Byzantine Churches
THE PAINTED CHURCHES OF CYPRUS –
BYZANTINE TREASURES
2-3 day excursion from Pissouri:
Agios Georgios from Arsinou Church
The spectacularly beautiful Byzantine churches of Cyprus are amongst the country’s real treasures. They can be found across Cyprus. Yes, by all means come and soak up the sun and fun in Pissouri, but a serious visitor who wishes to explore more of this fabulous island would do well to take a few days out to see these historic painted churches, particularly those tucked up high in the Troodos mountains.
The title of this article is taken from a superb book on these churches, “The Painted Churches of Cyprus” by Andreas Stylianou and Judith A. Stylianou, the definitive reference on the subject.
This itinerary gives you the option of a two - or three-day tour, taking in most of the really important Byzantine churches. There are many more churches in this area; it is up to you how much time you allow. But this itinerary works, and takes you to the most important churches.
The route:
Day 1: Set off about 9 am
Avdimou Motorway direction Limassol
Prastio
Pachna
Omodos Stop and have a look at this pretty tourist Village and its church
Platres
Either:
Mt Olympus, or
Prodhromos See the old Berengeria Hotel
via Troodhitissa Through pine-scented forests.
Whichever way you go up, when you come back take the other route (unless you take the 3 day option and come back via Paphos (see below)).
Pedhoulas: Archangel Michael
Have lunch either in Pedoulas or further on down in the bottom of the Valley, after Kalopanagiotis, where there is a large roadside Café (preferred option). (I think there is also a new restaurant in Kalopanagiotis, if anyone could confirm please).
Continue Day 1 as follows:
Kalopanagiotis Agios Ioannis Lampadistis
Asinou* Panagia Forviotissa
Kakopetria Overnight at the Maryland at the Mill or Linos Inn.
Day 2: Double back down the Valley if you wish to see the small painted churches just below Kakopetria (Galata).
Kakopetria Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis.
If you come back to Pissouri on day 2 you could have lunch at Phini or Vasa (see Eateries tab). Or you could add in Kykko Monastery to the trip.
Day 3:
If you wish, you can of course carry on for another day. From this point you do your own thing.... There will be plenty of time for the stunning drive to Kykkos Monastery, and Makarios’s tomb, and then westwards via Cedar Valley back to Paphos via Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa - giving you the perfect excuse to have lunch at Fyti (see Eateries outside Pissouri).
Then, if you have never “done” the churches before, you can finish off with Ayios Neophytos outside Paphos, and St Paraskevi in Yeroskipou, but the two day trip is perfect.
There is only so much you can take in in one trip!
Details:
Take the motorway Avdimou and follow signs to Prastio, Pachna, Omodos (stay on the by-pass unless you want to visit this rather pretty tourist village) and on to Platres.
Drive up the hill on the main road into Platres. At the T-junction at the top turn right, past the Bank of Cyprus on the left (cash machine) - you can park just past the bank in the car park on the right. There is a tourist office here where you can pick up maps and information.
From Platres you go to Pedhoulas.
There are two routes to Pedhoulas from Platres. One leaves Platres on the left as you go uphill, going past the entrance to the Forest Park Hotel. This is the more direct route.
If you go up the hill from the Tourist Office you reach a T-junction at a large out-door cafe with sharp turns left and right. If you take the left turn this will take you to the Trooditisa Monastery route up to Prodromos and Pedhoulas, and will take you past the beautiful old British colonial summer villas on the upper slopes of Platres.
The hair-pin right hand turn at the T-junction leaves the village to the right (ignore the sign banning the right turn). This is the route you want if you are going up to see Mt Olympus on the top of the Troodos.
You will have to go very carefully up in this area - it is easy to miss signs.
Lunch: If you set out in good time there is no need to hurry: as long as you have booked your overnight accommodation you can set off before lunch, stopping for lunch (see the Village Eateries outside Pissouri tab), or carry straight on up to Platres (try the Trout Farm on the main road out of Platres on the Mt Olympus route out of Platres) or Pedoulas for lunch and the first of the churches afterwards. Check your guide books for eating recommendations. If you are early enough you can see the churches in Pedoulas and Kalopanagiotis and then eat at the large cafe on the main road in the Valley below. This is the best option because you might otherwise find the incredibly beautiful monastery (and its museum) at Kalopanagiotis locked.
If you take the Mount Olympus route to Pedoulas, look at for the signs – the shortest route into Pedoulas is easy to miss, a tiny sign (with 3 cherries, after the sign to the Churchill Hotel), on the right as you negotiate the hairpin bends coming down from Troodos.
The UNESCO Byzantine church of the Archangel Michael at Pedoulas is one of the most important mediaeval churches in Cyprus. It is down the lane PAST the modern church, and there is an interesting museum directly opposite.
As with all these churches, if there is no one there you will have to ask someone to find the key-keeper! And it is a good idea to make a donation as well as a tip as you leave. Just ask anyone you can find who has the key, often at the local coffee shop**. Officially – I think – the churches close by 5 pm.
To get out of the Pedoulas go back to the big church and turn right into and right through the village, eventually aiming to go downhill into the Valley below. There is an amazing church perched on the hillside on the way down at Galata (4 Byzantine churches here), but one of the most beautiful of all the churches is tucked away across a narrow bridge on the other side of the gorge at Kalopanayiotis. This is the monastery at Agios Ioannis Lampadistis which you really should not miss.
After leaving this area follow the main road (E908 – B9) right through towards Nicosia, eventually turning right to the church Panagia Forviotissa at Asinou. This is another church you must not miss! Stop and ask for the key at Nikitari if you are late.
After Asinou, unless you have a lot of time, it is not recommended that you carry on across the mountain. Double back to the main road, turn left and follow the main road to Kakopetria for the night. Stay at the Maryland at the Mill or at the Linos Inn. The trout and the egg and lemon soup (avegelemoni) at the Mill are good. You should have a good wander round the old village around the Linos Inn which is very pretty.
KAKOPETRIA
Just outside Kakopetria is one of the most important mediaeval churches in Cyprus (Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis).
There are also two pretty little churches near each other in a field below Kakopetria at Galata. There is an angel in one of these churches that could have been painted by Michaelangelo. These two little churches are worth making the effort. But, ask for the key at the cafe on the edge of Kakopetria.
You could then do Kykkos and Makarios’s tomb - the view from up there is spectacular. You are looking across to the occupied north. (And Turkey if it is a clear day).
From Kykko there is a scenic but long drive back to Pissouri through Cedar Valley, otherwise you have to come back on the main road past Pedhoulas.
This would be a day 3 option!
For the 2-day option, you can come back down from Troodos on whichever route you did not take on the way up... ! If you need a walk you can take the trial up to Caledonia falls from the Troodos-Platres road (you will see the car park).
NOTE: Other Churches
There are more than 200 Byzantine churches dotted around the Troodos. Nine of them have World Heritage status. If you want to take more time and do these churches justice, you can see all nine, and any others you want to fit in. The ones listed above you really should not miss.
Petrol: Platres and Kakopetria.
Hotels: Book in advance.
Cash machine: Platres and Kakopetria.
*If you are going to make this a 3 day trip, you could carry on up the precipitous mountain route beyond Asinou to Spilia, and stay overnight at the Marjay, and then stay the second night in Kakopetria, giving you plenty of time to see the area.
**More information: "10,000 Years of History & Civilisation" (e-book form website www.visitcyprus.biz ).
Photo: with thanks to the CTO.