Mantra tou Kampiou is one of the big, well-organized picnic grounds of Machairas Forest, set among pines and cedars at 657 m on the road that climbs from Kapedes village (about 5 km) toward Machairas Monastery. Its short distance from Nicosia makes it a favourite weekend escape for the capital, and with an official capacity of nearly 1,600 people it absorbs the crowds comfortably.
The facilities are comprehensive: covered barbecue hearths, wooden tables and benches, drinking water, toilets, a playground, and parking areas, with adapted paths for wheelchair users. The Department of Forests keeps a ranger station with firefighting vehicles right at the site — a sign of how carefully this forest is looked after.
It is also one of the best trail bases in Machairas. The twin Kakokefalos - Mantra tou Kampiou (left) and Kakokefalos - Mantra tou Kampiou (right) trails start just a few hundred metres away, the Agios Onoufrios trail is about a kilometre off, and the longer Machairas - Politiko route passes within 2 km. Machairas Monastery itself is a short drive up the same road.