Upon searching for the sources of the Diarizos river, you will be taken to some of the most beautiful valleys that exist in Cyprus. Starting from Kouklia of Paphos and going on for about forty kilometres north, you will be able to see, admire and observe beautiful and unique ecosystems. This is the Valley of Diarizos, or the south part of the Valley of Platy.
From the Venetian bridge of Tzielefos and for another eight kilometres, is the North part of the Valley of Platy. This part of the valley has beauty that is only found in tropical forests to offer you.
Upon continuing north of Tzielefos, in a distance of a kilometres, you will find the poing where the two rivers join and create Diarizos with their connection, thus forming two valleys, the east and the west.
The east valley ends north of the village of Kaminaria, after it divides into two. The second part ends up north of the village of Tris Elies and the river that flows into the valley, sources from the “recess” of the mountain peak that divides the valley of Platy from the valley of Marathasa.
The valley on the west is the one we will talk to you about. A dirt road next to the river that runs all year round, covers the distance of eight kilometres. In the valley itself the aquatic trees dominate, mainly platanus and alders, that try to overcome the Cypresses that upon seeing them, you have the impression that their height is infinite.
On your way you shall see dozens of sources whose water gushes mainly from the base of the vertical mountain, and after it crosses the dirt road it joins with the river.
Halfway of your journey, at the point “Parekklisoui” a very beautiful surprise is waiting for you. A tap with cold, potable water will refresh you. In the meanwhile, a little north, the valley divides into two and this is its turning point. If you take the road that goes straight, you will end up in the village of Milikouri, through a landscape that quickly and progressively “loses” its interest and its beauty. If on the contrary you take the road going left and you cross the river, the valley continues being beautiful and it takes you to the picnic area of “Komititzi”. From there on, continue going north if you wich to find the sources that “fill” the riverbed of Diarizos.
Even though the part of the valley of Platy from the Venetian bridge of Tzielefos until the picnic area of “Komititzi” is one of the most beautiful journeys, very few Cypriots know about it. However thousands of visitors of the island tend to know it, since it is widely used by the organised safari trips for tourists.
The whole journey that covers about eight kilometres is accessible by all types of cars during summer months, and it is relatively smooth, without any particular fluctuations in altitude. During winter, things change dramatically, since the river overflows and floods the dirt road, and at some points it “vanishes”.
In order to be able to understand how many the journey through the valley of Platy has to offer, we covered the distance of eight kilometres in 4 hours, not because the journey is difficult, but because at some points you have to walk if you want to have a complete perception of image and sound. The whole ecosystem with its heavenly beauty “challenges” you and “provokes” you to take pictures of it.
You want to capture each tree, each sound into your camera, either this comes from the water hitting the Gabbros viciously, or it comes from the thousands of sweet singing birds that you find all over the valley.
Upon searching for the sources of the Diarizos river, we discovered a Paradise on earth. We discovered the Valley of Platy. The valley that only a few years ago was going to be transformed into a dam because the government of Cyprus wanted to do so. We thank all the activists that fought to cancel the plans of the government of the period, thus giving us such a beautiful landscape.
Visit and enjoy the valley with respect to its “settlers”, either they are animals or flowers. The valley is surveilled by men of the Department of Forests.
