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Unique among the island’s monasteries because it has changed little since its foundation some time during the 11th century, Agios Ioannis Lampadistis is set beside a sacred spring and is incredibly well preserved. A riot of colourful 13th- to 15th-century frescoes, covering the walls of the three chapels that nestle together under one pitched roof, depicts much of the gospel (see Agios Ioannis Lampadistis).

The precarious-looking balconies of handsome old village houses overhang the narrow main street of this old-fashioned community, which is about 2 km (1 mile) above Kakopetria. The village is located above a fast-flowing mountain stream. An ideal base from which to explore the nearby Troodos churches.

Situated above a mountain stream that becomes a fierce torrent in winter and spring, Platres is the southern gateway to the Troodos ranges and the most popular spot in the region, with restaurants, souvenir shops and places to stay. It is also the ideal base for exploring the region, with walking and biking trails branching off in all directions, trout fishing available and a cool climate even in high summer. The village is divided into two districts: Pano (Upper) Platres, the main resort area, and traditional Kato (Lower) Platres.

The highest settlement in Cyprus, at 1,440 m (4,725 ft) above sea level, Prodromos commands the pass between Mount Olympus in the east and Agios Ilias, in the west. It stands among cherry and apple orchards that enhance the area with their pink-and-white blooms in spring and early summer. Nearby, the artificial lake of the Prodromos reservoir attracts trout fishermenand, in spring and autumn, migrant waterfowl.

Cyprus’s last real stretch of mountain and forest wilderness is a vast tract of pine-covered hillsides that slope down from the western flank of the Troodos range towards the beaches of the west coast. The region is criss-crossed with numerous nature trails and is one of the very few areas where attentive walkers might be lucky enough to catch a fleeting glimpse of one of the thousand or so moufflon (wild sheep) still surviving in their natural habitat. Tillyria is also a haven for a variety of birds, and in spring and autumn its woodland glades are vivid with crocus, anemones and other wildflowers.

Hidden in the high valleys of the remote Troodos, these modest little churches and monastery chapels conceal a treasury of some of the most glorious early Christian works of art in the world. Miraculously, their glowing frescoes have survived the rise and fall of half a dozen empires. Some are more than 1,000 years old and in their way they inspire as much awe as any great cathedral (see Troodos Painted Churches).