Cyprus in winter - a perfect skiing destination

When people think about skiing, Cyprus is most likely not among their top 5 destinations. However, they might be surprised by how much Cyprus has to offer in terms of winter sports and entertainment. For that reason, we have decided to give you a short overview of what you can expect form a winter in Cyprus’ Troodos Mountains.

Ski runs in Cyprus

The best time to go skiing in Cyprus is between December and April (or January-March, depending on the weather). You can expect the temperature to be around -5°C at night and +4°C during the day. Snow in Troodos Mountains can be as thick as 2 metres, reaching 2.5 metres on the highest peak of the mountain range, the famous Mount Olympus.

The mountain is where you can find the Cyprus Ski Club. The club has four main slopes you can choose from, and they are all named after the gods from the Greek pantheon:

• The Aphrodite slope, also known as Sun Valley I is most appropriate for beginners, as it is 150 metres long. 
• The Hera slope, also known as North Face II, is also a good beginner option, reaching 350 metres in length. 
• The Hermes slope, also known as Sun Valley II, is slightly more complicated than Sun Valley I, but it is also 150 metres long. 
• The last slope is called Zeus, or North Face I, and it lives up to its godly name. It starts almost at the peak of Mount Olympus at the height of 1,915 metres and stretches over 500 metres. Therefore, it is most appropriate for advanced skiers.

You should also know that January 17 is World Snow Day. Cyprus celebrates it with free skiing lessons for kids and fun snow sculpture competitions on the mountain. So if you want to spend some good time celebrating the snow, Cyprus Ski Club is the place to go!

Prices of the ski shop

Compared to other ski resorts, Cyprus’ prices are very moderate. For instance, a lift pass for one day will cost you from 10 to 18 euros, while a season pass will be 200 euros. If you want to rent some ski equipment, here are the prices you can expect: 

Other things to do in Cyprus during winter

Apart from skiing, winter Cyprus offers a whole range of activities for people with varying interests. You can explore one of the local resorts, as each of them has its own special atmosphere.

Troodos Square is filled with shops and hotels, and it is the closest to the Ski Club. Platres is the biggest resort 8 km away from the Ski Club. It is a Krasochoria (wine village), and it is a perfect place for exploring if the snow does not settle. Platres is filled with cycling routes and nature trails, so you can enjoy the wonderful landscapes while you are there.

Two other resorts are a little bit further from the Ski Club. Pedoulas (17 km away) is the home of the Chapel of Archangel Michael, Byzantine and Folkloric Museums, as well as beautiful nature trails. Kakopetria (20 km away) is known for the Old Village, where you can find the Linos Museum, olive and water mills.

If you decide to visit one of Cyprus’ many mountain villages, you simply have to try the local food and drinks at one of the taverns. In order not to freeze, you can try drinking Zivania, a local beverage that contains over 45% alcohol. You can pair it with lountza (cured pork tenderloin) or soujoukos (assortment of nuts covered in thickened grape juice).

Of course, alcohol is not the only thing worth trying. You can also warm up with local soups, such as avgolemono (egg and lemon soup) or trahana (soup with soured goat’s milk and cracked wheat). For your second course, you should consider picking tavas (lamb stew) or moussaka (pasta with minced meat and béchamel sauce).

If you want to find out more about what else you can do or try in Cyprus, visit www.mytroodos.com.

All that said, no words would be able to do the winter Cyprus justice. You have to experience it for yourself. So go ahead and book a holiday in Cyprus for this winter. You can use www.cyprusski.com or www.skicyprus.com for more useful information on the winter Cyprus. We hope that your vacation will be truly magical.