Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
Valletta has two nice public parks located facing the harbor: the Lower Barraka Gardens and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Especially from the upper ones you can enjoy good views on the Grand Harbour, the fort St. Angelo and the Three Cities. It is located on the St. Peter and Paul bastion and contains different memorials and artworks, for example honoring Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill.
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The capital city of Malta is a special one: mostly car free, located on a large headland in the harbor, surrounded by large ancient walls and connected by ferry boats to the cities around it. Valletta is named after Jean de la Vallette, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta that erected the city. We all know their unique Maltese cross and the organization that still exists today.
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The castle of Λάρνακα is just a small castle directly at the sea, but it is a nice photo spot, especially in the evenings. First fortifications in this area go back to the 12th century CE, but the city and the castle gained importance in medieval times and where enhanced and fortified when the Republic of Genoa conquered the north of the island, and the harbor of Famagusta was lost.
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The story of Lazarus of Bethany is well-known: according to the bible he was a close friend of Jesus. After he had died Jesus came to his grave and called him back to life. What happened afterwards is not documented in the bible, but there are different legends: one says that Lazarus lauter became the bishop of Λάρνακα.
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When you’re at Αγία Νάπα in the east of Cyprus it is a promising idea to enjoy the sunset at the end of the island, the Cape Greco. The final land’s end is unfortunately covered by a British radar station, but you can explore rocky areas, beaches and grottos located west of it.
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One of the most beautiful places in the Turkish sector of Λευκωσία is the Büyuk han, the great inn. When the Ottomans took over power from the Venetians they created a caravanserai in the city. It is a rectangular building giving a home to travelers and merchants. Today you’ll find different restaurants inside and can enjoy lunch in this ancient environment.
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When you look at ancient maps and images of Λευκωσία, you can see a large church in the center of the city boundaries marked by the Venetian walls protecting the city: the Cathedral of Saint Sophia. It was built from the year 1209 on and the Knights Templar supported the creation during the crusades. The kings of Cyprus were crowned there during the existence of their kingdom (1192 to 1489 CE).
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There are many fantastic UNESCO world heritage sites around the world but the Panagia tis Asinou might be my most favorite one – because it is so surprising and so high in contrast to its surroundings. When you arrive at this place belonging to Νικητάρι you’re at the end of the world with nothing else than forests, green fields, and mountains. And then there is a barn made of stone surrounded by a low stone wall.
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The Troodos mountains close to mount Olympos are a wonderful green area that in winter is used for skying. The village Troodos itself is a special one: nobody is officially living there, but it is always crowded. In summer, many trails invite you to a long hike and the different waterfalls in this area are often the final destination.
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Within the Troodos mountains of Cyprus, you can find a special UNESCO World Heritage Site. In fact, it is a combination of different small sites, of painted small churches distributed throughout the mountains. One of them is the Archangelos Michail at Πεδουλάς, a small church that could easily be overlooked as it looks like a barn. And that is probably the reason why the paintings survived over time: it is a well-hidden church.
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