The Ineia–Akamas website is a newly developed digital platform that brings together the natural, cultural and geographical identity of one of the most remarkable regions of Cyprus. Covering the villages of the Laona plateau and the wider Akamas peninsula, the platform offers an integrated view of landscape, history, geology and local heritage.

Developed with the contribution of the geographers, cartographers and editors of SELAS, the project combines cartographic expertise, geographic documentation and digital mapping to create an accessible and educational experience for visitors, researchers and the local community.

A Digital platform for a unique region

The Ineia–Akamas area is a landscape of exceptional value, where traditional villages, protected nature and complex geology coexist within a relatively small geographical space.

The website serves as a central hub that presents:

  • The villages of the Laona plateau
  • The natural environment of the Akamas peninsula
  • Geological formations and landforms
  • Cultural heritage and traditions
  • Educational and historical material

By bringing all this information together in one digital environment, the platform enhances understanding of the region as a whole, rather than as separate points of interest.

The vision behind the project

The creation of the Ineia–Akamas website is based on a clear vision: to document and promote the region in a way that connects nature, culture and education.

The area is not only a popular destination for visitors, but also an important landscape for environmental awareness, scientific study and cultural preservation.

The platform aims to:

  • Support sustainable tourism
  • Promote environmental education
  • Preserve cultural memory
  • Strengthen local identity
  • Improve access to geographic knowledge

What the website covers

The Ineia–Akamas platform includes detailed information about:

Ineia village

The traditional settlement of Ineia with its own architectural character and cultural identity.

Akamas Peninsula

One of Cyprus’ most important natural areas, known for its biodiversity, coastal landscapes and protected ecosystems.

Geological landscape

The region features a wide variety of rock formations, including limestone, sandstone, marl and the distinctive formations of the Mamonia complex.

Cultural heritage

Traditional practices, agricultural life, local customs and historical continuity across generations.

Educational content

Material designed to support understanding of the relationship between humans and the natural environment.

SELAS Contribution

SELAS contributed to the development of the Ineia–Akamas project through:

  • Geographical documentation of the region
  • Historical and cultural research support
  • Cartographic production and mapping
  • GIS-based spatial representation
  • Development of the official Ineia village website

In addition, SELAS provided services for the creation of the Ineia–Lara Turtle Museum and Educational Centre, supporting the broader effort to preserve and promote the cultural and natural heritage of the area.

Through this work, SELAS helped transform complex spatial and historical data into accessible visual and digital formats that enhance public understanding of the region.

A Tool for Education and Sustainable Development

Beyond tourism, the Ineia-Akamas website functions as an educational resource.

It supports:

  • Schools and academic institutions
  • Researchers and geographers
  • Environmental organisations
  • Local authorities
  • Visitors interested in cultural exploration

By combining maps, descriptions and structured information, the platform encourages a deeper appreciation of the landscape and its long-term preservation.

Why This Project Matters

The Ineia-Akamas region is facing increasing pressures from development, environmental change and tourism activity. Digital documentation plays an important role in ensuring that its identity and value are preserved for future generations.

This project contributes to:

  • Digital preservation of cultural landscapes
  • Awareness of environmental sensitivity
  • Promotion of responsible tourism
  • Strengthening of regional identity

The official Ineia-Akamas website is now available online:

👉 https://ineia-akamas.com.cy/en/home-en/

Visitors can explore the villages, landscapes and cultural information of the region through an interactive and informative digital experience.

About SELAS

SELAS is a Cyprus-based company specializing in cartography, GIS, geospatial analysis and geographic documentation. Through projects involving digital upgrades of communities, SELAS continues to contribute to the documentation, interpretation and digital representation of Cyprus’ natural and cultural heritage.

The Ineia–Akamas website represents more than a digital archive. It is a living platform that connects geography, culture and education in one unified space.

By combining scientific mapping with cultural storytelling, the project highlights the importance of understanding place not only as a location, but as a living system shaped by nature and people over time.

