Visit · Lefkara
Lefkara, all year round
Pano Lefkara is a stone village in the hills of southern Cyprus, and one of the best places on the island to spend a few days outdoors. Quiet mountain roads to ride for days, marked trails to walk, the coast under 30 minutes away, and sun almost every month of the year.
The village
A stone village in the hills
Pano Lefkara sits in the foothills of the Troodos mountains, about thirty minutes from Larnaca airport, with Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca all a thirty to forty minute drive away. Narrow lanes, cool stone houses, and a square that has not changed in generations. The village is known the world over for Lefkaritika, the intricate lace stitched here for centuries, and for its fine silverwork. Local lore has it that Leonardo da Vinci visited in 1481 and carried a piece of Lefkara lace back for the altar of Milan Cathedral. That same lace is the inspiration for our own logo.
It is a place built for slow mornings and long days outdoors, then a cold drink back at The Agora Hotel. Most visitors give it at least four days, and wish they had given it more.
The riding
Roads to ride for days
This is climbing country. The roads out of Lefkara are well surfaced and almost empty, threading pine ridges and stone terraces high into the Troodos, the range that rises to Mount Olympus and 1,952 metres, the highest point in Cyprus. There is a line for every level, from a gentle valley spin to a full high-country epic, and you could ride here a week without repeating yourself.
The best riding is spring and autumn, March to June and September to December, but the winters are mild enough to ride through and the summers suit the heat-seekers. It is the kind of place you come back to.
What riders say
Five stars, every one about the riding
These are real five-star reviews our guests left on Google. We never ask anyone to mention the cycling. They just do.
“Some of the most insane car-free riding on the planet. I've ridden Girona, Mallorca, and all over the Pacific Northwest. Lefkara is a gem for bike riding.”
Mark Rainer
Google· 5 stars
“Some of the best cycling I've ever experienced. Stunning scenery, smooth roads, very little traffic. World-class cycling, quiet roads.”
Amanda Lau
Google· 5 stars
“World-class cycling on beautiful, quiet roads. I've never ridden somewhere so peaceful and quiet before.”
Billie Murphy
Google· 5 stars
“If you love road cycling, this is a real paradise. Ideal roads, peaceful and quiet atmosphere.”
Laura Bianchi
Google· 5 stars
“Cycling in the area is extraordinary, and if you're lucky Aleks might drag you up the local climbs.”
Ben Shanson
Google· 5 stars
“When Aleks had described them as ‘well-surfaced and traffic-free’, he was not exaggerating; in 60km, we encounter two, maybe three cars and not a single pothole.”
Beyond the bike
More than a place to ride
On foot
Marked nature trails thread the hills around the village and run deep into the Machairas forest park, where the air smells of pine and the loudest thing is the occasional buzzard. Gentle walks between the old villages of Kato Drys and Vavla, or longer days in the mountains.
By the sea
Lefkara is in the hills, but the south coast is close. The beaches of the Larnaca coastline and Governor's Beach are under 30 minutes by car, so a morning in the mountains and an afternoon swim is an easy plan.
Worth exploring
The Neolithic settlement at Choirokoitia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a short drive away, along with hill monasteries, quiet wine villages, and the lace and silver workshops of Lefkara itself.
Any month
Cyprus gets some of the most sunshine in Europe. Spring and autumn are glorious, the winters are mild and ride-able, and high summer is hot enough for heat training. There is rarely a bad time to come.
Make a trip of it
Ride the Lefkara Classic, then stay on and ride, walk and swim your way around the best of southern Cyprus. The Agora Hotel, the start and finish line, is the place to base yourself.