Kyperounta, a high village between Olympus and Madari

Kyperounta is the most populous of the Pitsilia villages I cover, and it shows in how much it offers. Churches from several periods, three museums and mountain trails right on hand. To describe it I combine ANETroodos, Limassol Tourism and the census.

High and steep

The company places Kyperounta at 1,300 metres, on the way up to the Troodos, and describes a village of steep streets that keeps its traditional character, with tiled roofs, vines and narrow lanes. Local family businesses make cured meats, and wine comes from the village winery. Leon’s hops are grown here too, as I explain in Cypriot beer. At the 2021 census it had 1,372 residents and belongs to Limassol district. The company also places it in the valley known as Dryades, between the Troodos and Madari.

The churches

Limassol Tourism lists several churches. The Holy Cross chapel, near the square, is from the Frankish period and the oldest in the village. It keeps frescoes of 1521 and, since 1995, has housed an exhibition of the village’s church treasures, with icons, sacred vessels and liturgical objects. The company adds a 13th-century icon of St Marina. Its feast is on 1 August.

The church of Panagia and Christ the Saviour, in a green valley with a park, fountains and an artificial stream, is two-aisled and owes its present form to the 18th century. In Venetian times it was shared by Orthodox and Catholics, and it keeps icons such as the Virgin and Child of 1556. Agia Marina, in the centre, is a three-aisled timber-roofed basilica the board dates to the 13th century. And the newest, Agios Arsenios, has a 34 metre bell tower.

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Three museums

The company mentions three museums, of traditional rural life and natural history, of folk art, and of the EOKA years from 1955 to 1959, open from 9:00 to 15:00 on +357 99 352 547. Among the local producers the company lists are a family beekeeping business, Fysis Ergon, founded in 2015, and the Xenophontas winery, both based in Kyperounta. For thrill seekers, there’s also an adventure park with rock climbing, ice skating and paintball.

Up to Madari

Kyperounta is the gateway to Madari. The 3.8 kilometre Doxa soi o Theos trail leaves the Kyperounta to Spilia road and climbs to the fire lookout on Mount Adelfoi, at 1,613 metres, with views in every direction. Next to it starts the Teisia tis Madaris loop, short and lined with very tall rock walls.

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A day in Kyperounta

I’d spend a mountain morning on Madari and an afternoon of museums and churches in the village, checking the museum hours first, as they close in mid-afternoon. For the night, neighbouring Agros has more choice. The rest of the area is in Pitsilia.

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