The Troodos Mountains

Rising in the heart of the island, the Troodos Mountains are the cool, green, forested antidote to Cyprus's sun-baked coasts, a range of pine-clad slopes, deep valleys, waterfalls and traditional stone villages. Hidden among them is a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage treasure: a cluster of small, humble Byzantine churches and monasteries whose modest exteriors conceal walls covered in exquisite, richly coloured medieval frescoes. Add the grand Kykkos Monastery, wine villages, hiking trails and, in winter, even skiing, and the mountains offer a completely different Cyprus.

What you actually see

• The painted churches - the UNESCO frescoed Byzantine chapels.
• Kykkos Monastery - the grand, richly decorated monastery.
• The wine villages - the traditional stone villages and vineyards.
• The hiking trails - the forest paths, peaks and waterfalls.

When to go

April to June and September to November, for the best hiking weather, wildflowers or autumn colour; the mountains are a cool refuge in the hot summer, and Mount Olympus even offers modest skiing in winter. The painted churches and wine villages are rewarding year-round.

Honest expectations

The famous painted churches are small, scattered across mountain villages and sometimes locked, requiring a caretaker or planning to visit, so seeing several takes a full day of winding mountain driving; photography inside is often restricted. As a cool, scenic escape of forests, frescoes, monasteries, wine and hiking, though, the Troodos are a wonderful and less-touristed contrast to the beaches.

Nearby

Paphos, Limassol and the wine country of the south are within reach.