reasons to come
Why This House and What We Love About It
- The View. There’s something special about how the stone house blends into the landscape, with the movement of birds in front of the house and the life of the pastoral valley, along with the changing seasons and agricultural crops along the stream.
- Surprising Proximity to the airport, the city of Paphos, and the beaches. You can experience a different world of quiet and tranquility while still being so close to the city and bustling tourist centers.
- The flight takes just about an hour, and the house in Episcopi is about a 20-minute drive from the airport. Accessible and easy for a weekend getaway.
- The layout of the house allows for comfort with family or friends; there’s space for everyone to be together or apart. At the same time, the house is cozy enough to enjoy alone, completely by yourself. A feeling of safety.
- Cyprus is considered one of the safest countries in the world in terms of personal security, and that feeling is present. The quaint and pleasant village also allows for a solo vacation in safety and relaxation.
- The coffee shop is just a few minutes up the mountain; you can always pop in for a snack or sit and drink Cypriot coffee while enjoying the view with locals.
- You can head straight from the house for walks and trails in nature or in the picturesque village.
- There are places to dip in the water along the stream.
- The area is full of taverns, cafes, good restaurants, beaches, wineries, and charming villages.
Where can you Walk to from the House?
- As mentioned, just a few minutes’ walk away is the village coffee shop, with a lovely atmosphere and view. There are times when village veterans sit there and chat. There’s also a restaurant under construction down the village.
- From the coffee shop, a narrow, steep street winds up to the church on the cliff, where you can overlook the village from above – a beautiful viewpoint.
- From the house, you can walk to the environmental botanical information center of the nature reserve, which shows a film and has an elaborate display of local flora and the geology of the valley and stream.
- There’s a relaxing circular walking trail along the mountain that eventually descends and returns by the stream. It takes about two to two and a half hours of walking. Trail maps are available at the botanical center, and there’s one waiting for you at the house as well.
- There’s another longer trail, about five hours of walking, that ascends from the village over the ridge and reaches a neighboring village called Kalpia.
- You can set out for a free walk down the path and then explore the area around the stream and orchards—great for morning walks.
- Near the coffee shop, there’s a bus stop that goes to the city of Paphos, to the restored tourist area.
- Close to the coffee shop is the village cliff park, which includes a small amphitheater for festive events or local performances. If you suddenly hear a loud shout, you might see someone rappelling with a guide from the cliff…
The Story of the House
In 2019, I decided to fly and look at houses for sale in Portugal, Italy, and Crete. For a long time, I searched for a quiet corner with a view and inspiration. A friend who purchased and renovated in Cyprus sent me photos and invited me to see what she had done. The photos intrigued me. In March 2020, I traveled with her, stayed, and marveled at the wonderfully sweet house she created from a ruin.
But after a full day of touring village houses for sale in the area, the dramatic news landed: the first COVID lockdown was starting, and Israel was closing. I had to return immediately, facing two years of COVID.
I was left with a taste for more Cyprus, and after a few months, I received pictures of one of the houses in Episkopi that was for sale. I hesitated for about six months, then took the plunge and bought it—amid lockdowns, sometimes in Israel and sometimes in Cyprus, I flew to Cyprus for renovations. The house had no electricity, no glass windows, no running water, or air conditioning, and the kitchen was not usable. But the stone walls, half a meter thick, the wooden windows, arches, and stone niches, combined with the view and the atmosphere of the village, captured my heart.
