Mount Olympus is the tallest point in all of Cyprus. In winter, enough snow falls for people to go skiing on its slopes - which feels very surprising on an island famous for hot summer sunshine. The mountain shares its name with a much more famous Mount Olympus in Greece, which ancient Greeks believed was the home of the gods.
The Troodos forests are home to some of Cyprus's rarest animals, including the Cyprus mouflon - a wild sheep found nowhere else on Earth. The trees are mostly black pine and golden oak, and in spring the forest floor is carpeted with wildflowers. Cool, shady streams trickle down through the valleys.
Villages in the Troodos are famous for their traditional stone houses, painted churches, and local crafts. People visit in summer to escape the heat of the coast and in winter to play in the snow. The mountain air smells of pine resin, herbs and wood smoke from chimneys.