Mathias Falcone takes us on a visual tour around the beautiful Cypriot village of Pano Lefkara.
Located in inland Cyprus, about 650m above sea level, the village of Pano Lefkara has been situated right here for several centuries, observing Byzantine, Venetian, British and Ottoman Empires occupying mainland Cyprus one after another until recent independence days. Today, further to a 20th Century of political struggles and local migrations, Lefkara counts 1,000 stable inhabitants and has been put on the touristic map thanks to its incredibly well-preserved heritage.
The village is known for its lace (‘Lefkarito’) and silver work. The former is
UNESCO-recognised and gained huge popularity in East Asia, resulting in more tourist streams from Japan and surroundings than anywhere else. What’s most beautiful, silversmiths and craftspeople can be seen at work while strolling around the typical narrow streets forming the village. Windows are kept wide open and shop owners sits outside their stores on stools and benches, like in the old days.
Approach everyone freely: the locals are incredibly friendly and will gladly tell you as much as you wish about history and secrets of their home village and products.
No surprise if some house doors are open too: you can easily find yourself invited for a coffee by a local chilling by the porch. Cat lovers have one more reason to visit: the village counts more felines than people, like the rest of Cyprus, and they contribute a lot to the quiet atmosphere one can breath around town.
Walking through Lekfara is pure sensory pleasure: cobblestones, original
architecture and pastel colours make a visitor’s experience unique regardless of how many Mediterranean towns one has already visited. History and heritage are embedded into brick walls and shapes defining every building, from the smallest home to museum and churches. Nothing has been staged or prepared for visitors: things are as they’ve always been, built and preserved over generations.
Check out more inspirational travel photography by Mathias over at his website, MathiasFalcone.com.
And, of course, discover more travel destinations right here.