Moutoullas

Moutoullas is an old village in the mountains of the Nicosia district, at 800 metres in the Marathasa valley — built in an amphitheatre shape into the slope, with a population of 174 at the 2011 count.

Panayia tou Moutoulla

The village is best known for its small stone chapel, Panayia tou Moutoulla. It dates from the 13th century — built in 1280 — with a steep-pitched wooden roof and frescoes inside, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The main church of the village, though, is dedicated to Agia Paraskevi and was built over an existing church. Three more churches stand here: Prophet Elias, Metamorphosis Sotiros and Agios Mamas. Prophet Elias has the panoramic view over the village.

The water

Moutoullas is equally known for its mineral water, bottled and sold across Cyprus. The springs became famous after an Egyptian chemist who drank the water was cured of kidney and stomach problems; he sent samples to Paris for testing, and visitor numbers rose sharply — people came to see the village and left carrying bottles of it, small ones and large.

Kalopanayiotis lies to the north and Pedoulas to the south; the Troodos forest is to the east and Mylikouri to the west. The origin of the village’s own name is not settled — one view is that it comes from the family of Ioannis Gerakiotis, or Moutoullas, whose name was inscribed on the chapel of Panayia Moutoulla and passed to the village.

The nature trail

The ‘Baths of Rigena and Chlio’ trail runs from the village — long views, native plants, rock overhanging a dirt track, and golden oaks that come into their own in autumn. It ends at a waterfall, which is what most people remember.

The village is quiet for most of the year and busy in summer. There are rooms to let and traditional Cypriot food at the local cafeteria.