Despite the fact that the majority of visitors travel to the island of Cyprus for the warm weather, gentle waters and friendly beaches, the tourist season in Cyprus is not only limited to summer time. The impressive Troodos mountain range, which extends over a large area of western Cyprus, provides a cool refuge from the summer heat and offers skiing during the winter.
If you love the winter time then you can certainly enjoy your time on this exotic Mediterranean island, but be sure to book tickets and hotels in Cyprus in advance.
In the winter, when temperatures in the coastal towns of Cyprus are around +20°C, winter sports fans will be welcomed with snow in the Troodos Mountains.
The main ski resort in Cyprus
Cyprus’ only ski resort is located at an altitude of almost 2,000 metres, and the Troodos Olympus Nature Reserve is the highest mountain on the island.
Cyprus’ ski season begins in late December and can last until the end of March. Of course the duration of the season is highly dependent on the winter weather шт Cyprus and snowfall.
Usually the best time for skiers and snowboarders is in January and February. Anyone can hire equipment at the Cyprus Ski Club, the local sports club at the resort in Cyprus, and winter sports programmes are being developed for groups, with individual lessons for beginners.
Experts will help you choose the right ski equipment. The rental agency has about 300 pairs of skis and 400 pairs of ski boots, snowboards with 50 shoes, and 50 pairs of cross country skis and boots.
Despite the large amount of ski equipment available, it’s better to come early in the middle of the winter season to avoid disappointment.
Number of slopes and ski lifts
There are 9 ski slopes on Mount Olympus:
- On the northern slope – 4;
- On Sun Valley – 5.
The ski slopes of Cyprus are named after Greek Gods. Zeus and Hera are located on the northern side of Mount Olympus and are designed for advanced skiers. Located on Sun Valley are the slopes Aphrodite and Hermes for beginners and children.
The ski resort is equipped with four lifts:
- Slope “Zeus” – chair lift 380 m.
- Slope “Hera” – T-bar lift, 262 m.
- Slope “Aphrodite” – T-bar lift, 125 m.
- Slope “Hermes” – T-bar lift, 140 m.
All ski slopes are regularly compacted using special equipment, and have a high level of security.
The cost of ski passes and equipment rental in Cyprus*
The prices for equipment rental and use of the lifts compare well with European ski resorts. In addition, winter holiday fans will be pleased to note that a 20-25% discount on all the ski resort services is offered to anyone becoming a member of the Cyprus Ski Club.
| Standard fees | Fees for members | |
| Lifts | ||
| Full day | €18 | €15 |
| After 13:00 | €10 | €8 |
| Subscription for the entire season | – | €100 |
| Skis rental | ||
| Adult (full day) | €12 | €8 |
| Adult (after 13:00) | €10 | €6 |
| Children (all day) | €8 | €7 |
| Children (after 13:00) | €6 | €3 |
| Cross-country skiing — shoes | €7 | €5 |
| Snowboard — Boots | €20 | €17 |
| Sledge | €5 | €5 |
*Prices for 2016
Resort working hours
Except during extremely bad weather, the ski resort in Cyprus is open daily from 09:00 to 16:00.
Getting there
Mount Olympus is just 2 km from the Troodos mountain resort, 12 km from the mountain resort of Platres, and about an hour’s drive from the coastal town of Limassol and the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia.
From Limassol to Troodos you can reach the resort using the B8 road. After passing the centre of Troodos, turn left at the Olympus sign. From Nicosia the ski resort can be reached by taking the B9 motorway. Turn right before you reach Troodos.
Remember that there is no winter in the usual sense in Cyprus so be sure to take chains, as neither rental nor private cars have a set of winter tyres.
Although the Troodos mountain roads are quickly cleared, prolonged snowfalls are not uncommon and in those situations the police will only permit four wheel drives, and even then the wheels must have chains.
