Kakopetria village in Cyprus - Digital Nomad Costa

As charming as Omodos, Kalopanayiotis, and Lefkara.

If you’re coming to Cyprus not just for the beach, I highly recommend visiting all these four villages. (If you’re short on time, I’d choose Lefkara).

Kakopetria is located 55 kilometers from the capital of Cyprus (check out how the Old Town of Nicosia looks), on the northern side of the Troodos foothills. As Wikipedia states, the village Κακοπετριά is located at an altitude of 667 meters, making it the highest village in the Solea Valley.

jam in Kakopetria — Local souvenir – jam from oranges, berries, and more.

Kakopetria also stands out from many other villages in Cyprus due to its full-fledged water stream.

Karkotis (Klarios) River in Kakopetria — *It’s called Karkotis (Klarios). This river or stream flows here year-round, a refreshing sight especially in the hot summer months.*

Honestly, just sitting in the shade by the river is a special pleasure, especially if you live in a hot country.

Local waterfall

Beautiful shady alleys.

alleys of Kakopetria — *It’s comfortable to walk here even in the heat. For Instagrammers, it’s paradise.*

Peace and quiet.

Linos Museum

This is a press for squeezing grape juice to make wine. Note this post about grape juice pressing in Vasa village (Βάσα)

These days, donkeys are no longer involved in wine production. I remember, in the local village of Vasa, we got grape juice without the help of animals, thanks to juicers.

museum in Kakopetria — *More from the museum’s collection.*

Best villages in Cyprus - Kakopetria — *Kakopetria in summer.*

Kakopetria in Winter

In 2021, the government of Cyprus took another step to enhance the island’s tourism potential, focusing on domestic tourism (less affected by the COVID pandemic) and attracting visitors to non-beach areas, making Cyprus a year-round destination. This led to the launch of the Christmas Villages project in Cyprus. Previously, the main tourist influx was in summer and autumn, but now some areas are open even in December.

One of these villages is Kakopetria (along with Kyperounta, Platres, Agros…). It was evident that it was the first time for such an event. There was a lot of unnecessary hustle, but the crowd was impressive, including us.

winter Kakopetria — *It’s quite unusual to see it in gray tones.*

It was also unusual to see people in autumn clothing.

Kakopetria in winter — *Indeed, there were many tourists (including local tourists from the island).*

In my opinion, the government’s idea worked. Admittedly, you could tell that the locals had little experience with such events, as cafes were overcrowded, the tired staff struggled to keep up with orders, and parking wasn’t always easy.

But experience comes with time. I’m sure that eventually, the locals will get it right in organizing winter leisure for guests. So now Cyprus has added another reason to visit—not just during the warm season or for the sea…)