Hiking in Cyprus: Complete Trail Guide for All Levels

5 min read

Cyprus is much more than sun, sea and sand. The island's landscapes — from the pine forests of the Troodos to the rugged Akamas Peninsula and the coastal cliffs — make it one of the better walking destinations in the Mediterranean, and it stays walkable for most of the year.

This site documents 99 marked nature trails, listed by district on the Cyprus nature trails page. The guide below covers the ones worth starting with, the season to walk them in, and what to carry.

Why hike in Cyprus

With over 300 days of sunshine a year, the hiking season here runs long. The trails are Forestry Department routes, waymarked and mostly signposted, and they carry relatively little traffic compared with other European destinations — on many of them you can walk through pine forest, past Byzantine monasteries and across wildflower meadows and meet almost nobody.

Best time to hike

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the two good windows. Spring is the better of them: the hills fill with poppies, anemones and orchids, and temperatures sit around 15–25 °C.

Summer walking is realistic only at altitude — above about 1,000 m in the Troodos it stays bearable — and lowland and coastal trails should be avoided from June through August. Winter brings snow to the Troodos summit, which closes some of the higher routes but leaves the lower ones unusually pleasant. Check the forecast before heading up.

Six trails to start with

Distances, walking times and difficulty ratings below are the Forestry Department figures given on each trail's own page.

Atalanti Nature Trail, Troodos

14 km · 4–5 hours · difficulty 2. Starts at Troodos Square and runs around Chionistra at 1,700–1,750 m through thick stands of black pine. The long one, and the best all-rounder in the range. Watch for the Cyprus mouflon.

Caledonia Nature Trail, Platres

3 km · 1.5 hours · difficulty 3. Follows a stream down from near Troodos to the Caledonia waterfall and on towards Platres. Shaded, with water beside you most of the year, and it ends at something worth arriving at — which is why it is the busiest walk on the island. Short, but rated harder than its length suggests: there are steps and stream crossings.

Adonis Nature Trail, Akamas

7.5 km · 3–4 hours · difficulty 3. Through the wild interior of the Akamas, past gorges and ruins with views over Chrysochou Bay. Good for birdwatching.

Aphrodite Nature Trail, Akamas

7.5 km · 3–4 hours · difficulty 3. Starts at the Baths of Aphrodite and runs parallel to the Adonis trail at a higher line, passing the medieval ruin of Pyrgos tis Rigainas. The two can be combined into a full day.

Artemis Nature Trail, Troodos

7 km · 2.5–3 hours · difficulty 1. Circles Mount Olympos high on the mountain through sub-alpine terrain. The easiest rating of the six and the widest views — a good first walk at altitude.

Avakas Gorge, Paphos

1.1 km · 30–60 minutes · difficulty 2. A slot canyon on the edge of the Akamas where limestone walls close to a few metres apart, with stream crossings along the floor. Much shorter than its reputation suggests — this is an hour, not an afternoon — and among the most photogenic walks in Cyprus.

Four more worth knowing

Persefoni, above Platres — 3 km, difficulty 1, and one of the better viewpoints in the range.
Smigies, Akamas — difficulty 2, from the picnic site above Neo Chorio. The Akamas without the crowds.
Petra tou Romiou — 7.1 km, 2–2.5 hours, starting opposite Aphrodite's Rock and running above the coast.
Millomeri Waterfall, Platres — 1.2 km, about half an hour, difficulty 3, ending at a waterfall.

Practical notes

Start early. Even in spring and autumn the middle of the day is warm. Before 9am is best.
Carry water. Most trails have no water on the route — at least two litres per person for a half day. The Akamas trails have no shade either.
Sun protection. Hat, sunscreen, covered arms. The sun is strong here even when the air is not.
Offline maps. Mobile signal is unreliable in the mountains; download the route before you set off.
Proper footwear. Trail shoes or light boots with grip — the surfaces are rocky and uneven.
Stay on the path. Much of this is protected land. Do not pick wildflowers or disturb wildlife.
Fire restrictions close some forest areas in the dry months. Check before travelling.

Getting to the trailheads

Nearly all trailheads need a car; rural public transport is limited, so see our guide to getting around Cyprus without a car if you would rather not drive. The Troodos is about 1.5 hours from Limassol or Nicosia; the Akamas trails start near Neo Chorio, roughly 45 minutes from Paphos.

Several trails begin at or pass a picnic site, which is usually the easiest parking and often the only water. The 3D map is the quickest way to see how steep the approach to a trailhead actually is.