Drousia
The village of Drousia is situated 30 kilometers north of Paphos in the homonymous province of Cyprus, 90 kilometers northwest of Limassol, and about 170 kilometers from Nicosia.
Drousia or Drouseia, one of the smallest villages in the mountainous area of Paphos, built at the highest point of the plateau of Laona, is located on the western side of the island. The settlement seems to have taken its name from the word “drosia” (meaning coolness, temperature-wise in Greek), since because of its altitude and its relatively short distance from Akamas, it remains a cool destination even during the summer months.
The traditional Cypriot architecture of Drousia has been upgraded with small but quality hotels, of several stars, agrotourist accommodation, and restored apartments. Taking the narrow streets of the community with the renovated stone houses of the locals with the carved doors and the wooden windows, the visitor meets the two traditional cafes of the village, located in the heart of the settlement and on its square, from where also rises its church, Agiou Epiphaniou, built in 1783. Near them is the small open theater of the community, the many taverns of the area, where the visitor can taste the famous dairy products that are produced by the local families of the village, and take a stroll up to the old Monastery of Agios Georgios (Saint George) Nikoksylitis, located about 3 km away. In addition, the settlement has two mini-markets, while in the wider area there are more shops and markets.
In Drousia there is also the homonymous Museum of Textiles, where the visitor can admire old clothes and woven fabrics of the village. Northwest of the settlement, there are some idyllic nature attractions, such as Nikolas’ stone, Lamia’s rock, “Volatzies”, the big stone “Kari”, and a cave of Agios Ambelis, which according to the tradition was dedicated to the ancient Arcadian god Panas, who were worshiped in earlier times in the area. Others, though, claim that the site was simply where a shepherd eremite lived, so the locals visit this cave whenever their animals get sick.
In addition, Drousia is also known for the fact that there is a road in the community that even though it seems to go downhill, in fact it is going uphill – a strange occurrence that has been explained as an illusion. The nature around the settlement is an ideal starting point for hiking and exploration by bike, while the inexhaustible view of the community reaches all the way from the mountains of the Troodos mountain range to the bay of Polis Chrysochous and Latsi.
Access to Drousia is easy from Tsada, heading to the village of Stroumbi and turning in the direction of Kathika.
Finally, the community is in the vicinity of Kato Arodes and Inia.