Drouseia — sometimes transliterated Droushia, and the spelling that carries most of the search demand — is a hilltop traditional Cypriot village at the southern edge of the Akamas Peninsula, sitting at around 600 metres above sea level with panoramic views west to the Mediterranean and east into the rolling hills of the Paphos district. The village has been carefully restored over the past two decades — old stone houses with terracotta roofs, narrow cobbled lanes, a working village square, a small church — and is widely regarded as the picture-book Cypriot mountain village within a comfortable drive of the coast.
Both spellings are correct; Drouseia is the official Cypriot transliteration and the form we use throughout this guide. Droushia is the more common informal spelling and what most non-Greek visitors search for.
A Hilltop Cypriot Village
Drouseia is genuinely traditional rather than reconstructed. The houses are stone, built in the local style with simple windows, low doorways, and tile roofs. The lanes are narrow and cobbled; cars are mostly parked at the edge of the village; the centre is walkable. The village has a population in the low hundreds; daily life carries on quietly through the year.
Several of the older houses have been carefully restored as guest houses or small B&Bs by Cypriot owners who wanted to preserve the village's character. A handful of village tavernas serve traditional Cypriot food — meze, slow-roasted lamb, fresh village salads, the simple seasonal cooking that gives Cyprus its food reputation.
The views are the village's defining asset. From the upper lanes the Mediterranean spreads out to the west; the Akamas Peninsula's southern flank lies immediately below; the Paphos coast is visible in the haze in the south.
What to Do in Drouseia
A typical visit:
- Walk the village — an hour at a leisurely pace gives you the whole village, the church, and the principal viewpoints.
- Eat lunch at a village taverna — a long, traditional meal with local wine. Lamb kleftiko, meze, fresh salads.
- Coffee in the village square — the centre of social life.
- A short walk along the upper edges — for the wider views into the Akamas and the coast.
Drouseia also serves as a launching point for walking into the southern Akamas if you want a longer day. The Aphrodite Nature Trail trailhead at the Baths of Aphrodite is a 20-minute drive away.
From Annabelle
Reception will arrange a private car or transfer. The drive from the hotel is around 50 minutes north along the B7 coast road through Polis Chrysochous, then climbing inland into the hills. The road is good but the final stretches are mountain driving.
Pair the village with the Baths of Aphrodite and a beach swim at Latchi on the way back for a complete western-Paphos day.
Find your way to Drouseia on
Google Maps.