Welcome in Cyprus spoke friendly the policeman to us. We have been standing on the side of the road with our rental car for an hour, in a cool drizzle. The car forced Angelika and me to an involuntary stop in the Troodos Mountains after a winding road with falling rocks and many stones on the road due to a tire blowout.
Sybille from Hamburg and Elke from Frankfurt, who completed our quartet, also shake their heads. None of the four of us could change tires.
It was already 2 p.m. and we still had 10 km to drive to our destination, Kykko Monastery.

The monastery was founded in the 10th-12th centuries under Byzantine emperors, and is the most powerful and richest of Cyprus. It is located in the middle of a dense pine and oak forest, and attracts crowds of pilgrims. It became famous for the icon of the Virgin Mary, which is said to have been painted by the evangelist Luke.
With marble-lined arcades, elaborate frescoes and mosaics, and a church in which everything is gold, it is among the most precious of its kind in the entire Greek Orthodox world.

After 1,5 h a breakdown service braked behind our car and a young man changed our broken tire. The policeman supported him with many words, told me to drive carefully, and kindly said goodbye.
Pleased, we continued our journey and were able to reach Kykkos around 4 pm, impressed by the golden splendor, the beautifully painted icons and the buildings.

Our tour started at 9:00 a.m. from Club Aldiana, which was built about 20 km south of Larnaca on a lovely bay. The hotel complex encloses a quiet area, has a sandy beach with light sea breeze. 21 degrees clear salt water invite you to swim.
The bay has been occupied only by Aldiana, radiates tranquility, ideal for relaxation, but also an invitation for many activities, such as cycling, biking, tennis, sailing, surfing and diving.

After the first kilometers we get used to the left-hand traffic and drive leisurely along the coastal road south to Limassol and on to Kourion. This large excavation site shows remains from the Greek and Roman cultures; impressive the amphitheater, which is very well preserved. The theater could originally seat up to 3000 visitors. We close our eyes and imagine how cultic dances and chants were performed many centuries ago. The view of the sea is overwhelming.

Continuing along the coast, we are in search of the traces of Aphrodite. The Aphrodite sanctuary, once the largest sanctuary in Cyprus, which attracted crowds of pilgrims, has been described by Homer, among others, and shows only scanty remains. The Aphrodite Rock further south on the coast, where according to legend Aphrodite emerged from the sea, is now a popular swimming spot.

We leave the south, our small car chugs along a winding road higher and higher into the Troodos Mountains. The mountain range stretches between Nicosia and Paphos, is a water source for the island, and provides the inhabitants of Cyprus with cool temperatures in the hot summer months. Vineyards, numerous monasteries and churches, as well as the hospitality of the people are worth exploring the area.

At 7:30 p.m. we arrive at Club Aldiana tired, hungry and safe and sound with our spare tire. Happy to have seen a small part of this charming island , the third largest in the Mediterranean, we guess how much worth seeing still awaits us.

By the way, do you know the highest elevation in Cyprus?
There is only one place from which the whole island can be overlooked; that is the summit of Mount Olympus. It is the highest mountain with 1951 m. You can hike it, or take a car all the way to the top. The view is magnificent!