Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour – Forgotten Worlds Beneath the Sun

For thousands of years, Cyprus was the beating heart of the ancient copper world. A land whose red earth and shimmering ores shaped civilizations across the Mediterranean. Today, the traces of this immense history lie scattered in the landscape like open secrets: abandoned mine pits glowing in surreal colours, silent processing plants reclaimed by wild nature, forgotten tunnels carved deep into the rock, and a landscape where human ambition once burned as fiercely as the Cypriot sun.

On our Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour, you explore these haunting remnants of a bygone era. Vast open mines shine in vibrant reds, oranges and golds, cliffs display surreal mineral patterns and iron caps, and lake basins shimmer in dramatic hues.

These lands feel both ancient and strangely futuristic, like walking on the surface of an undiscovered planet.

Your Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour – Forgotten Worlds Beneath the Sun

Your private Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour begins with a journey deep into the forgotten industrial heart of the island. Copper was once the lifeblood of Cyprus, shaping its name, its trade and its destiny. The remnants of that era still lie scattered across remote valleys, dusty tracks and windswept plateaus — haunting, beautiful and full of stories.

As we explore the abandoned mine sites, you stand at the edges of immense open pits where mineral-rich cliffs glow in colours too vivid to be believed. Sunlight transforms the slopes into palettes of rust-red, deep orange, bright yellow and metallic black. In some places, collapsed entrances hint at old tunnels descending into darkness; in others, the land has softened, letting grasses and shrubs take root where machinery once roared.

One of the most striking moments of the tour is the visit to the Red Lake of Mitsero, a place so intensely coloured that it seems unreal. Rich minerals dissolved in the water give the lake its deep, dark crimson tone, creating an atmosphere that feels simultaneously mystical and unsettling. The Red Lake is one of Cyprus’ most photographed Lost Places — not because of tragedy, but because of its surreal, elemental beauty and its powerful connection to the island’s mining past.

From here, the Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour continues toward additional abandoned copper mines, such as the ancient Mathiatis Mine, where gossans (iron caps) glow brightly in the sun and gypsum crystals shimmer along the paths. Depending on the water level, you may see the entrances to old tunnels carved into the walls below. Standing on the upper ledges, you gain a clear sense of the immense effort once required to extract copper, gold and silver from the earth.

Further along our Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour route lies the historic Skouriotissa Mine, an extraordinary site believed to be one of the oldest continuously operated mines in the world. Its story spans ancient empires, modern industrial ambitions and political division. Even though many of its seams were exhausted decades ago, the mine remains a symbol of Cyprus’ deep connection to copper, industry and resilience.

Throughout the tour you will notice how nature is slowly reclaiming the land — healing scars, covering forgotten machines with wild herbs and transforming man-made wounds into new ecosystems. Abandoned worker settlements, deserted buildings and forgotten processing areas add a melancholic, atmospheric layer to the experience.

The Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour is ideal for travellers who seek the extraordinary: explorers fascinated by industrial archaeology, photographers drawn to surreal landscapes, and anyone who wants to witness Cyprus beyond beaches and cities — raw, powerful and real.

Have a look for more pictures to our gallery for the Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour

Please note

• We will pick you up at your hotel or arrange a meeting point with you about 8:30. We will then take you on a tour to your private Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour without the stress, hectic pace and time pressure of other guests.
• Our Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour with you is very personal, because this event is only for you and your family, partner or friends that you book in. Don’t worry, we won’t tell you any novels about the historical buildings, we’ll just give you some information and give you time to take in the impressions and / or take photos.
• Please choose comfortable shoes and clothing that are suitable for untouched nature on your Cyprus Copper Mines Lost Places Tour.
• All in all, the tour lasts between 4 and 4,5 hours.

Our special service for you:

We will be happy to pick you up from your hotel free of charge if you are staying in the Agia Napa – Protaras – Paralimni region, or in Larnaca Destrict
(e.g. Oroklini – Pyla – Livadia – Larnaca City). Pick up is also possible for more distant routes, but we will then charge a small surcharge.

We are happy to accept your booking by email. Or book now using our online booking form. We will take care of the rest and look forward to seeing you.

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