This month, the Troodos mountains become a vibrant European hub of sport, gastronomy, culture and wellbeing, as Mountain Games Cyprus 2026 take place. Get ready for four days of village-hopping, creativity, tradition, athleticism and flavours, in the island’s mountain communities.

The upcoming non-profit event is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Sport programme. Under the central message Healthy Lifestyles for All, it offers a plethora of activities for every age and interest, bringing together athletes, agricultural producers, artists, politicians and the public.

From September 23 to 26, villages, squares, trails, schools and cultural venues across Troodos will open their doors to a multi-themed programme. Organisations and delegations from 11 countries (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey and the Czech Republic) will take part, presenting various events, coordinated by the MountMed Institute.

The events will span several villages, mainly the communities of Platres, Agros, Spilia, Kakopetria, Evrychou and Omodos. The opening event on Wednesday, September 23, will be held in Platres as the Mountain Games International Symposium takes place.

Under the auspices of the health minister, an international scientific conference will be held, joining the forces of scientists, doctors and institutional bodies who will discuss physical activity, public health and active ageing.

Then, the events of September 24 and 25 open their doors to hundreds of students from across Cyprus who take part in the Elevate Your Life programme in Agros and Omodos. Sports activities, traditional games and gastronomy workshops will entertain the youth, with specially adapted activities for people with visual impairment or low vision.

Outdoorsy fun is scheduled as well – hikes along the Madari and Myllomeri Waterfall trails and orienteering in Omodos. Biking races for every age and level will take place on September 26 at the Mountain Games Cycling Festival, while Kakopetria hosts the Mentoring Football Tournament U12.

With the aim of reaching a wide public, the Games also feature the Mountain Culture in Motion strand. This event series will present traditional dance, music and intercultural workshops to elderly care homes, to Platres and to Omodos Square, with delegations from ten European countries coming together for the Dance Gathering on Friday evening. On September 26, the women’s a cappella Amalgamation Choir will close the cultural programme in the courtyard of Timiou Stavrou Monastery.

The Mountain Games Futures Lab will also open the conversation on the future of mountain communities, with a thematic conference on mountain tourism in Agros, a youth workshop in Evrychou and a two-day educational programme on trail certification in Spilia. The event will conclude on Saturday in Platres with the Mountain Games Legacy Forum, dedicated to exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.

Packing the Games with flavour is the Taste, Move & Thrive weekend, which will unfold across September 25 and 26. At the Mountain Products Market, visitors will find 30 local producers divided into six thematic zones: honey, aromatic herbs, dairy, legumes and olive oil, cured meats, and wine and dough products.

There, halloumi-making workshops, a Cypriot ravioles and Italian ravioli workshop with chef Marcello Zaccaria, and olive oil tasting will take place. On the agenda as well is a traditional family breakfast on Saturday, wine tasting with local wineries and a dance and music event by the music ensemble Epea Pteroenta on Friday night at Omodos Square.

Most of these events are free to attend, with the exception of some selected evenings and invitation-only happenings. The entire agenda can be found at www.mountaingames.eu

Mountain Games Cyprus 2026

Sport, gastronomy, culture and wellbeing event co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Sport programme. September 23-26. Troodos Mountains (Platres, Agros, Spilia, Kakopetria, Evrychou and Omodos). www.mountaingames.eu