Rose Festival

Agros village is built amphitheatrically up on the Troodos Mountains. Something extraordinary happens during the months of April and May at this quaint village. The surrounding green slopes turn vivid pink and the sweet rose fragrant reaches kilometers away. It is blooming time for the thousands of rose trees that cover an area of almost 100 hectares. It is a special fragrant rose, the Rose of Damascus, that was brought to this area at the beginning of the 20th century by Nearchos Clerides, a local teacher and folklore researcher. He taught his fellow villagers how to cultivate the tree and produce rose water. Nowadays Agros village produces annually about 20 tons of roses and the locals celebrate their star produce with the Rose Festival.

The event hosts a variety of events and activities. Take part in the rose collection, early in the morning, when the flowers have not fully opened and the petals are still moist. You can then watch the rose water distillation. Stroll around a small market that takes place in the village square and meet the local producers. There you can sample all kinds of rose products: rose oil, rose based perfumes, brandy, liqueurs and sweets. Do not miss to try “Glyko Triantafyllo Agrou”, a name registered as “Protected Geographical Indication”. It is a rose preserve, a traditional spoon sweet consisting of a mixture of rose petals, sugar and water.

Agros, being at the Pitstilia area, is also famous for its local cured meats: sausages, “lountza” and “hoiromeri”. Enjoy a selection of cured meats paired with a shot of zivania at any of the local shops.

You can also visit the churches and local museums that stay open during the festival.