The office of outdoor activities and sports tourism Salonica View organizes a trip to the legendary castle of Agios Hilarion in Pentadakhtylos, in occupied Kyrenia, in the occupied village of Belapais and in Alakati beach near Agios Ambrosios.
A few words about our visit:
We will start from Nicosia and head towards the roadblock of Agios Dometios. We will pass through the occupied village of Bogazi until we reach our first destination which is the Castle of Agios Hilarion. Then we will continue to our next destination which is Belapai's. Afterwards, we will get back on the bus and head to Kyrenia for our next stop. Then, we will continue along the sea coastline to reach our final destination which will be Alakati beach near Agios Ambrosios. There we will have time to rest and swim at the beach. From the beach, we will take the road to Kythrea which leads to Nicosia and the free areas.
A few words about the Castle of Saint Hilarion:
The castle of Saint Hilarion was built by the Byzantines in the 11th century AD. in a critical defensive position, as it is surrounded by inaccessible vertical rocks with only access on its southern side. The legend says that there the ruthless Rigaina threw the workers over the cliff so that they would not reveal the secrets of the fort. In recent years, the castle of Saint Hilarion was occupied by the Turks immediately after the start of the inter-communal riots of 1963, where there were military conflicts between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. Since 1974 and the Turkish invasion, the castle of Saint Hilarion has been under Turkish occupation.
A few words about Bellapais:
Belapais is one of the most beautiful villages on our island. It is located southeast of Kyrenia on a magnificent slope of the Pentadakhtylos mountain range, with an excellent view of the plain and the sea. Its narrow uphill streets lead to picturesque houses with musky gardens. The village takes its name from the famous Frankish monastery that dominates the village. This monastery, known as Belapais Abbey, was built at the beginning of the Frankish period by Frankish monks. The inhabitants of Belapais, along with other Kyrenia residents, who were trapped in the village after the Turkish invasion, were all expelled by the Turks in September 1976.
A few words about Kyrenia:
Kyrenia is one of the six cities of Cyprus and the capital of the province of the same name, one of the six provinces of the island. It is one of the ancient cities of Cyprus, as its name shows, which preserves the name of Kyrenia, the most ancient city of Achaia. It is actually two cities, "Kato Kyrenia" which extends around its small port, of very limited capabilities, and "Upper Kyrenia" which extends further south. Kyrenia is built on the northern coast of Cyprus, opposite the southern coast of Asia Minor, and behind it the impressive mountain range of Pentadaktylos.
A few words about Saint Ambrose:
Agios Ambrosios is a community in the province of Kyrenia in Cyprus. To the east, it borders with Kalogrea, to the southeast with Trypmeni, to the south with Agios Charitonas, to the southwest with Kornokipos, to the west with the Bank of Kyrenia and Klepini and to the east, south and west with Khartzia. The northern part of its administrative area is coastal. The village took its name from Saint Ambrose of Cyprus, to whom the village church was dedicated, which was built in 1910.
Cost of participation (per person):
20 euros/person
** Payment will be made on the bus (Ignore the automatic payment message you will receive).
The price includes:
Escort and organization
Transportation by bus
You must have with you:
ID card
Personal items
Snack
Water
Towel
Swimsuit
Note 1. When you click to book, a 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 attendants' instructions.
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 cancelled 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.
