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Kakopetria
The prettiest village in the Solea valley, stone lanes, rushing water and painted churches.
The prettiest village in the Solea valley, stone lanes, rushing water and painted churches.
Kakopetria sits at the head of the Solea valley on the northern slopes of the Troodos, where two mountain streams meet to form the Karkotis river. Its name means "bad rock pile", from the boulders the first settlers had to clear, but there is nothing bad about it: the old quarter is a protected national monument, a tangle of stone and timber houses with wooden balconies leaning over cobbled lanes, and it is widely considered the prettiest village in the valley.
At around 670 metres, Kakopetria is where Nicosians escape the summer heat: plane trees and running water, trout on the taverna menu, and some of the finest Byzantine art in the world in the UNESCO-listed painted churches nearby. Come for lunch, stay for a slow weekend.
The reason everyone comes. A preserved medieval quarter of stone houses, timber balconies and cobbled lanes squeezed between the two rivers, restored and protected as a national monument. Wander to the old "Petra tou Antrogynou", the couple's rock of village legend, and just get lost for an hour.
Five kilometres up the valley, the 11th century church of St Nicholas of the Roof, named for the second timber roof built over its dome, is one of the ten UNESCO-listed painted churches of the Troodos. Inside, layer upon layer of frescoes spanning six centuries. Small, quiet and extraordinary.
Kakopetria's rivers once turned a string of flour mills, and several survive, including the famous restored mill above the old quarter that now houses a renowned trout restaurant. Walk the riverside paths to spot the millraces and imagine the village when water was its engine.
The neighbouring village of Galata, a short stroll down the valley, has its own cluster of painted churches including UNESCO-listed Panagia tis Podithou with its vivid Italo-Byzantine frescoes. The two villages together make the best church-hopping afternoon in the Troodos.
Trails follow the Karkotis river through poplars and plane trees, and the mountain above offers proper hikes: pine forest, picnic sites and cool air even in August. In autumn the valley turns gold, and in winter you might get snow.
Twenty five minutes up the mountain, the highest point in Cyprus at 1,952 metres, with marked trails like Artemis and Atalante circling the summit. In winter there is skiing; in summer, cool walks and huge views. Kakopetria is the natural base for it all.
Kakopetria anchors the northern end of the UNESCO painted churches trail. Within an easy drive: Asinou near Nikitari, arguably the finest of all, plus the churches of the Pitsilia villages. Check opening times locally; some churches need the keyholder fetched from the village coffee shop, which is half the charm.
The valley is dotted with sleepy villages worth a slow drive: Evrychou with its old railway station from the long-gone Cyprus Government Railway, Korakou, Flasou and the orchards along the Karkotis. Apples, cherries and local sweets sold from roadside stalls in season.
Over the ridge near Platres, the island's best-known waterfalls tumble through shaded gorges, reached by short forest trails. Combine a falls walk with lunch in Platres or a stop at the Trooditissa monastery road for a full Troodos day out from Kakopetria.
A Kakopetria institution set in the restored watermill above the old quarter, famous across Cyprus for fresh mountain trout and valley views from the terrace.
Traditional tavernas by the water serve trout, souvla, kleftiko and village wine under the plane trees, with the river rushing past your table.
The kafeneia on the main street do strong Cyprus coffee and loukoumades, and roadside stalls sell soutzoukos, mountain honey and jars of local fruit preserves.
The neighbouring village has its own cluster of family-run tavernas, quieter than Kakopetria on summer weekends and every bit as good.
See live listings of festivals, markets and events happening around the Troodos and Nicosia district, refreshed daily on our events calendar.
The calendar runs five years ahead. Fixed and Easter-linked dates are exact; festivals with organiser-set dates show their usual month until confirmed. If a month is quiet, the next events coming up are listed instead.
We can put a personalised itinerary together, or just point you at the right tavernas. No pressure either way.
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