Kalopanayiotis

Kalopanayiotis sits on the slopes of the Marathasa valley above sulphur springs that were used from antiquity, and over the last two decades the village has been carefully restored, with old stone houses turned into guesthouses and lanes repaved rather than replaced. Across the river stands Agios Ioannis Lampadistis, a monastery where three churches of different periods were joined under a single roof, with wall paintings from the eleventh to the sixteenth century, one of the ten churches in the Troodos World Heritage inscription.

What you actually see

• Agios Ioannis Lampadistis - three churches of different dates joined under one roof.
• The wall paintings - fresco cycles spanning five centuries inside.
• The restored village - stone houses and lanes rebuilt as guesthouses and workshops.
• The sulphur springs - the mineral water the village grew around, below the houses.

When to go

April to November is the best; autumn in the valley is exceptional. The monastery keeps limited hours with a long midday break. Winter is cold and many guesthouses close.

Honest expectations

Photography inside the churches is not allowed. The village is steep and the walk from the car park to the monastery involves a climb back. Restoration has made it noticeably more expensive than neighbouring villages.

Nearby

Kakopetria is over the ridge in the Solea valley, and Troodos is south.