Kakopetria Village

Vateri Nature Trail

Kakopetria is a Town in Cyprus located 55 kilometers southwest of the capital, Nicosia, on the north facing foothills of the Troodos Mountains. It stands at an altitude of 667 metres and it is the highest village in the Solea Valley. The community has about 1,200 permanent inhabitants and a couple hundred more who either have a summer house or are originally from Kakopetria but work in Nicosia. It is surrounded by thick forestland and is built on the banks of the Kargotis and Garillis Rivers. The two rivers join within village itself and form the river Klarios, which crosses the Solea Valley and empties into Morphou Bay (occupied area).

The settlement of Kakopetria is constructed along the valley of the Kargotis and Garillis rivers. The new Kakopetria with its large, modern houses and their tiled roofs, built in the gradient ground and the riverbanks, is located in the eastern part of the valley. The old Kakopetria is built west of the valley and between the two rivers. The roofs of the houses are sloped and tiled and almost all of the houses have an upper floor and a wooden balcony.

Walking through the narrow streets of Kakopetria (old) you are going to see people sitting on their verandas welcoming you. Also on their verandas you will see traditional sweets where tourists can buy. The feeling walking through these streets are very medieval and easy to be lost but you can follow the sound of the river and soon you will be in the center of the village where you can drink or eat something from the café/restaurants there.

The abundant waters of Kakopetria rivers Karkoti Garillis and gave the impetus for the construction of watermills. The watermills of Kakopetria was "the Mill of Gonia" and "Mill Chatzistafrinou", the first was built above the main road, on the left bank of the river St. Nicholas-parapotamou Karkotis and the second near the main road to the bridge, between the delta formed by the rivers.

The Museum 'Linos' is housed in the old Kakopetria, the namesake street. It consists of three thematic cycles or otherwise sections, the first being dedicated to wine, the second in the bread and the last in the oil.

Do not miss the churches of Kakopetria, among them the church of St. Nicholas of the Roof, a UNESCO World Heritage UNESCO. Saint Nicholas of the Roof is the only remnant of the old monastery.

The church of St. Nicholas of the Roof owned cruciform with a dome. To the east ends in an apse semicircular inside and three-sided externally. Initially built without the narthex. It has only one entrance in the west wall means. The semicircle blind arch above the entrance, decorated with fialostomia.

It is also worth taking the time as enjoying the forest of Kakopetrias, perhaps following one of its nature paths and admiring still some attractions, such as the old water mills and the "Stone of androgens."

Old Kakopetria, is the most picturesque and beautiful part of the area, which is built on the spot where the village was born, the "Old Village"