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Cyprus' Scented Slopes

An island of many surprises

Walk both on the coast and in the mountains

Cyprus, a real Mediterranean gem and the meeting point of different cultures, is an island of many faces – and many surprises. Few realise that it is so rich in flora and fauna, or that the Troodos Mountains, which rise from the hot southern plains, are so high that January brings a covering of snow. Byzantine chapels and other treasures are scattered across the herb-clad slopes, but perhaps the best surprise of all is the Cypriot hospitality, some of the warmest you will ever encounter.
No walking holiday on Cyprus would be complete without experiencing the island's two very best regions for walking: in the centre, the rugged, pine-clad Troodos Mountains with their rocky, terraced slopes, and in the north-west, the gentler, more Mediterranean landscapes of the Akamas Peninsula, which are covered with olive and citrus groves, woods of holm oaks, and expanses of wild herbs. We introduce you to them both and, as you walk, you discover not only monasteries, Byzantine churches, far-reaching views and traditional villages, but also, if you are lucky, some of the island’s varied wildlife, which includes 370 birds (including 317 migrant species as Cyprus is on an important migratory route), 22 reptiles and 52 butterflies, not to mention many endemic flowers. Spring (February and March near the coast, later in the mountains) is the best time for the flowers, when they carpet the meadows and slopes, but October and November are also colourful months.

Volcanic rock formations beneath Mount Adelphi

Nights: 7
Grade: 2
Terrain: rugged mountains, pine woods, grassland, herb-clad hills; many of our walks follow waymarked nature trails with signs pointing out plants of interest
Hotels: one 3-star hotel; one 2-star hotel; one agrovino; one A-class studio-style accommodation
Meals: breakfast each day, dinner on 5 nights
Climate: temperatures vary greatly from one part of the island to another. While the mountains enjoy a pleasant spring and autumn and a very warm summer, winter often brings snow to the highest peaks. On the coast, summers are long and hot, and winters very mild. The table below shows average maximum daytime temperatures in Platres in the mountains (top line, in °C), and on the north coast (bottom line, in °C):

Agros, a typical village in the Troodos Mountains

Starting point: Rodon Mountain Hotel (3*), Agros. Set on the edge of the traditional village of Agros, this friendly mountain hotel has wide-ranging facilities, including coffee lounges, a gym, two saunas, a tennis court, a piano bar, a large terrace with sweeping views to the south, and two outdoor swimming pools (open October and May). The 123 simply decorated but comfortable bedrooms all have a balcony and air-conditioning.

Day 1: offering breathtaking views that stretch right across northern Cyprus to the sea beyond (and even the Turkish mainland in very clear weather), this is an excellent first walk. After a 15-minute transfer, you follow a nature trail, enjoying good vistas of Cyprus’ two highest peaks, Mount Olympus and Mount Adelphi, as you wind in and out of oak and pine woods on the ascent to the panoramic, Alpine-like Madari Ridge. You follow this for a while, before returning past volcanic rock formations to Agros, where, time permitting, you can visit the village’s famous rose petal distilling centre, which makes use of the hundreds of rose bushes that surround the village to produce rose water and rose liqueur. (13km, 6hrs)

Accommodation: Rodon Mountain Hotel, as above.

Goats graze amid scented shrubs

Day 2: today’s walk starts with a transfer to the monastery at Trooditissa, 1,300 metres above sea level, from where you descend through a forest, past a waterfall, to Phoini, which nestles at the foot of the mountains. Beyond the village, you ascend through the terraced vineyards to a pass in the limestone ridge. Admire the great views of Mount Olympus before winding downhill through more vineyards and orchards to the wine-making village of Omodos, one of the most beautiful villages in the Troodos, where women can often be seen embroidering in the shade of mulberry trees. It is worth visiting the now abandoned monastery to see the outstanding wood-panelled cloister ceiling if you have time to kill before your taxi arrives to take you to Lofou, a once large and wealthy Byzantine village whose population has dwindled to just 60 inhabitants. (13km, 4hrs)

Agrovino Lofou

Accommodation: Agrovino Lofou (agrovino), Lofou. Owner Costas Violaris has converted this traditional village house with real love and attention to detail, and the result is handsome, highly praised accommodation that is full of character – the studio bedrooms have exposed stonework, beamed ceilings, old fireplaces and attractive furniture. Breakfast and dinner are taken in the welcoming, intimate taverna with its stone-flagged floor and arched ceiling.

