Platres (officially Pano Platres) is the classic Cyprus hill station, a village of stone villas and pine forest clinging to the southern slopes of the Troodos at around 1,100 metres. In colonial days it was where the well-to-do escaped the summer heat, King Farouk of Egypt and the poet George Seferis among them, and it still fills each July and August with Cypriots chasing air that is 8 to 10 degrees cooler than the coast.
Unlike the other Troodos villages, Platres was built for visitors rather than farming, so it has the hotels, the tavernas and the waterfall trails on its doorstep. Two of the island's best known walks start here: the Caledonia trail up the Kryos stream to its 13 metre fall, and the short path to the 20 metre Millomeris fall, the tallest in the Troodos, in the gorge below the village. Mount Olympus, the highest point in Cyprus at 1,952 metres, is ten minutes up the road, with skiing on its slopes, usually from early January to the end of March when there is enough snow. Limassol is about forty minutes away, so this is the easy mountain day out from the coast: trout at Psilo Dendro, a chocolate workshop, a walk in the shade, and back down for dinner by the sea.
Today it is the best base on the island for walkers. Two of the prettiest waterfalls in Cyprus, Caledonia and Millomeris, are on its doorstep, the Mount Olympus trails start just up the road, and the great painted churches and wine villages of the Troodos are all within an easy drive.
Come in spring for cherry blossom, summer for cool nights, autumn for golden forest, and winter when snow dusts the peaks and the fireplaces are lit.
The signature Platres walk. A shaded trail follows the Kryos, one of the few Cypriot rivers that flow all year, up through the forest, crossing it many times on built crossings and wet stones to a 13 metre waterfall about halfway along the 3 km trail, roughly 2.5 km on foot from the village centre. Graded 3, the hardest, and closed in snow and frost (13 January to 25 April in 2026).
At 20 metres the tallest waterfall in the Troodos, according to the Department of Forests, in a wooded gorge below the village. Reachable by a steep 1.2 km footpath from Platres, graded 3 and about 30 to 45 minutes one way, or by a dirt road almost to the falls.
Ten minutes up the road, the roof of Cyprus at 1,952 metres. The Artemis trail circles the summit through black pine, the Atalanti trail runs a wider loop lower down, and when there is snow, usually from January to March, ski lifts run on the north face and at Sun Valley on the south side.
An unexpected village favourite: a working chocolate factory where you can join hands-on workshops, mould your own bars and taste as you go. Book ahead in summer, it is hugely popular with families.
A short forest drive above Platres, this 13th century monastery sits amid pines and orchards and holds a venerated icon of the Virgin. The road up is a lovely drive in its own right, with picnic sites along the way.
The Troodos hides ten UNESCO-listed Byzantine churches, tiny barn-roofed buildings packed with medieval frescoes. From Platres, Kakopetria's Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis and the churches around Pedoulas make an easy day loop.
Just below Platres begin the Krasochoria, the wine villages of the Limassol hills. Cobbled Omodos with its monastery square, Koilani, Vouni and Lofou all have small wineries pouring Xynisteri, Maratheftiko and the island's ancient sweet wine, Commandaria.
The richest and most famous monastery in Cyprus, glittering with gold mosaics, about an hour's mountain drive from Platres via Pedoulas. Combine it with Throni hill, the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III, for huge views over the western Troodos.
Cross the ridge to Kakopetria, whose restored old quarter of timber-balconied houses leans over a rushing stream. Pedoulas, Moutoullas and Kalopanayiotis in the Marathasa valley reward the extra miles with springs, sanatorium history and frescoed chapels.
The local speciality is fresh trout from the Troodos farms, grilled or baked with lemon and herbs. Several village tavernas serve it with mountain potatoes and village salad.
Old-fashioned family grills do souvla, kleftiko and full Cypriot meze, best enjoyed slowly on a terrace with the forest breeze doing its thing.
For glyka tou koutaliou (spoon sweets), the Deputy Ministry of Tourism's Heartland of Legends route names Trimiklini, about 15 minutes' drive away, for walnut sweet, and workshops in Lania (about 20 minutes) and Agros (about half an hour) where you can watch them being made, taste and buy.
Down in the Krasochoria, tavernas around the Omodos monastery square pair village cooking with the local wines, an easy lunch run from Platres.
See live listings of festivals, markets and events happening around Platres and the Troodos, 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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