The Solea valley, the northern gateway to the Troodos

For anyone heading into the mountains from Nicosia, Solea is the natural way in. It’s a green valley of rivers and orchards, with villages that keep their mills and wooden balconies and three UNESCO churches a short drive apart. I describe it leaning on three bodies, the Troodos Development Company, with its notes on each village, the Nicosia Tourism Board and, for population, CYSTAT.

A river valley

Solea follows the Karkotis river, which the company also calls the Klarios, on the northern slopes of the Troodos Mountains. The company puts it 56 kilometres from both Nicosia and Limassol and highlights its cobbled villages, traditional architecture and the scent of pine alongside the sound of the rivers. All its villages are in Nicosia district.

The river waters orchards of apple, pear, peach and apricot trees in many of its villages, according to the company’s village notes.

The three main villages

Kakopetria, at 667 metres, is the largest, with 1,255 residents in 2021. Its old quarter of stone and timber, with lanes dropping to the river, is a protected heritage site. Galata, at 620 metres beside Kakopetria, has several painted churches and a watermill that still works. And Evrychou, at 440 metres, is the valley’s farming centre, with the Cyprus Railway Museum in its old station.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Kakopetria for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

The UNESCO churches

All three in the valley are worth the trip. Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis, two kilometres from Kakopetria, is the last trace of an 11th-century monastery. Panagia Podithou, north of Galata, dates from 1502 and has Italo-Byzantine paintings. And Panagia Asinou, a little more out of the way near Nikitari, has frescoes spanning the 12th to 17th centuries. The company links them in a 138 kilometre route.

Small villages worth a detour

Spilia, at 1,100 metres, grew up in the 16th century with the monastery of Panagia Chrysokourdaliotissa, at Kourdali, a kilometre away. Kaliana, at 600 metres, has a 12th-century church of Saints Ioakim and Anna and an old inn from 1900, Kaliana Station, now a cultural centre. Korakou keeps three watermills and two olive mills, and Katydata, at 275 metres, sits by the Skouriotissa copper mine, which the company describes as the island’s only active one.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Kakopetria on GetYourGuide.

Planning a visit

I’d stay in Kakopetria, which has the widest choice of hotels in the valley. One day covers Stegis, the old quarter and Galata, and another half day Asinou and the Evrychou railway museum. For eating outdoors, the Platania picnic site is six kilometres from Kakopetria on the Troodos road, with tables, a restaurant and swings under the plane trees. To compare it with the other great valley of churches, see the Marathasa valley.

If you would rather go at your own pace, see the car hire deals in Limassol: the earlier you book, the more cars are left to choose from.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Kakopetria for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.