Day 3: our suggested circular walk from Lofou takes in the heart of the 'Krasochoria', some of the most traditional wine villages in Cyprus, as it winds through the vine-covered hills past the chapel of Ayia Mavri. Built into the rock next to a centuries-old plane tree, the chapel is well worth a visit to see its 500-year-old frescoes. Alternatively, take a taxi (pay locally) and walk to the Kaledonia Waterfalls through the oaks, alders and plane trees of the valley of the Kryos Potamos ('Cold River'), one of the few rivers on the island to carry water all year round. Named after the swallows (chelidonia) which swoop around it, this 12-metre cascade plunges into a thickly wooded gully. (11km, 4hrs or 7km, 3hrs)

Accommodation: Agrovino Lofou, as above.

The strangely shaped Eagle Rock

Day 4: after a transfer out of the mountains towards the west coast, you rise to some curious rock formations, among them Eagle Rock, which boasts an excellent panorama of Chrysochou Bay on Cyprus’ north coast. You then pass through cornfields and meadows grazed by roaming herds of goats, skirting Pittokopos, the first of three villages you pass that were once occupied by the Turks but long since abandoned and now eerily silent, the only noises those made by the goats which wander between the old stone buildings. To reach Neo Chorio, the gateway to the Akamas Peninsula, you cross the limestone crag framing the Petratis 'Gorge', which is particularly pretty in spring, when the surrounding meadows are lit by yellow oxeye daisies and myriad orchids. (8km, 3hrs)

Accommodation: Tavros Hotel Apartments (A-class), Neo Chorio. These studios and apartments are peacefully located just outside Neo Chorio on the edge of the Akamas National Park, and are built around an outdoor pool, where you can enjoy breakfast on warm mornings. For dinner, we recommend the nearby restaurant (pay locally), a short stroll away.

Tavros Hotel, Neo Chorio

Day 5: for your day in Neo Chorio, we suggest a fairly easy circular walk in the Akamas National Park. Leading initially through orchards of carob trees with gnarled trunks, it soon rises through a pine wood to join a nature trail which affords far-reaching views over arching bays and the west coast as it winds through pine trees, juniper bushes and expanses of scented herbs. (12km, 4hrs)

Accommodation: Tavros Hotel Apartments, as above.

Day 6: on your last day, you have the chance to explore the Akamas Peninsula further, including the fabled Baths of Aphrodite. According to mythology, it was here that Akamas, one of the sons of the Greek hero Theseus, surprised Aphrodite as she bathed and fell in love with her. The walk starts by retracing the first part of the previous day's route, then follows a different nature trail over several small crests that reward you with spectacular views of the sea on both sides. (16km, 4hrs)

Looking back to the Akamas Peninsula

Accommodation: Aphrodite Beach Hotel (2*), near Polis. Boasting a superb coastal location just 500 metres from the Baths of Aphrodite, the Aphrodite Beach Hotel makes a lovely spot for your last night, offering very high standards for a 2-star hotel. It is a real family affair - charming hosts Gregoria and Tassos Fotini are helped out by Gregoria’s mother and father, who cook traditional Cypriot recipes and tend the gardens respectively. The comfortable bedrooms are spacious and all boast a balcony; we include rooms with a sea view. The hotel terrace is the perfect place from which to watch the sunset, or enjoy an evening stroll along the hotel's sandy beach.

Recommendations for extra nights: Neo Chorio makes a good base for extra walking. Alternatively, to discover more of the beautiful Paphos region, you can stay on at the Aphrodite Beach Hotel (Polis) with a category F hire car. A third option is to stay in exquisitely restored village house apartments (some with shared pools) in Tochni, with meals at the delightful taverna. These make charming bases for exploring the archaeological and natural treasures in the south of this enthralling island with your hire car.

Aphrodite Beach Hotel, Polis

Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.

Other information: If you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. You can also read our website travel diary for a personal account of the holiday.

Prices & travel

Recommended destination airports: Paphos & Larnaca
Latest flight arrival time: flexible
Earliest flight departure time: flexible
*Connecting travel: return taxi from Paphos airport (out 1h20/home 0h35) £95pp; return taxi from Larnaca airport (out 1h15/home 2h10) £148pp
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Extra night prices 2008/2009 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):

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