From the outside, the church of the Archangel Michael at Pedoulas looks like a barn, with a steep wooden roof covered in flat tiles coming almost to the ground. Inside, its walls are covered with frescoes painted in 1474 by a local artist named Minas, with bright colours and lively scenes from the life of Christ and the saints, and the archangel himself presiding over the door. It is one of the painted churches in the Troodos region listed by UNESCO, a group of small Byzantine churches and monasteries whose humble exteriors hide some of the richest interiors in the Eastern Christian world.
Pedoulas is a village in the Marathasa valley, high in the Troodos mountains, at over a thousand metres. It is known for its cherries, which ripen in early summer, and for its cool air, a relief from the heat of the plains. The valley is steep and green, with terraces, orchards and pine forests. Kykkos monastery, the richest in Cyprus, lies a short ride away, and Mount Olympus, the highest point on the island at almost two thousand metres, rises to the east, with a ski area in winter. Kakopetria, in the next valley, has an old quarter of stone houses along the river.
The riding in the Troodos is outstanding. The roads climb from the plains through endless hairpins, with pine forests, villages and views over the island to the sea. Surfaces are mostly sound, and traffic is light except on weekends, when Cypriots head to the mountains. Remember that Cyprus drives on the left. Watch for gravel, fallen rocks, goats and cyclists. Summer is hot on the plains but pleasant in the mountains; winter can bring snow and ice on the high roads.
Pedoulas has small shops, cafés and tavernas, and Kakopetria has more choice; fuel is available in some villages, but stations are spread out, so fill up when you can. Cypriot food is generous: meze, a long procession of small dishes, souvla, grilled meat on skewers, halloumi and local wines from the mountain villages. Ask at the village for the key if the church is closed, step inside, and let your eyes adjust to the colours; after the dark wooden roof, the frescoes glow.