Built on the edge of a cliff, this small church is dedicated to Agioi Anargyroi. It dates from the 1950s and stands at Cavo Greco in Ayia Napa. Legend has it that in a cave just below, Saints Anargyroi — Kosmas and Damianos — once practised.
The icon that came back
In that cave there was an image of the Agioi Anargyroi, and after some time it went missing. Then a fisherman stopped to see what the commotion was about; hearing that an icon had been lost, he offered the one he had found at sea. It proved to be the very same icon. The church was built on the cliff edge to honour the saints and to house it.
This small white chapel with the blue roof celebrates on 1 July. It is a favourite for weddings — the setting does most of the work. On one side lie clear water and sand; on the other, the forest park.
The walk to the sea caves
A hiking trail with two routes starts at the church and ends at the sea caves — 4km in total, around an hour and a half. On the way you pass Kamara tou Koraka and the hard rock formations built up over millions of years, along with smaller caves and the flora and fauna of the area. You can also reach the cave itself by taking the steps down the path towards the beach; if you have time to swim, wear your swimming things underneath.
More sightseeing around Ayia Napa
Kamara tou Koraka
A limestone sea arch in the Cape Greco forest park, cut by the sea over millennia and reached on foot from the coastal path.
Cape Greco
A national forest park of sea caves, cliff jumps and trails between Ayia Napa and Protaras.
Ayioi Saranta Cave Church
The most unlikely church on the island — hidden inside a cave in rough ground near Profitis Elias, and easy to walk straight past.
Konnos Bay
A sheltered cove between two cliffs on the edge of Cape Greco park — glass water, pines to the sand.