“Enjoys a fairly attractive mountainside setting,” says the Cyprus Topology, and thus, dammed with faint praise, the magnificent ranges of this area are consigned to the dusty shelves of the Limassol public library.
In fact Kellaki, almost at the summit of Koryphi B and Prastion, looking out over the upper Yermasoyia Valley into the Arkapas fault zone, enjoy what must be on of the best settings on the island.

Changing light conditions and weather produce some amazing affects on a serrated skyline that stretches from Troodos and Papousta to the Makheras. In flat light if can be lake a theatre backdrop, in bad weather a somber brooding presence, with high peaked ridges fading into veils of mist and curtains of hail.

Whatever the weather the views in all directions are superlative and the walking, even in the rain, is good as the stony lavas and plutonics lack the clinging propensities of the coastal chalks and marls. Even before the walking starts there is the drive in, and for this alone an excursion to Prasio will be well rewarded.

You have three choices of road from Limassol, through the rough metalled track from Phinikaria, passing neat the summit of Kyparisha, showing distinct signs of wear after the winter’s rains, might be best attempted by four wheeled drive. The other two, via Pareklisha and by Akrounda to Dhierona are good tar sealed roads, both spectacular switchbacks, taking you into the mountains by a series of incredible hairpin bends.

The walk can thus be combined with a round trip by car that would rival many an alpine route way. The recommended way is Pareklisha, Kellaki, Ephtagonia, Arakpas, and Dhierona. Doing the circuit this way the parking place above Kellaki gives you the first view of the panorama.

There are some seats from which you can indulge in an Olympian view of the Kellaki backed by the Arakapas rift and the Makheras range behind. The origins of the village go bake a long way. There are some suggestions of hermits living in small caves in the area as long ago as the third century A.D.

Walk down into the village taking the first left after the restaurant. This is a short cut, taking you past a tiny church and graveyard onto the sealed road that leads to Prastio. The road descends gently for about two kilometers to the village. You will soon see Prastion up ahead with the pine-covered slopes of the Limassol forest way beyond and Dhierona perched on the side of its distinctive hill.

Seats have been set st the roadside, according to Cypriot custom and practice, facing the road and away from the views. It is too soon to start thinking of resting anyway, so pass on down through the narrow village streets.

A short detour will take you to the interesting white-arched church, then return to the road, which soon becomes a dirt road. Ignore the concrete track leading up to the left and various other minor side roads and continue on what is obviously the main track.

Various evidence of agricultural enterprise may be found on either side; small almond and citrus groves, a hen shed and a collection of large browsing ruminants sporting the fine shining coats for which the animals of the region are noted. Their appearance is impressive but their unmistakable miasma betrays them as common goats.

Soon you will come to the signposted road to Phinikaria, which climbs past some diggings, soon leveling out to give good views across to Dhierona and Limassol forest and back the other way to Prastion itself. A further gentle incline leads up through cuttings in heavily dyked igneous rock to a level area with a collection of mesh fabric green houses, some the worse for wear.

The road to Phinikaria snakes off ahead round the forested flanks of Kyparisha. Follow this for a little way, taking the second left to find pleasant walking through scrub and scattered pines, with occasional small cultivated patches. Soon the track divided, the left branch leading through a deep cutting. The village can be seen far below and can be reached through the bondu.

A few hundred meters before the village is reached a rough road takes off up to the right. This follows a serpentine route through scrub and scattered bushes, leading to a high level route back to Pavele Restaurant near which is the parking place.