A wide-angle shot of a crumbling stone house with nature reclaiming the ruins – perhaps from Souskiou or Fikardou.
Cyprus is known for its sun-drenched beaches and lively towns, but tucked away in its hills and valleys lie villages time has quietly forgotten. These abandoned villages are hauntingly beautiful — places where crumbling houses, silent churches, and overgrown paths whisper stories of lives once lived.
Souskiou (Paphos District)
Once a vibrant Turkish Cypriot village, Souskiou is now a ghost settlement near the Diarizos River. Visitors can walk among skeletal homes and rusted gates, imagining the rhythms of everyday life that once filled its narrow streets.
Melandra (also Paphos District)
Melandra was abandoned following the events of 1974. Its empty buildings and collapsed roofs are slowly being reclaimed by the earth. The melancholy silence here is striking — a powerful reminder of the island’s complex history.
Fikardou (Nicosia District)
Though partly restored, Fikardou offers a different kind of ‘abandonment.’ This village was declared a national monument, and while no one lives there full time, its 18th-century architecture and museum-like stillness give a window into traditional Cypriot mountain life.
Agios Sozomenos (Nicosia District)
A war-scarred village east of Nicosia, Agios Sozomenos stands frozen in time. The ruined Gothic-style church of Agios Mamas is particularly photogenic, especially at golden hour.
Why Visit?
These villages are more than relics — they are open-air time capsules. They offer unique opportunities for photography, historical reflection, and even peaceful solitude. Walking through them is like stepping into another era, untouched by the modern world.
Travel Tips:
Respect the sites — many structures are unstable.
Visit during daylight for safety and the best photo lighting.
Combine your trip with nearby villages that are still inhabited for food and local insights.
Cyprus’ abandoned villages invite you to slow down and listen — not to voices, but to silence, wind, and memory. A different kind of beauty awaits in these forgotten corners of the island.