Villages of Cyprus
Cypriot villages are the soul of the island, where traditions, architecture, and crafts have been preserved.
1. Lefkara (Levkara / Λεύκαρα)
The most famous village, divided into Pano (Upper) and Kato (Lower).
- What it is famous for:
- Lefkaritika: Famous embroideries (on the UNESCO list).
- Silver: Craftsmen make filigree jewelry.
- Legend: It is said that Leonardo da Vinci visited the village in 1481 and bought a lace tablecloth for the cathedral in Milan.
2. Omodos (Όμοδος)
A picturesque wine-making village in the Troodos mountains.
- Center: A large cobbled square.
- Main shrine: Monastery of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros), where a particle of the Life-Giving Cross and the Bonds of Christ are kept.
- What to try: Local wine and "arkatena" bread (on chickpea sourdough).
3. Kakopetria (Κακοπετριά)
A popular holiday destination in the mountains.
- Name: Means "Evil stone" (Kako + Petra).
- Legend: A huge stone at the entrance to the village once fell and crushed newlyweds.
- What to see: The old part of the village ("Palia Kakopetria") under state protection, walking along the river.
4. Kalopanayiotis (Καλοπαναγιώτης)
A resort village with healing springs.
- Sight: Monastery of Saint John Lampadistis (on the UNESCO list).
- Feature: Sulfur springs and modern spa tourism.
5. Fikardou (Φικάρδου)
A village-museum.
- Almost completely abandoned by residents, but preserved in its original form (medieval architecture).
- Under UNESCO protection (tentative list).
📍 In the exam: Which village is famous for its lace and silver?
Answer: Lefkara.
🗺 Regions of Cyprus and their villages
Exam papers name a region and ask for its villages (or the reverse). A region is not a district: some regions cross district borders.
| Region | Greek | Where | Villages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solea | Σολέα | Troodos valley, Nicosia district | Kakopetria, Galata, Evrychou (the valley's farming centre), Korakou |
| Marathasa | Μαραθάσα | Troodos valley, mostly Nicosia district | Kalopanagiotis, Pedoulas, Moutoullas · in Limassol district: Lemythou, Treis Elies |
| Pitsilia | Πιτσιλιά | Eastern Troodos, around the Madari and Papoutsa peaks. Spans 3 districts | Nicosia: Palaichori, Platanistasa, Alona, Askas, Polystypos, Fikardou, Lagoudera · Limassol: Agros, Kyperounta, Pelendri, Louvaras · Larnaca: Odou |
| Tillyria | Τηλλυρία | North-west coast where Nicosia and Paphos districts meet | Kato Pyrgos, Pachyammos, Pano Pyrgos, Pigenia, Mosfili (Nicosia) · Pomos (Paphos) |
| Krasochoria ("wine villages") | Κρασοχώρια | Southern slopes of the Troodos, Limassol district (~20 villages on the wine route) | Omodos, Koilani, Vasa (Koilaniou), Arsos, Lofou, Kato Platres, Mallia |
| Commandaria villages (exactly 14) | Κουμανταροχώρια | Southern Troodos, Limassol district | Agios Georgios Silikou, Agios Konstantinos, Agios Mamas, Agios Pavlos, Apsiou, Gerasa, Doros, Zoopigi, Kalo Chorio, Kapileio, Lania, Louvaras, Monagri, Silikou |
| Kokkinochoria ("red-soil villages") | Κοκκινοχώρια | Free Famagusta district; farming | Avgorou, Deryneia, Frenaros, Liopetri, Sotira, Achna |
| Laona | Λαόνα | Plateau above the Akamas, Paphos district | Ineia, Drouseia, Kathikas, Pano & Kato Arodes |
| Karpasia | Καρπασία | North-east peninsula, Famagusta district, occupied; almost 40 villages | Rizokarpaso, Aigialousa |
| Mesaoria | Μεσαορία | Central plain, "granary of Cyprus" | Lefkoniko, Gypsou, Peristeronopigi, Milia (occupied, Famagusta district) |
Traps:
- Kolossi gave Commandaria its name (the Grande Commanderie of the Knights of St John) but is NOT one of the 14 villages.
- Louvaras, Zoopigi, Agios Pavlos, Agios Konstantinos are in both Pitsilia and the Commandaria area.
- Agros, Kyperounta, Pelendri: Pitsilia, but Limassol district.
- Arsos (Krasochoria) is "on the slopes of Laona mountain" — a Limassol mountain, not the Laona plateau of Paphos.
- Galata (Solea, Nicosia) ≠ Galataria (Paphos).
📍 In the exam: The villages of Kalopanagiotis and Pedoulas are in the region of …
Answer: Marathasa. (Kakopetria and Galata → Solea; Agros and Kyperounta → Pitsilia.)
🌊 Coastal vs ⛰ mountain villages
| Coastal village | Greek | District | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazotos | Μαζωτός | Larnaca | Officially a "seaside village" |
| Zygi | Ζύγι | Larnaca | Fishing shelter |
| Pervolia | Περβόλια | Larnaca | Faros (lighthouse) beach |
| Ormideia, Xylofagou | Ορμήδεια, Ξυλοφάγου | Larnaca | Fishing shelters |
| Pissouri | Πισσούρι | Limassol | Pissouri Bay beach |
| Pentakomo | Πεντάκωμο | Limassol | Governor's Beach |
| Latchi | Λατσί | Paphos | Harbour of Polis Chrysochous; fresh fish |
| Pomos | Πωμός | Paphos | Fishing shelter (Tillyria) |
| Kato Pyrgos | Κάτω Πύργος | Nicosia | Coastal village of Nicosia district; its only fishing shelter; since 1974 reached only via Paphos |
| Pachyammos | Παχύαμμος | Nicosia | Tillyria coast |
| Liopetri (Potamos) | Λιοπέτρι | Famagusta | Natural fishing shelter |
| Mountain village | Greek | District | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyperounta | Κυπερούντα | Limassol | ~1,300 m — third-highest village |
| Alona | Άλωνα | Nicosia | 1,200 m |
| Polystypos | Πολύστυπος | Nicosia | 1,150 m |
| Pedoulas | Πεδουλάς | Nicosia | 1,100 m |
| Agros | Αγρός | Limassol | 1,100 m |
| Platres | Πλάτρες | Limassol | 1,100 m |
| Foini | Φοινί | Limassol | 920 m |
| Fikardou | Φικάρδου | Nicosia | 900 m |
| Omodos | Όμοδος | Limassol | 800 m |
| Lefkara | Λεύκαρα | Larnaca | 650 m |
| Drouseia | Δρούσεια | Paphos | 630 m |
📍 In the exam: Which of these villages is coastal: Fikardou, Kyperounta, Pedoulas, Mazotos?
