Platres is a mountainous village in Cyprus. It is located on the southern slopes of the Troödos Mountains (Greek: Τρόοδος) and is one of the Krasochoria. Platres is the largest Troodos resort, situated about 5km from Troodos square, 25 kilometers (16 mi) north-west of Limassol and 45 kilometers (28 mi) south-west of the capital Nicosia.
Pano Platres (Upper Plátres) is a name given to the village in the recent years after the village of Tornarides (which is a smaller residential settlement situated some 3km to the south-west) was renamed to Kato Platres (Lower Plátres). Despite this change everyone (locals and non-locals) refer to the village of Pano Platres with its original name of Platres.
In the past the villagers were mainly shepherds and vine growers. Later most vine fields were converted to orchards, producing cherries, apples, pears, peaches and more. However, since the early 20th Century many people have dedicated themselves to the booming tourism sector. Platres has been a popular hill resort since the British took control of the island of Cyprus in 1878. In the arid hills of the Troödos range, Platres is relatively unusual in straddling a perennial stream, providing a reliable source of drinking water and allowing a profusion of foliage not commonly seen on the island. Importing their taste for cool retreats, away from the heat of the coast, the colonial settlers rapidly established a network of hotels, bars and shady walks around the small village that previously existed on the site.
