Agia Napa Monastery

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'Our Lady of the Forest' (the ancient Greek word 'Napa' means woodland) is one of the last monuments built by the Venetians before the Turkish occupation of 1570, and is quite well preserved. Once the focal point of the village, it looks a little out of place nowadays among the bars and souvenir shops, but it provides a cool and peaceful place to escape the crowds. It houses an Orthodox church, a pretty fountain, shade-giving trees and a handful of ageing nuns. The church, cut into the rock and partially underground, is entered down a flight of steps. To the east is a small Latin chapel, adjacent to which more steps lead down to a 600-year-old sycamore tree. Beside the monastery stands the lavish conference centre of the World Council of Churches.