Published · 6 min read · Facts checked 9 October 2026 against the sources below
Kathikas sits on the Laona, the high plateau inland from Coral Bay, Paphos, on the edge of the Akamas. With Arodes, Ineia and Drouseia beyond it, it makes up a chain of wine villages that are easy to string together in an afternoon: vineyards, old stone houses, village churches and views right down to the sea. From the villa, the Akamas National Park is about 5 km.
The Laona drive
The Laona is a plateau of vineyards a few hundred metres above the coast. Kathikas stands at almost 700 metres, Drouseia at 630, Arodes at 590 and Ineia at about 550. Drouseia takes its name from the cool breeze off the Akamas, and the height is one reason these villages make a good outing on a hot day.
All four are on the official Laona-Akamas wine route, which runs through Kathikas, Akourdaleia, Pano and Kato Arodes, Ineia, Drouseia and Polis before returning to Peyia. Following it in that order gives a natural loop: climb to Kathikas, work north along the ridge through Arodes and Ineia to Drouseia, then either drop down to Polis or come back the way you came.
The roads between the villages are narrow, winding and often bordered by stone walls, so allow plenty of time. Our driving in Cyprus guide covers hire cars and the rules of the road.
A suggested afternoon
Leave the coast after lunch, once the worst of the heat has passed. Spend an hour at a winery in Kathikas, then wander the old lanes of the village. Carry on to Arodes for its churches, and on to Ineia for the basket museum and the view. Finish in Drouseia's square with a coffee or an early dinner, and drive home as the light fades, or stop for the sunset on the way.
That is a full afternoon without hurrying. If you only have a couple of hours, pick Kathikas and one other village rather than trying to see all four.
Villa Prasino
Peyia
5 km
Akamas National Park
Approximate distance from the villa.
Kathikas
Kathikas lies 23 kilometres north of Paphos town. It has houses more than a century old built in the local folk style, old churches and a small donkey sanctuary, and it looks out over Coral Bay, the Akamas, the Troodos mountains and the Pafos forest.
It is a wine village above all. According to the Pafos Region, more than half the island's white wine comes from grapes grown in this area, mostly the local Xynisteri. The Akamas Avifauna and Flora Visitors Centre in the village is worth a stop if you are planning walks further into the Akamas.
If you are here at Easter, Kathikas keeps a Good Friday tradition in which the president of the community council carries the cross from the chapel of Agios Onouphrios to the church of Panagia Evaggelistria.
Wineries to visit
The wine route has four wineries to visit along the Laona. Two in Kathikas welcome visitors, and both sit among vineyards at 650 to 700 metres.
| Winery | Founded | What you can do | Opening hours in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vasilikon | 1993 | Vineyard tours, tastings, restaurant | 08:30–18:00 in summer, 08:30–17:00 in winter; restaurant 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Sterna | 1995 | Tasting room, wine museum, historic caves, guided tours | Every day, 08:00–17:00; groups of more than ten should book |
Vasilikon was founded by three brothers of the Kyriakides family. Its restaurant makes it easy to turn a tasting into lunch.
Sterna is a family-owned winery. Alongside the local Maratheftiko red and Xynisteri white grapes it grows international varieties, and it has a small wine museum and old caves you can tour.
Maratheftiko is a rare, ancient grape and the region's whites are rated among the best on the island, so a bottle of each is the obvious souvenir. Decide who is driving before the first glass: the roads back down to the coast are steep and full of bends.
Arodes, Ineia and Drouseia
Arodes
Arodes, split into Pano (upper) and Kato (lower), is a village of stone houses and bougainvillea on the Laona plateau. Its medieval name is said to come from Rhodes, as the land once belonged to the Knights of St John, who were based on that island. Its church of Agios Kalandionas dates from the 18th century, has a carved wooden iconostasis and is the only church in Cyprus dedicated to that saint. The church of Agios Epiphanios has frescoes. The village's land runs down towards the Avakas Gorge.
Ineia
Ineia's name comes from the old word for wine, and it sits among vineyards with views across the Akamas. Basket weaving is still practised here in the traditional way, and there is a basket museum to show how. The village also has the church of Agios Kononas and, since June 2023, a Turtle Museum, a sensible stop before or after a trip to Lara. Our Lara Beach turtles guide explains the rules there.
For a short walk, the Aphrodite Trail from Ineia is about 2.25 kilometres. The village is popular for walks and photography.
Drouseia
Drouseia takes its name from the cool breeze off the Akamas. Its narrow, winding streets open onto views of the hillside and the coast. The square has the church of Agios Epiphanios, built in 1783, a small open-air theatre, coffee shops and tavernas. The village also has a crafts training centre that teaches traditional skills such as loom weaving.
Drouseia is also home to the monastery of Agios Georgios Nikoxilitis, first built in the 15th century and rebuilt in 1923 after a fire. From Drouseia it is about ten kilometres down to Polis. Our Latchi, Polis and Kissonerga day trips guide picks up from there.
Tavernas and village squares
There are traditional tavernas along the wine route, and Drouseia's square, with its coffee shops and tavernas beside the church, is the easiest place to stop for a drink or a meal.
Village tavernas tend to serve whatever is in season and many work on a set-meal or meze basis, so arrive hungry and let them bring it. Opening days can be irregular outside the summer, especially at lunchtime, so it is worth ringing ahead. Our guide to Cypriot food explains what meze usually involves and which dishes to look out for.
The Avakas Gorge closure
The land of Arodes runs down towards the Avakas Gorge on the Akamas coast, a walk long recommended to visitors. It is closed.
You may see the gorge spelled Avagas or Avakas: it is the same place. For the Akamas trails you can walk while it is shut, see our guide to walks in Paphos.
Sunset viewpoints
The Laona villages look out towards the sea, and that makes them good places to end the day. A few suggestions:
- Kathikas. The village's position above the coast gives views over Coral Bay and the Akamas. Combine a late winery visit with a walk to the edge of the village as the light goes.
- Ineia. The views across the Akamas make it a favourite for photography.
- Drouseia. Sit in the square or walk the upper streets for the view out to the coast.
Bring a layer: at 600 to 700 metres the evenings are cooler than at the beach, especially from October onwards. And plan the drive back in daylight if you are not used to the narrow roads.
Where to stay
Villa Prasino is a private villa in Peyia for up to 6 guests, between the coast at Coral Bay and the hills of the Laona. The wine villages make an easy afternoon out. Bring a bottle back from Kathikas for the outdoor bar and fire pit, the stone BBQ or the covered terrace, with a 6 × 12 m diving pool and a hot tub. See our villa by the Akamas, check availability and rates, or send us a booking request and leave one late afternoon free for the Laona.
