Cyprus is the perfect hiking paradise for the winter: the hike at Cape Aspro tempts with steep cliffs, wild legends and the sea. Here all info + GPS data
Don't give your winter blues a chance - go to Cyprus!
There are summer people and there are winter people. While the latter long for the first snow, I am already looking for a way to escape the bad weather and the cold in late summer. Cyprus was a discovery for me - I would never have thought that the island would be so wooded and green and that there would be so many unspoiled beaches. Over the next few weeks I will share my favorite hikes on the Mediterranean island with you, because I think:
Cyprus? Simply divine!
Gods Gossip
Compared to Greek mythology, the Rainbow Press reads like a phone book!
Do you know anything about Greek mythology? Would you like to be like Aphrodite? Or Adonis? Even at school I couldn't quite follow the ancient legends - at some point I no longer understood who was having an affair with whom.
But back to the beginning: It is about a hiking trip on Cyprus, the island in the eastern Mediterranean, which geographically belongs to Asia, but culturally more to Europe.
Various gods are said to have been involved in its creation (plate tectonics is completely overrated): Poseidon, the god of the sea, gave it a small part of his kingdom. Hephaestus, the god of fire, created the land from glowing magma and
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and sensual desire, is said to have emerged from the foam of the sea here.
The birthplace of Aphrodite
Having barely arrived on the island of Cyprus, we set off for the famous birthplace of Aphrodite. Here, just a quarter of an hour from Paphos airport, a few rocks lie picturesquely in the turquoise water. The sea breaks around them with white foam crests.
According to legend, Kronos cut off his father Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea here (I told you... the Greeks). Aphrodite was born from the foam of the semen. If you think that's crazy, believe me, Cyprus is the island of Aphrodite and around every corner there is a new, unbelievable legend that revolves around her or her divine relatives. On our hikes we follow in the footsteps of the goddess of love, who in the end doesn't seem so lovely to us anymore!
But first back to the beach. It is said to bring good luck and fertility if you swim around the rock of Petra tou Romiou, especially in the moonlight, preferably a full moon. My sister Frauke and I can resist the temptation.
Divine hike to Cape Aspro
Just a few kilometers away, our first hike in Cyprus awaits us, taking us from Pissouri Beach to Cape Aspro. A steep, narrow path leads up to the white sandstone cliffs, which are up to 200 meters high. The view is gigantic, the view into the depths is magnificent. A narrow path leads along the cliffs, deep below us the turquoise blue water foams onto the beach. A quick look down - no, no goddess in sight. We can continue hiking with peace of mind.
This coastal hike still takes our breath away - especially if you're afraid of heights. The views from the limestone cliffs, which are up to 200 m high, are simply gigantic.
It is not always easy to concentrate on the exposed path. The many views and depths that are offered on the ascent from Pissouri Bay to the Trachonas Plateau are too tempting. White sandstone cliffs, turquoise sea and green olive trees offer attractive visual contrasts. Two small beaches invite you to swim. Even the less picturesque military station on the ridge cannot spoil the overall experience.
My tip
You can also do the hike as a circular tour through the village of Pissouri, which I find rather boring. I find the cliffs so spectacular that I prefer to go back the same way.
Key Facts about the Coastal Hike to Cape Aspro in Cyprus
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Walking time : 4:30 h
Altitude : 612 m up and 436 m down
Length : 11.5 km
Accessible by public transport?
From Pafos, the Pafos bus goes to Polis. There, change and take bus 622 to Aphrodite Baths.
Refreshments along the way? Only at the start and end point in Troodos
GPS data: I have uploaded the GPS data for the hike to the Outdoor Active website
Start and end point: Bath of Aphrodite, 24 m.
Directions: From Pafos on the B7 north to Polis, continue first on the E711 and then on the E713 until the road ends shortly before the Baths of Aphrodite.
Parking: During peak season, parking spaces can be scarce. It's best to come early.
Hiking guide: Rolf Goetz: Cyprus – South & North, The most beautiful coastal and mountain hikes , Rother Bergverlag, 2023.
The path begins at the Bath of Aphrodite , a beautiful grotto by the sea with a fig tree.
Directions:
From the car park, we head south along the coast. The initially wide path soon narrows to a narrow path, which has partially broken away. The path leads through a ravine down to the beach, where you can swim. After crossing a dry bed, it goes steeply uphill on the other side. The path is clearly visible and leads ever higher over a rocky ridge. Spectacular views of the sea and bizarre rock formations are offered again and again. After admiring Cape Aspro from above, we leave the southernmost point behind us. The path leads west through an olive grove inland. After a small bend, it follows the steep coast again in a westerly direction. The military station soon comes into view. We walk a short distance to a viewpoint from which you can see the cliffs dropping 200 m down to a pebble bay. If you want, you can descend to this bay, but this is quite strenuous and takes about 1 hour. The way back is the same.
Further information and links
The Visit Cyprus website provides useful information on accommodation, events and activities.
Here you can find all my blog posts about Cyprus
WEATHER
Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate with long, dry summers (from mid-May to mid-October) and mild winters (from December to February). Cyprus is blessed with sunshine. Even in December and January there are six to eight hours of sunshine per day. In the summer months, however, the average is 11.5 hours!
February to May and September to October are the best months for hiking
ARRIVAL
Lufthansa flies nonstop from Munich to Paphos once a week. Ryanair flies twice a week from Memmingen.
If you want, you can offset the CO2 emissions of your flight, for example through Atmosfair.
CARDS
The publisher Kartographos has three hiking maps at a scale of 1:25,000: Tróodos, Tóchni, Akámas.
EQUIPMENT
For most hikes, light hiking shoes or trail running shoes are sufficient. For the Avakas Gorge, hiking sandals and hiking poles are helpful. Take enough refillable water bottles with you.
SLEEP
Pafos is a good base for many hikes on the west coast.
We stayed in Paphos Garden for three nights. The hotel isn't great, but it's centrally located, cheap and perfectly fine. My tip: there are different room categories in different buildings. Take a look at the room beforehand.