Explore Cyprus with Our Interactive Map

Featured Articles

Explore our top stories and discover ideas worth your time.

View all articles
The Cyprus Cedar

The Cyprus Cedar

High in the Troodos Mountains of western Cyprus, ancient cedars stand like silent guardians of the island's wild heart. The Cyprus Cedar, an endemic conifer found only here, grows in scattered groves with its distinctive short needles and broad, layered branches. Encountering these majestic trees feels like stepping into a timeless forest where nature has preserved a rare piece of Mediterranean heritage. Description and naming The Cyprus Cedar, Ο κέδρος, known scientifically as Cedrus brevifolia s a large evergreen coniferous tree unique to Cyprus that forms pure or mixed stands in high mountain areas. Although it is sometimes treated as a variety of Cedrus libani, the famous cedars of Lebanon, Cyprus Cedar can be distinguished by its shorter, thicker and bluntish leaves, hence the scientific epithet — brevifolia (short-leaved). This cedar has thrived in Cyprus's mountainous landscapes for millennia, adapted to the island's isolated geography and igneous soils. Confined to a small region of 290 hectares in the western Troodos, it has evolved alongside other endemic species, surviving through ancient climatic shifts and becoming a key part of the local ecosystem long before human settlement. Appearance The Cyprus Cedar grows to 15–30 metres tall (sometimes more in ideal conditions), pyramidal at first and with a broad, umbrella-shaped crown in mature trees. Horizontally spreading branches create layered tiers. Its needles are…

Read more
Cyprus Harvest Fairs And Seasonal Community Life

Cyprus Harvest Fairs And Seasonal Community Life

Cyprus villages maintain a rich tradition of harvest festivals that mark seasonal agricultural cycles and bring communities together in celebration. These fairs occur throughout the year, each timed to specific crop harvests from strawberries in spring to grapes in autumn. The Troodos Mountain villages and lowland agricultural communities organize events that transform quiet settlements into bustling centers of food, music, dance, and traditional crafts. These gatherings serve purposes beyond simple celebration, functioning as economic opportunities for producers, educational experiences for younger generations, and cultural affirmations of village identity centered on agricultural heritage. Spring Festivals of Early Harvests The agricultural year begins in May with strawberry festivals in villages like Deryneia, the island's largest strawberry producer. The fertile red soil favors cultivation, with harvest running from November to June. Festival organizers offer free fresh strawberries, strawberry juice, jam, liquor, candy, and ice cream to thousands of visitors who arrive during the celebration. The festivities include music performances, traditional dances, and children's activities. Cherry festivals dominate June across Troodos Mountain villages including Kampos tis Tsakistras, Pedoulas, Platanistasa, and Treis Elies. These mountain settlements benefit from cooler climate that suits cherry trees, which dislike extreme heat. Pedoulas, located in the Marathasa Valley, organizes one of the largest celebrations drawing over 10,000 people annually. The festival features packed schedules with cooking demonstrations, children's activities,…

Read more
National Forest Park of Machairas

National Forest Park of Machairas

The National Forest Park of Machairas protects one of Cyprus's most important natural areas through 6,057 hectares of Mediterranean forest. It supports over 600 plant species and serves as the source of the island's two largest rivers. The park was officially declared a National Forest Park on December 22, 2004, through decree 61.368. The designation initially covered the Machairas forest at 43.93 square kilometers and the smaller Lythrodontas forest at 1.31 square kilometers. On June 1, 2005, decree 62.114 added the adjacent area called Vounia tou Anemou, which covers 1.126 square kilometers. The total protected area now spans 60.6 square kilometers across parts of Nicosia and Larnaca districts. The forest takes its name from the historic Machairas Monastery, which occupies a commanding position at the head of a wooded valley on one of the highest slopes of Kionia Peak. The monastery's name derives from the Greek word for sword or knife. By 1921, Machairas Forest covered 15.26 square miles and was recognized as one of the five main state forests in Cyprus, though it was smaller than the largest, Paphos Forest. The park received designation as a Natura 2000 site and Important Bird Area due to its ecological significance. Part of the forest has been declared a Special Protection Area to safeguard its biodiversity. The Department of Forests manages the…

Read more