Kykkos Monastery

The drive up the picturesque Troodos mountains to Kykkos Monastery is breathtaking — amazing views in every direction, nature at its finest. The monastery itself is stunning, with painted frescoes and golden mosaics depicting biblical events along its corridors.

You will find it in the mountain region of the Marathasa valley at an altitude of 1,318 metres, on the northwest face of the Troodos mountains. The Holy Monastery, a dedication to the Virgin Mary, was founded around the end of the 11th century by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos.

What is significant about the monastery is that the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, started his ecclesiastical career here as a monk in 1926. Following his death in 1977 he was buried, at his own request, 3km west of Kykkos. His tomb remains a popular destination for locals and visitors.

The museum

Kykkos is considered one of the wealthiest and best-known monasteries on the island, and there is a museum on site holding priceless ecclesiastical artefacts — embroideries, woodcarvings and manuscripts. It is open all year round with a reasonably priced entrance fee. The most notable artefact is the Holy Icon of the Virgin Mary, said to have been hand-painted by the Apostle Luke.

Before you go

Like all monasteries, Kykkos holds religious fairs — on 8 September for the Birth of the Virgin Mary and 15 August for the Dormition — and it also produces local zivania and other drinks. What you notice on arrival is how clean and tidy everything is inside the walls, especially the courtyards, and the spiritual calm around you.

Villages near the monastery, such as Prodromos, have local restaurants serving traditional food at affordable prices — around €15 a person with a drink. And although the road up is in excellent condition, expect plenty of curves and some narrow sections.