After the Bank of Cyprus Nicosia Marathon: The Troodos Foothills and Kakopetria

The Route: Nicosia → Kakopetria → Troodos Logistics: Direct bus from Chilonos - Michail Paridi in Nicosia to Kakopetria Square, around 1 hr 22 min, with services running roughly every four hours on weekdays; a connecting local bus (line 87) continues from Kakopetria into the Troodos Mountains proper, around 19 minutes further. Marathon Month: January Duration: Day trip

Nicosia ──(1h22, direct bus, ~every 4h on weekdays)──> Kakopetria ──(line 87 bus, ~19min)──> Troodos
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                                          Nicosia ◄──(bus + bus)────────────────────────────────────┘

Kakopetria sits in the Troodos foothills, a genuine change of altitude and temperature from Nicosia's coastal-plain heat even in January, when the mountains run noticeably colder than the capital and can carry snow at the higher elevations. The bus schedule here runs less frequently than routes to the coast, roughly every four hours on weekdays, so this trip needs the timetable checked and a plan built around it rather than treated as a spontaneous outing. A taxi is faster in both directions if the bus timing does not suit a given day, at a higher cost.

Kakopetria Village

Kakopetria's old quarter, built along the banks of the Karkotis river, is a cluster of traditional stone-and-timber houses on steep, narrow lanes, a village worth slowing down for rather than rushing through given how much of the appeal is simply the setting itself. The village sits at a considerably higher, cooler elevation than Nicosia, a genuine physical relief for legs and lungs still recovering from a marathon run at low altitude.

The Painted Churches of Troodos

The wider Troodos region holds a cluster of UNESCO World Heritage-listed painted Byzantine churches, modest stone buildings from the outside that open into interiors covered in Byzantine and post-Byzantine wall paintings, some dating back to the 11th century. Reaching a specific painted church from Kakopetria typically requires a taxi or a car rather than the connecting bus 87, which runs on to Troodos itself rather than to the individual church villages scattered through the surrounding hills; check current access and opening arrangements locally before planning around a specific church.

Troodos Itself

Troodos, reached by the connecting line 87 bus a further 19 minutes beyond Kakopetria, sits near the range's highest peaks and offers walking trails through pine forest, a different kind of terrain entirely from the flat urban course covered the day before. The altitude here brings a real temperature drop from the capital, worth dressing for even on a day that felt mild in Nicosia that morning.

Where to Eat

Kakopetria's village tavernas serve mountain-village cooking distinct from the coastal seafood found in Larnaca or Limassol, grilled meats and mountain-grown produce more typical of the fare. Check current opening hours before travelling, since some establishments reduce service outside the busier hiking season.

Getting Back