The Project “Digital Upgrade of Communities aimed at showcasing cultural heritage, increasing visitor numbers, and offering authentic experiences,” announced by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Municipality of Akamas, has been completed. The project constitutes a comprehensive example of digital transformation in the fields of tourism and cultural management.

SELAS undertook the design and implementation of:

  • Interactive digital multimedia applications (multilingual).
  • Digital educational applications based on scientific data in biodiversity and paleontology.
  • Touch-based applications with content grounded in scientific research on ecology and the environment. For the first time, the biodiversity of the area is presented in a digital application through on-site documentation and geospatial visualization of all flora and fauna species.
  • Mapping of thematic routes (hiking & cycling routes) and creation of digital maps.
  • A web platform for the digital promotion of Laona and Akamas, featuring interactive maps and content based on primary research.

This project combines technology, geospatial analysis, and geographical and ecological documentation, linking innovation, geography, ecology, and culture, and contributing to smart and sustainable tourism.

The groundbreaking Polis-Latsi Sea and Culture Museum officially opened its doors to the public on September 2, 2025, showcasing Cyprus’s maritime history through the power of state of the Art technology.

Dedicated exclusively to the island’s maritime history and culture, with particular emphasis on the Akamas region, the Museum utilizes virtual and augmented reality, interactive exhibits, and multimedia projections, offering visitors a multidimensional, immersive journey into Cyprus’s maritime heritage.

The SELAS team had the honor of actively contributing to the realization of this project, undertaking the following:

  • Design of interactive maps for the Museum’s digital displays
  • Creation of printed wall maps, which adorn the “Mediterranean” Hall
  • Editing a regional guide, enriched with geographical, cultural, and historical information
  • Content writing for educational digital applications
  • Content writing for the Museum’s website
  • Scriptwriting for the films presented in the exhibition area

We are proud to have participated in such an important project that promotes and highlights the maritime history of Cyprus through a modern and innovative approach.

The Community of Pano Arodes, southeast of the Akamas Forest and in the middle of the Laona plateau, enjoys an enviable natural wealth, a rich geodiversity, unique landforms and a remarkable History and Cultural heritage.

For a better exploration of the village, we proceeded, in collaboration with the Community, with the design of three walking and cycling routes with suggested points of interest, inviting the visitor to learn about the unique natural and cultural wealth of the area.

Εκδόθηκαν τέλος έντυποι χάρτες των Διαδρομών για χρήση από τους επισκέπτες.

SELAS undertook the project of the mapping the “Aphrodite” Thematic Route and the design of the maps for the Information Center in the Community of Ineia, in Pafos.

​The thematic linear route “Aphrodite” has as starting point the Information Center in Ineia village and ends at “Alykou” geomorphological landform with a panoramic view towards Lara Bay and Lara beaches.  

It is a very pleasant route which passes among unique geomorphological landforms, Byzantine chapels, stone fountains and a rich flora and fauna. Hikers experience simultaneously the magnificent elevation of the plateau of Laona, at an altitude of about 550 meters and the beneficial effect of the sea.

The “Aphrodite” Thematic Route received a European Honorary Distinction being selected among 297 projects for the European Public Spaces Award.

​​The project was implemented by the Pafos District Administration, within the framework of the Cyprus’ Recovery and Resilience Plan, funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Following a long research and study of the archaeological findings discovered during the rescue excavations in the city of Larnaka, SELAS undertook, on behalf of the Larnaka Sewerage Board and with collaboration with Archaeologists of the Department of Antiquities, private archaeologists, experts from Larnaκa Sewerage Board and surveyor engineers, the mapping of the area of the archaeological findings. 

SELAS undertook the design of digital and printed maps which depict, for the first time the wealth of archaeological findings of the area and include ancient carved tombs, burial complexes and ancient architectural remains.

The above findings were unearthed and recorded in the field during the rescue excavations in the city of Larnaka, in view of the excavations carried out for the creation of the drainage system.

