Cyprus to Olympus: A Joyful Pilgrimage Through Changing Seasons

Being on our 5th day in Cyprus, and the weather was still enchanting us with a summer breeze. We started short, with a breakfast near the sea at Τα Μπάνια (The baths) one of our favorite places. Here we enjoyed an omelette sided by a latte, watching the locals swimming under the morning sunshine. Energized and eager, we were ready to embark on a new kind of journey, one that spoke to the soul, exploring sacred places of prayer and the untouched beauty of raw nature.

Pilgrim Tour

This time, we were heading to the heart of Cyprus, journeying inland to where Mount Olympus watches over its people.

Holy Monastery of Agia Mon

Our first stop, about 35 km from Paphos, was at Holy Monastery of Agia Moni (Μοναστήρι Αγίας Μονής). With no one around, we wandered the premises at our leisure, immersing ourselves in the history and surroundings of the place. Found out that it’s one of Cyprus’s oldest monasteries, founded around 300 AD by Saints Nikolaos and Eftychios as a sanctuary for prayer and contemplation.

Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery

A stone’s throw away, Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery lies on the edge of the hills that offers great views over the village of Pano Panagia. The monastery was founded by Monk Ignatios in 1152 AD, though the current buildings date back to 1770. They house a remarkable collection of icons and religious treasures, including the revered icon of Christ and the Virgin Mary, believed to be the one discovered by Ignatios, beautifully adorned with gold and silver.

Agiou Georgios Church

The spot that truly won me over was Agiou Georgios Church, a charming little chapel tucked away in the heart of the forest, complete with a solitary bench that seemed like it was placed there just for daydreamers. Naturally, Clara and I couldn’t resist turning this serene setting into our personal playground. A spirited game of hide-and-seek ensued, with Clara proving to be an impressive strategist—she even attempted to climb up and ring the chapel bell as a victory move. Fun fact: this place is so quiet, the forest probably heard our giggles echo for miles. I wouldn’t be surprised if the local squirrels were judging our game from the trees!

Cedar Valley

Along the way you are passing by some really nice villages with local architecture until you reach a crossroad where you are invited to take the Cedar Valley road. From this point on, until our next checkpoint, for about 20 km, no human was to be found nor mobile signal. Here you can explore some really nice trail routes especially in the summer to cover up from the bursting sun. As mentioned before, today was about to explore 4 seasons in one day, so the middle of the park offered us a glimpse of spring and autumn at the same time, with the rain waiting for us around the corner.

Sepulcro del Arzobispo Makarios III

After reaching the other side and a drive of another 15 km, we reached one of the highest man made attraction points in Cyprus, Sepulcro del Arzobispo Makarios III. Here a combination of cold and rain resulted in a hail storm for a few minutes that turned into a summer heavy rain, so we waited for it to pass in the car in the parking lot situated in front of the giant statue of Arzobispo Makarios III. The glimpse of the sun was finally revealing so we went out to explore the circle path. After seeing the colonnade path and Throni we also went to the tombs of the archbishop, which was guarded by 2 military young men.

Kykkos Monastery

Kykkos Monastery is one of Cyprus’s most significant religious sites, known for major celebrations like the Feast of the Virgin Mary on August 15th and Holy Week processions. It houses the sacred icon of the Virgin Mary, attributed to the Apostle Luke. Its stunning Byzantine architecture and location in the Troodos Mountains make it a must-visit landmark.

Besides admiring the beautifully restored exterior architecture of Kykkos Monastery, we also explored the on-site museum, which has an entry fee of approximately €5. The museum’s collection of rare manuscripts, intricate icons, and ornate ecclesiastical relics was truly impressive. However, photography is strictly prohibited, so to capture the memory, I purchased some lovely souvenirs for my loved ones from the gift shop—a perfect way to share a piece of this sacred experience.

Village of Kalopanayiotis

Next stop on our schedule was Caledonian Waterfall, but since I’m always in search of new things to explore, a road sign got my attention, Monastery of Saint John Lampadistes, UNESCO heritage 15 km away. Without knowing what to expect we found out the place is situated in Kalopanayiotis, a famous village with really great views and where dozens of tourists visit especially during the Christmas Holidays and of course the summer holiday. But first we wanted to see the church, and on our way there we drove all the way down to the river though some really narrow roads, quite an experience similar to common villages in Greece islands. After crossing the bridge we parked the car near the church where a market occurs during important holidays. The church is very old with no kind of restoration in place but with a nice placement over the hill and views on the village. Right nearby you can also see one of the many stone bridges called Venetian and Lovers Bridge. History lovers will enjoy the Venetian-era bridges here, including Kelefos, Elia, Roudia, Tzelefos, Piskopos, and Kaminaria—each a stunning relic of the island’s past.

During our visit to the church surroundings we spotted something interesting, a panoramic lift/cable car so we couldn’t miss it. Once we reached the top we paid 2 EUR for a return ticket and decided it’s lunch time. With not so many options available we popped in the nearest restaurant called Theoxenia. Gone with the classic choice, chicken breast, vegetable and salad combo, which never failed us before. Having this checked in on our schedule, we were ready to resume our journey to the waterfalls.

White Cyprus

After driving another few clicks, we reached Troodos, one of the only places in Cyprus where you can find snow and a ski resort. And we did, season 4 completed, winter was here. Not so well dressed but eager to touch the white powder, parked the car near the cable car where you can find a nice apres ski restaurant as well. Don’t imagine you’re in the Alps but with the right amount of snow you can easily enjoy a day of skiing here. I just opted for a latte, and a snack for Clara which was offered as a bonus by the bartender, freeze for a few minutes to enjoy the view and Mount Olympus and then continued our drive.

Caledonian Waterfall

After countless unscheduled stops (thanks to our expert detour-taking skills), we finally reached the waterfall trail at 4:30 PM. With the sun already clocking out for the day, we decided, “Why not start an adventure now? Nothing screams smart planning like hiking into darkness!”. The path was not that long, but pretty steep once you get close, id say 30 mins in a normal pace. Finally the sun was heading to bed, so without further ado we started our way back to reach our car in time. Happy that we’ve managed to cover everything for the day, we headed back home for a well deserved rest.