Troodos
Region: South Cyprus
Pine-forested mountains with painted Byzantine churches, a great monastery, waterfalls and wine villages, cool when the coast is hot.
The Troodos mountains fill the centre-west of the island and rise to 1,952 metres at Mount Olympus, its highest point. In summer they are ten degrees cooler than the coast; in winter there is often enough snow on Olympus to ski. The whole range is a UNESCO Global Geopark.
The painted churches
Ten small Byzantine churches and monasteries in the Troodos valleys are on the World Heritage list for their wall paintings, some dating from the 11th century. From the outside many look like barns under steep wooden roofs; inside, every surface is painted.
Kykkos and the trails
Kykkos Monastery, founded around 1100, is the richest monastery in Cyprus, with an icon of the Virgin said to be painted by St Luke and a museum of treasures. Nature trails run through the pine forest from Troodos square, and the short Caledonia trail follows a stream to a waterfall.
Villages and wine
Mountain villages such as Kakopetria, Platres and Omodos have stone houses, small hotels and tavernas serving trout and grilled meats. On the southern slopes, local wineries make wine from native grapes; many are open for tastings.