The Inia-Lara Turtle Museum and Education Center, is a pioneering project which falls under the Project “Equipment Supply and Provision of Configuration Services for the Turtle Education-Exhibition Center in Ineia Community”, Tender Notice: E.D.PAF.K.S 17/2021, which was financed by “National Resources”.

It was implemented by the Consortium for the Implementation of the Inia Turtle Museum – Architects and Partners.

It is a project of scientific research with a perfect museological design, which makes it the first specialized Museum in Cyprus, dedicated exclusively to the sea turtle. The modern museological approach, the quality and multifaceted components of the Museum’s exhibits, combined with the thematic interactive presentations, offer unique experiences, revealing lesser-known and unknown aspects of the world of turtles, but also of the wider region that hosts them.

The team of researchers and geographers of SELAS Center of Research and Studies and SELAS Publications undertook the scientific research, study and collection of necessary data, the writing of all texts presented on the touch screens, on the exhibits, films and information boards, the creation of the interactive applications of the museum, as well as the design and implementation of the educational interactive games of the Museum.

SELAS Cartographers undertook the mapping of all thematic digital and interactive maps presented in the Museum’s screens, such as detailed maps of the area, the design of a 3D detailed map of Akamas and Ineia, global and local thematic maps related to turtles and their distribution, etc.

Our team of editors have undertook the writing and publication of the printed Guide and an e-books for Ineia and the beaches of Lara that host the two species of turtle (the Loggerhead turtle and the Green turtle).

They also undertook the preparation of specially designed educational and environmental programs and digital applications, for students of Primary and Secondary Education, who will visit the Education Center.

The main purpose of the project is to highlight the natural heritage of the area, to promote eco-tourism, as well as to provide learning opportunities on a wide range of environmental issues, with the pedagogical goal of cultivating and strengthening a lifelong environmental consciousness.

SELAS undertook the mapping of the Community of Inia by creating a 3D illustrated map. The map depicts the topographical background of the area, the special architecture of the settlement as well as the religious, historical, and cultural monuments.

The land use and especially the vegetation and crops are particularly noticeable with the special colors used, which give the artistic style to the map. The points of interest which are an important part of the map are hand drawn and are based on their special characteristics.

The 3D illustrated map reflects the natural beauty of the village and is a useful tool for travelers to explore the area.

The modern Regional Information Center for Birds and Terrestrial Flora Akamas in the Community of Kathikas in Pafos district, falls under the project “PROCUREMENT OF EQUIPMENT/EXHIBITS/INFORMATION MATERIALS AND PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE REGIONAL INFORMATION CENTER FOR BIRD FAUNA AND TERESTRIAL FLORA” No. Tender: ED.PAF.K.S 15/2021.

The aim of the Project is to present the main species of Bird Fauna and Terrestrial Flora of Akamas Peninsula, world famous for its biodiversity, in the specially designed rooms of the Center, with the ultimate aim of informing and educating the public about the wealth of our natural heritage.

SELAS Publications participated in the Project by undertaking a long on the spot research of the physical and cultural wealth of Akamas. Our editors undertook the writing of the physical, historical, and cultural aspects of each community of Akamas, which are presented in the exhibits of the museum. They also prepared the context of the Center’s website https://akamasvisitorcentre.com/.

SELAS’ cartographers undertook the detailed mapping of the area, including road network, paths, and nature trails, as well as collection of all points of interest. Printed and digital maps have been produced and offered to visitors or displayed in special designed boards within the Community.

The Exhibition Center also serves as a place for education and scientific research, contributing to public awareness of the importance of protecting and properly managing the environmental wealth of the area.

SELAS undertook, on behalf of Tremithousa Municipal Council, the Project of mapping Tremithousa Community in Pafos District and the production of digital and printed maps.

The mapping included the recording of the road network as well as the points of interest within the village. The Maps also include an alphabetical listing of all streets within the Community’s administrative area. 

​The printed maps were placed in prominent places within the Community for the guidance of both locals and foreign visitors.

In addition, printed pocket size maps were designed for individual use in a simple and modern design.

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