Troodos is the largest mountain range in Cyprus. It is located in the southern, Greek side of the island. The highest peak in the mountain range is Mount Olympus, at 1,952 meters. The area has many attractions, including quite a few monasteries, some of which allow visitors.
The mountains are best explored in a 4x4, as although many of the roads are now tarmaced, there are still lots of little tracks that lead to some pleasant surprises. We have visited Cyprus many times, and are still discovering new parts of the mountains. Travelling some of these roads is not for the faint hearted though. There are some really steep drops. My mum got quite paranoid about the car falling off the road. This was not helped when we had to try to negotiate some small rock slides, pushing us closer to the edge. It is also not helpful that the tracks are only wide enough for one car. If you come across someone coming the other way, you just have to reverse back to a suitable passing place, which could be a mile or so back.
However, if you do not have a 4x4, it is still possible to explore the majority of these mountains. There are a lot of nice smooth tarmaced roads, with stunning views. Along these roads are lots of stopping places where you can admire the view. I really cannot put into words how spectacular the scenery is, so I have included some photos at the end of this review.
There are a lot of attractions in the mountain range, including many monasteries and churches. Amongst these is the famous Kykkos Monastery. You can enter the monastery free of charge and have a nosey around. The room with all of the icons in is really quite breathtaking. If you want to go in the museum, you have to pay. We didn't bother, as it was nearly closing time, so I cannot comment on this. Around the monastery, a line of souvenir shops have sprung up, next to which lies a big café. I wouldn't really recommend the hot food here, as it made me ill, but they do serve snacks. However, it is a lot cheaper to take a big bag of crisps with you for the day.
Another monastery I would recommend visiting is Chrysorrogiatissa. This monastery has great views of the area, and sells wine, which I am told is excellent. We stumbled upon this place, as it is on one of the main roads in the area. There are many more monasteries, but I have not been to them. I think some are open to the public, but others are not.
There are many walks through the forests of the Troodos Mountains. The official nature trails are all signposted. For details of these trails, you can call into an information centre. Along these trails, the views are to die for. There are quite a few books detailing some walks around the area. Really, I would recommend that proper walking footwear is worn, although some of the trails are probably OK to be done in trainers, as they are well trodden. When we visited in May, we quite enjoyed walking in the Mountains, as it was a pleasant temperature, between about 15 and 20 degrees C.
The Troodos Mountains are also home to the famous moufflon. This is a type of sheep that is only found in Cyprus. It is very rare and you can feel privileged if you see one in the wild. If you don't get this privilege, it is well worth visiting the moufflon enclosure at Stavros tis Psokas. This is the best place to see a moufflon.
In the winter, the Troodos mountains often have lots of snow. We often go into Troodos town itself and have a good snowball fight. This is proper snow, none of the British rubbish. However, Last year when we went at Christmas we were SHOCKED that there was absolutely no snow. Don't know where it had gone, but it is the first time I haven't seen any there in December.
The town of Troodos has quite a few shops to get some souvenirs from, and it's nice to have a wonder around. It is very tourist orientated though. There is a large restaurant on the road into Troodos. I can't really say I like it, as the service is awful. It does however give a place to get out of the cold in the winter.
All in all, I would highly recommend visiting the Troodos Mountains if you go to the Greek part of Cyprus. It is a great getaway from the unbearable heat of the coastal regions in the summer, and offers yet another side to the beauty of the island.
I hope that I have given you an insight into the Troodos Mountains. It has been very difficult to know what to write, as it is such a huge area. There are some photos below to give you an idea of the scenery. To really appreciate it though, you have to go there. Thanks for reading.
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