We woke up early and drove into the
Troodos Mountains, aiming for the highest peak in Cyprus,
Mount Olympus (Greek: Όλυμπος or Χιονίστρα; Turkish: Olimpos Tepesi). By 7 a.m., we reached the foothills, parked our
Nissan Micra, and began hiking toward the summit, picking up a few
geocaches along the way. The mountain was shrouded in fog, which added a mysterious atmosphere but limited the views. At the top, we discovered that the highest point is currently occupied by a British long-range
radar, making it inaccessible to the public. Undeterred, we enjoyed the eerie, misty surroundings before descending back to our car along the gentle slopes of the Troodos ski resort -
Garmin Connect.
On our way to the capital, we stopped at several interesting places along the route. First, we visited the
Church of St. Nicholas of the Roof, a remarkable example of
Byzantine architecture. Next, we explored the village of
Kakopetria, wandering its charming streets, admiring traditional houses, and enjoying the local atmosphere. We also visited the Church of the Virgin Mary of Podithou and the city of
Peristerona. Along the way, we came across old disused stone quarries near
Mammari, located close to the
UN buffer zone that separates the island. After this scenic and historic journey, we finally reached the capital,
Nicosia.
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| Leaving our room in Pachyammos early in the morning. |
Picking up breakfast at our neighbor's place.
Time for the Sunrise.
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| There are many trails that lead to the top. |
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| Mount Olympus, the highest peak in Cyprus, can be reached via several scenic trails, including routes from Troodos Square, the ski resort, or Platania village, each offering a mix of pine forests, rocky paths, and panoramic views. |
The name Mount Olympus in Cyprus comes from ancient Greek mythology. Like its more famous namesake in mainland Greece, the mountain was associated with the home of the gods.  |
| We reached the top of the chairlift. |
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| The summit of Mount Olympus hosts a British military radar and signals station that is part of RAF Troodos, a remote surveillance and communications installation run by the Royal Air Force's Joint Service Signal Unit (Cyprus). |
Short break.
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| For a moment, the sky cleared, and we were treated to a stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea. |
Quickest way back was to use the slopes of the ski resort.
Chionistra (Χιονίστρα) - the local Greek name for Mount Olympus, meaning "snowy" or "snow-covered."
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| One selfie with the Zeus Lift and we were ready to move on. |
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| Named for its protective timber roof, St. Nicholas of the Roof boasts frescoes from the 11th to the 17th century and reflects Cyprus’s rich Byzantine heritage. |
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| Exterior view of the Church of the Virgin Mary, with its distinctive steep-pitched timber roof typical of the Troodos Mountains. |
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| Tourist Tuši. |
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| Nearby Archangelos Michael Chapel. |
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| Nada and Tuši. |
Medieval streets in Kakopetria, that stands at an altitude of 667 metres and it is the highest village in the Solea Valley. The narrow streets reveal a mix of different architectural styles.
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| On "Παλιά Κακοπετριά" (Palia Kakopetria), that literally means "Old Kakopetria" in Greek. |
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| There hasn't been a selfie for a while. |
The Kargotis and Garillis rivers join to form the Klarios in the heart of Kakopetria.
KEO is a Cypriot beer. The name KEO is the beer producer's corporate acronym of Κυπριακή Εταιρία Οίνων (Cyprus Wine Company). Energy refill after the city walk (Garmin Connect) and before we hit the road again.  |
| Located in the village of Peristerona, on the west bank of Serrahis tributary river, the church dedicated to Saints Barnabas and Hilarion is thought to have been built in the 9th or 10th century. |
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| That's us again. |
The Agia Barbara chapel (Naos tis Agias Barvaras) in Peristerona is a small Christian place of worship dedicated to Saint Barbara. Anyone home?
Ancient doors and windows meet modern locks.
Peristerona is known for its agricultural surroundings, producing citrus, olives, and vegetables, giving visitors a taste of rural life.  |
| St. Barnabas and Hilarion Church, has five domes on the roof arranged in the shape of a cross, a feature only seen on one other church in the island and here our walk in this area was done - Garmin Connect. |
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| Countryside. |
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| We visited Pouropetra Caves (Σπηλιές Πουρόπετρας). |
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| Walking in the "desert". |
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| Interesting landscape. |
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| The Pouropetras Caves are not natural caves formed by water, but rather old sandstone quarries. |
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| Even though not recommended, we still explored them. |
These quarries were used historically to extract sandstone for building traditional houses, churches, and bell towers in Nicosia and surrounding areas.  |
| Part of the Pouropetras quarries, was briefly used in the 1960s as a concealed munitions storage site. |
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| Today, the caves and quarries are important ecological sites, providing shelter for bat populations, while the steep walls also offer refuge for birds. |
Starting a new career: quarry guard.
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| Blue and white are the colors of the Greek flag, widely used by Greek Cypriots, especially on guard posts, police structures, and National Guard positions. |
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| Back to the civilization. |
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| We settled in our new home in Nicosia for 3 days. |
Geocaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "Second Angel of peace",
TBA8B55, "Ojstrica (2350 m) - ti moje kraljestvo / you my kingdom...",
TB8MHFG and "Twin Star",
TB33TN8):
- Artemis Trail 14,
GC2880D, where I spotted trackable item "Peer Thyla's Siegel #01",
TB6VEGA- Artemis Trail 15,
GC2880H, where I spotted trackable item "Peer Thyla's Siegel #01",
TB6VEGA- Artemis Trail 16,
GC2880P, where I spotted trackable item "Peer Thyla's Siegel #01",
TB6VEGA- Peristerona Churches-Ayios Varnavas & Ilarionas,
GC42AWY- Peristerona Churches- Ayia Varvara - Santa Barbara,
GC45258
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