Holy Mary Apsidiotissa. Immediately after we will face the castle which is located at an altitude of 945m. From there we will start our ascent to its top. At the top, we will have the opportunity to see the entire North Sea and we will immediately understand why this castle was of such strategic importance. Once we reach the top we will have time to rest and then start our descent. After the descent, we will board our bus and visit Kyrenia. There we will have free time to rest.

A few words about the Castle:

It was built by the Byzantines after consolidating their sovereignty over the island in the 11th century. It is located at an altitude of 954 meters. Its name is believed to have been given by the Franks in memory of the castle of Boufad in France. The castle was also called the Castle of Lions. The castle is connected to the tradition of Rigaina. According to her, it was built by a beautiful lady, Regina, who, however, had an evil heart and tortured the workers. When its construction was finished, she ordered her soldiers to throw the workers over the cliff so that they would not reveal the secrets of the castle, which they did. The inaccessible location of the castle and the rocky terrain of the area are the factors that determined the form of the complex, limiting its dimensions but at the same time making it one of the most effective and impregnable observatories on the island.

A few words about Holy Mary Apsidiotissa:

The monastery of the Holy Mary of Apsinthkiotissa is located in the mountain range of Pentadaktylos, a short distance from the village of Sighari in the province of Kyrenia and at a distance of 15 km north of Nicosia. It is located south of the Abbey of Bella - Pais and west of the Chrysostom Monastery and the Bufavento fortress. The monastery was dissolved already in the 18th century and gradually fell into ruins. It was built around 1100 and is one of the most important monasteries of the Byzantine period in Cyprus. According to local tradition, the monastery took its name from a bush, the wormwood that well covered the mouth of the cave in which a monk hid the icon of the Virgin to save it from the destructive fury of the iconoclasts. Years later when the icons were restored, the inhabitants of the surrounding area saw a strange light shining on this part of the mountain. They found the icon and built a monastery in the name of the Virgin Mary a little further down. It was celebrated on November 21.

Climbing information:

Altitude: 945m.

Ascent duration: 1-1.5 hours

Stairs: Close to 600

Difficulty level – 1 to 2 (easy to medium)

*** Relatively good physical condition is required

Cost of participation (per person):

25 euros/ per person

The price includes:

1. Escort and organization
2. Transportation by bus
3. Hiking
4. First aid box
5. Trainers specializing in outdoor activities

You must have with you:

1. Good sneakers or hiking boots (if you have them)
2. Hiking pants or leggings
3. Fleece or jacket, gloves, scarf, hat
4. Snack
5. Water
6. Backpack
7. Raincoat (required)
8. Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
9. Tissues, antiseptic
10. Trekking Pole(optional)
11. Camera (optional)
12. ID card

Note 1. When you click to make a reservation, state in the message where you will take the bus from.

Note 2. For the best functioning of the event and for safety reasons, participants must comply with the instructions of the attendants.

Note 3. In case of cancellation of the event due to bad weather conditions, the excursion is moved to another date. Participants unable to participate on that date will be refunded. However, if again the weather conditions do not allow the event to take place, the event is permanently canceled and everyone is refunded. In case of cancellation by the participants, 7 days or less before the date of the event, the money is not returned.

Note 4. Photographic material is shared on our page and social media after each event. By participating in a Salonica View event, you also accept the sharing of photos.Otherwise, as you inform us.