Achna Travel Guide, Cyprus

Achna, Travel Guide – General Presentation

Cyprus is one of the biggest islands in the Mediterranean, being considered one of the most beautiful too. However, besides the more famous Nicosia Sights, or Larnaca Sights, you should save some time in order to visit another place on this wonderful island.

The Achna Dam is situated to the north-west of Larnaca, right near the border between the southern Cyprus and the northern Turkish area. Before the Turkish invasion in 1974, Achna was a village populated only by Greeks. However, after the above mentioned event the entire village was destroyed. Nevertheless, the Greeks built another village a few hundred meters away from their destroyed homes. Now, Achna is considered to be an UN buffer zone between the southern and the northern Cyprus.

As you can see, besides the vestiges of the ancient Greek civilization you can find in any small village, you can actually get in touch with the more recent history.

Achna, Travel Guide – Places to Visit

Unlike other places in Cyprus, the beauty of the Achna Travel Guide resides not in the village itself but in its surroundings. Even if you cannot sunbath on the shore of the Achna Dam, you can simply admire the nature surrounding you. Since this area became recently an important wetland, it is now the breeding site of some very beautiful and gracious birds –the black-winged stilt and the spur-winged plover, and also the holyday home for numerous migratory birds. However, you can also relax by going fishing – you can find up to 16 fish species.

Nevertheless, if you really want to do something out of the ordinary when reading Achna Travel Guide, you should definitely try the donkey safari. This excursion is organized by the ARGONAFTIS Animal Park and it would be a very interesting way of spending a day. On your arrival at the park, located near the Achna village, you will be greeted with some local delicacies, such as the halloumi cheese and the famous Zivania liquor. Afterwards, you can take a tour of the park in order to see what animals found shelter in there. Of course, the donkeys will be the primary attraction – each tourist will be given one donkey to ride to the 14th century church of Agios Georgios “Teratsiotis”. After you return to the park, a Cyprus traditional feast will be waiting for you, a dinner accompanied by Greek and Cypriot music and dancing – who hasn’t heard of the famous sirtaki?

Now, since you have visited the magnificent scenery of the Achna Dam and you went on a donkey safari in the ARGONAFTIS Animal Park, you can move on to visiting other places in Cyprus.