Answer: Mazotos.
⛷ Hill resorts and skiing
"Hill Resorts" is an official hotel category of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. The classic Troodos resorts:
| Resort | Greek | District | Area | Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troodos (Troodos Square) | Τρόοδος | Limassol | Top of the Troodos range | 2 km from Mount Olympus and the ski slopes |
| Platres | Πλάτρες | Limassol | Southern Troodos | 12 km from Olympus; laid out like a theatre; Lavender Festival |
| Kakopetria | Κακοπετριά | Nicosia | Solea valley | Popular summer resort |
| Kalopanagiotis | Καλοπαναγιώτης | Nicosia | Marathasa valley | Healing (sulphur) springs; ideal for agrotourism |
| Pedoulas | Πεδουλάς | Nicosia | Marathasa valley | 1,100 m; cherries |
Skiing in Cyprus: on the slopes of Mount Olympus (Chionistra, 1,952 m), usually from early January to the end of March. The four lifts of the Troodos ski centre are run by the Cyprus Ski Club, founded in 1947 by Cypriots and British.
Agrotourism (αγροτουρισμός): holidays in restored traditional houses in the villages. The Cyprus Agrotourism Company was set up in 1996 by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (today the Deputy Ministry of Tourism). Best-known cluster: the Larnaca villages Tochni and Kalavasos (also Choirokoitia, Lefkara, Vavla, Kato Drys, Skarinou).
📍 In the exam: Where can you ski in Cyprus?
Answer: On Mount Olympus, Troodos (January–March).
🍯 Village → product / festival
PDO = Protected Designation of Origin (ΠΟΠ). PGI = Protected Geographical Indication (ΠΓΕ). Both are EU labels.
| Village / region | District | Known for | EU label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geroskipou | Paphos | Loukoumi — the first Cypriot PGI (2007); also koufeta (sugared almonds) | PGI ×2 |
| Paphos (district) | Paphos | Pafitiko loukaniko (Παφίτικο λουκάνικο) — Paphos smoked pork sausage | PGI |
| Agros | Limassol (Pitsilia) | Rosewater (Rodostagma Agrou) and rose spoon-sweet | PGI ×2 |
| Anogyra | Limassol | Pasteli from carob syrup · Pasteli Festival (September) | — |
| Alona | Nicosia (Pitsilia) | Zivania · Zivania Festival (November) | — |
| Deryneia | Famagusta | Strawberries · Strawberry Festival every two years | — |
| Frenaros | Famagusta | Watermelons · Watermelon Festival (July) | — |
| Avgorou | Famagusta | Potatoes · Potato Festival (July) | Red-soil potato: PGI application pending |
| Sotira | Famagusta | Kolokasi (taro) · Kolokasi Festival (September) | PDO (Kolokasi Sotiras) |
| Kornos | Larnaca | Handmade red-clay pottery | — |
| Lefkara | Larnaca | Lace (lefkaritika, UNESCO 2009) + silver filigree | — |
| Foini | Limassol | Pottery and loukoumi (not PGI) · village fair, 1st Sunday of August | — |
| Pedoulas | Nicosia (Marathasa) | Cherries | — |
| Evrychou | Nicosia (Solea) | Apples | — |
| Kato Pyrgos | Nicosia (Tillyria) | Peaches ("Pyrgos peaches"), charcoal | — |
| Pitsilia (region) | Nicosia / Limassol | Lountza, loukaniko (sausage), hiromeri | PGI ×3 |
| Tillyria (region) | Nicosia | Halitzia goat cheese | PGI |
| Omodos, Koilani | Limassol | Arkatena bread; Omodos — wine, zivania | — |
| Zygi | Larnaca | Fish Festival at the fishing shelter | — |
| Latchi | Paphos | Fish Festival (spring), run by Polis Chrysochous Municipality | — |
| Kato Mylos | Limassol (Pitsilia) | Peaches · Peach Festival (August, running for about 60 years) | — |
| Xylofagou | Larnaca | Potatoes · International Potato Festival (September) | — |
| Fyti | Paphos | Fyti weaving (Φυθκιώτικα υφαντά) — on Cyprus's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2016 · weaving festival (October, since 2024) | — |
| Arsos, Vasa, Lofou, Koilani | Limassol | Grape festivals (September–October) | — |
| 14 Commandaria villages | Limassol | Commandaria sweet wine | PDO (UNESCO 2025) |
| Whole island | — | Halloumi | PDO since 12 April 2021 |
Town festivals (not villages): Larnaca — Kataklysmos; Limassol — Carnival, Wine Festival, Anthestiria (flowers, May).
📍 In the exam: Which of these is NOT registered in the EU as PDO or PGI: Geroskipou loukoumi, halloumi, Commandaria, Foini loukoumi?
Answer: Foini loukoumi.