Troodos in Cyprus can mean any of three related but different places. Firstly it's a tiny village high in the mountains. Secondly, as one guide book tells me, it's the area within about 5km encircling that village. And thirdly, as it's most often understood, it's an entire range of mountains reaching almost from Paphos in the West of the island to East of Limassol, which is about 50km away.

At the other extreme, the broadest sense of Troodos - the entire mountain range - is too big a topic for a single review. There are forests, rivers, and nature trails, mostly unspoilt. See http://www.cosmosnet.net/cyprus/trails/nt4.htm for some suggestions, although the local tourist offices generally have up-to-date guides.

We have, however, visited the smaller Troodos area within a few kilometres of Troodos village several times. Cyprus at sea-level becomes hot and humid during the summer months, and many of the locals will spend weekends - and the two-week break in August - at holiday homes or staying with relatives in the mountains. The air is clear and fresh, the humidity is much lower, and there's even a chance of some rain.

Getting to Troodos is easiest by car. The roads are reasonable, and it's not a huge distance from anywhere in South Cyprus. It's about an hour's drive from Paphos, or Nicosia, or forty-five minutes from Limassol. From Larnaka where we live it's about an hour and a half's drive, and from the popular resort of Ayia Napa it's close to two hours' drive. There are buses which run once per day between each of the main cities and Troodos village, but although buses in Cyprus have a surprisingly good safety record, most visitors who use them find themselves terrified by the erratic driving, particularly up the winding mountain roads! Car rental is fairly inexpensive and for a family is probably cheaper than paying bus fares, besides being quicker and more convenient.

We don't personally know anyone living in Troodos, and the hotels are rather out of our price range as well as being crowded in the summer, so our stays have been limited to a campsite, of which there are several. The one we stay in has tents already set up and equipped with basic kitchen utensils and beds. There are other sites like this, and there are also sites where people can take their own tents or caravans. This tends to appeal most to foreigners like ourselves, although Cubs and Scouts make use of the camp-grounds, as do some of the schools. But to many Cypriots, camping is considered an activity for children, preferably boys.

Troodos is generally recommended to tourists for a day trip, or at most a weekend. I've never heard of anybody visiting Cyprus and spending all their time in the mountains, but many people do enjoy the drive and like to spend at least one or two days of their holidays in Troodos. There are several peaceful Byzantine monasteries and Greek Orthodox churches which are open to visitors; the only requirement is that you dress respectfully (no shorts, no bare arms) and talk quietly. Some of them don't allow photographs inside, particularly if there are ancient icons or other paintings, but there are plenty of postcards depicting the most attractive of the religious artefacts. Some monasteries only allow men to visit; others are more relaxed and welcome anyone. See http://www.cyprusexplorer.com/Monasteries.htm for more information.