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MOUNTAINS |
Although the
mountain villages of Cyprus are sparsely populated
 nowadays,
many of them are transformed into bustling holiday resorts in the summer
when inhabitants from Nicosia and Limassol in particular take to the hills
to escape the heat of July and August.
Platres is
popular all year round and contains a number of hotels, shops and
restaurants. Partially hidden on a wooded hillside it is about 45
minutes drive by car from Limassol. |
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Troodos is a
village made up of a collection of cafes, shops and one or two hotels which
are used
 in
winter when skiers flock to the mountains to enjoy the snow. It lies just
below the island’s peak, Mount Olympus (1,950 m above sea level) and an
annual tennis tournament attracts visitors in summer. All year round,
Troodos is a pleasant spot for walks. Kakopetria, like Platres is a
popular resort for visitors who appreciate shady corners and plenty of
picturesque old houses, an ancient flour mill and excellent restaurants.
About 5km from Platres is Phini, a charming little village famous for its
red clay pottery. It is also the location of the privately-run Pilavakion
Folk Art museum. The village of Omodhos (left) lies 6km from Platres
and is famous for its vineyards, its lace and an annual Wine Festival. |
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Panagia in the Paphos district is famous for the birthplace of Archbishop Makarios III, the first President of Cyprus. The house where he used to live as a boy is now a small museum. Stavros tis Psokas is a forest station which was established in 1884. It has a rest-house and restaurant, and several moufflon, the wild sheep of Cyprus, may be seen in protected confinement. Lefkara nestling in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains, is renowned for its ‘Lefkaritika’ or Lefkara Lace. Lefkara today is a pretty village where you still see women sewing in the courtyards of their homes. |
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