Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery sits high in the Paphos hills near the village of Pano Panagia, at about 700 metres above sea level. Founded in 1152, the monastery is a working community of monks, hospitable to visitors, and known across Cyprus both for its principal icon of the Virgin (said to have been painted by the apostle Luke) and for its associated winery — the monks of Chrysorrogiatissa have been making wine for centuries, and the modern Monte Royia label continues the tradition.
The drive from Annabelle climbs through wine-country villages and pine forest, taking around 45 minutes. The visit itself takes an hour to ninety minutes. Pair with Vouni Panayia Winery just down the road for a complete mountain half-day.
The Golden Pomegranate
The monastery's name — Chrysorrogiatissa — translates roughly as Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate. The principal icon of the Virgin held here is dated by tradition to the eleventh or twelfth century, and is one of the most venerated in Cyprus; the monastery is a pilgrimage site for Cypriots from across the island. The icon sits in the main church on a richly worked silver-gilt iconostasis.
The monastery buildings are mostly seventeenth- and eighteenth-century, with the inner courtyard arranged around a covered cloister and the main church at one corner. The setting — pine forest, low mountains, open views to the west — is the kind of mountain peace that gives Cypriot monasteries their reputation as places of retreat.
The Monastic Winery
Like most older Cypriot monasteries, Chrysorrogiatissa has long been a wine-making community. Vines are an old part of the monastery's economy, and the modern Monte Royia winery — operated in partnership with the monastery — continues to make wine from the surrounding vineyards. A small monastic shop sells the wine alongside honey, icons, and liturgical objects.
The wine is recognised on the Cypriot wine scene, with the reds carrying a particular reputation.
Visiting from Annabelle
Reception will arrange a taxi or private car — the drive from the coast to Pano Panagia is around 45 minutes, climbing steadily through wine villages such as Kathikas and Vouni Panayia. The road is good but winding; this is not a self-drive afternoon for nervous mountain drivers.
Modest dress (shoulders and knees covered) is expected. The monastery is open year-round; weekends and feast days are busier with Cypriot pilgrims. Photography is generally allowed in the courtyard and shop, restricted inside the church.
Pair the visit with Vouni Panayia Winery and a long lunch at one of the village tavernas.
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