Kykkos Monastery is the most famous monastery in Cyprus. It was founded in the 11th century and it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos. The original monastery was burned down many times so there are no remains of its original build. The monastery houses the three surviving icons ascribed to Saint Luke.

The monastery is split into two levels, upon entering the monastery you will find a large courtyard and to the left of the courtyard you will find a staircase which leads you to the amazing museum. A staircase will take you down to the lower level where you will find the inner sanctuary which is spectacularly decorated inside in gold. A small room attached to the inner sanctuary houses the relics of saints in amazing reliquaries some of which date back thousands of years.

A part of the monastery which is a must-see is the museum. Opened in May of 1998 the museum is home to an amazing collection of religious icons, artifacts & literature spanning hundreds, if not thousands of years.

Definitely worth the trip to the mountains to see this wonderful site and while you're in the area check out some of the sights.