Nicosia·Monday, September 21, 2026
Cyprus Lifestyle
The Island, At Its Best
Modest stone barns from the outside; inside, some of the finest Byzantine frescoes in the world.
Some of the greatest art in Cyprus hides inside its plainest buildings. Scattered through the Troodos mountains stand a group of small Byzantine churches, several protected by UNESCO, whose steep timber roofs shelter interiors ablaze with medieval frescoes. You could walk past one and never guess what waits within.
Painted between the eleventh and the fifteenth centuries, these cycles of saints and scenes are among the finest surviving Byzantine wall paintings anywhere. Because the churches are remote and were roofed against the mountain weather, the colours have survived with startling freshness — deep lapis, ochre and gold glowing in the cool dark.
The churches lie in villages such as Kakopetria, Pedoulas and Galata, an easy drive apart through chestnut forest. Some keep a keyholder nearby rather than fixed hours, so patience helps; dress respectfully, and let your eyes adjust before you judge the dark. It is a day that rewards slowness.
The painted churches pair beautifully with a night in a mountain village and a long lunch. Tell our concierge how much time you have and we will shape the route.
The week on the island, chosen and written by our editors — property, culture and the good life, in one considered email.
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