Walking & Hiking In Cyprus: The Eight Best Trails For Views & Fun!

Wandering our World is reader supported! If you purchase anything through a link on our site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Last updated on May 22, 2023 by Wandering our World

Cyprus is one of those islands we keep returning to year after year. This nation has everything: from gorgeous beaches and warm water for swimming, to some of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular walking and hiking trails.

This island is home to breathtaking bays and villages, spectacular peaks and panoramic views. Because of that, hiking and walking in Cyprus is one of our favourite activities when we visit.

Here we share some of the best hiking trails in Cyprus so you can enjoy hiking and walking on the island as much as we do. We’ve split them up into short, middle, and long distance, so there should be a route that suits everybody.

Happy hiking!

iStock.com/Oleg_P

Walking & Hiking In Cyprus: Short Distance Trails

1. Aphrodite and Adonis Loop

This 4.5 mile (7.5km) hike is regarded as one of Cyprus’ most beautiful walks and encompasses some of the most important sites in Cypriot mythology.

The hike passes by the Baths of Aphrodite – the place where Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, is said to have bathed and met her lover Adonis. You will then ascend 340m which, while making this a moderately difficult hike, will provide fantastic views down towards the coast.

Along with passing by the ruins of a monastery, look out for foxes, hares, endemic birdlife, as well as reptiles like snakes and lizards. This hike should take around 3 hours in total. You can see a map of the trail here.

iStock.com/Kar-TR

2. Cape Greko Nature Trails

Cape Greco National Forest Park is a beautiful region of Cyprus near Ayia Napa that is home to nine short hikes, most of which take around an hour each to complete.

These walks are set in pristine and preserved coastal landscape and have superb ocean views, wonderful wildlife spotting opportunities, and present the chance to find sea caves that are set in turquoise waters. You can see all nine trails here.

Photo for illustrative purposes: iStock.com/Izf

3. Caledonia Waterfall

This hike to one of Cyprus’ tallest waterfalls will take you past bubbling streams and through shaded forest, until you reach the dazzling 42ft Caledonia Waterfall.

The trailhead for this walk is beside the fish restaurant and trout farm in the village of Platres. It’s a popular trail and you can reach the waterfall after walking just 1km.

However, if you keep walking past the first waterfall you will come across another one and some smaller waterfalls too. The walk – there and back – is around 1.8 miles (3km) in length and takes about an hour.

4. Avakas Gorge

Cyprus is home to some stunning geological formations, and Avakas Gorge is one. This hike is around 5 miles (8km) in length, and should take around 4 hours.

The narrow gorge and dramatic sides make this walk atmospheric, and also provide some shade during the hot Cypriot days. Some friendly mountain goats call this gorge home, so keep an eye out for them while walking!

It’s not an easy trail and you’ll need proper walking boots, but it’s well worth the effort. You can see a map of the trail here.

iStock.com/Aaron Cabral Ortega

Walking & Hiking In Cyprus: Three Fantastic Middle Distance Trails

5. Atalante Trail

This 8.7 mile (14km) long trail will take around 5 hours to complete, and is one of the longest trails in Cyprus. However, it’s quite an easy hike, and due to its length is often ignored by tourists.

The starting point is at Troodos Square and from there you will circle Cyprus’ highest mountain – Mt Olympus – until you return to the starting point. The trail itself is inside the gorgeous Troodos National Forest Park so you will be walking amongst centuries-old Black Pine and Troodos Juniper trees.

This is one of Cyprus’ more remote and wild regions, so look out for endemic flora and fauna as you walk. You can find out more about this walk, and get a map, here.

iStock.com/trabantos

6. Madari Circular Trail

For another great hike in the Troodos mountain range, try this 8 mile (13km) loop that provides superb coastal views to the south, as well as gorgeous views of the mountain range.

You’ll find the trailhead at Doxa si o theos which is just outside of Kyperounta village. The route should take around 4-5 hours in total and is one of the most peaceful and secluded hiking trails in Cyprus.

7. Nature Trail to Kakopetria

This fantastic hike will see you traverse rivers, make your way through ancient forests, and expose you to pretty panoramic forest and valley views.

Starting just outside Pano Platres, this moderately difficult hike involves a 930 meter elevation gain, as you work your way around the slopes of Mt Olympus towards Kakopetria – the highest village in the Solea Valley.

Expect the trail to take around 5-6 hours as it’s 10 miles (16km) in length. We found this to be one of the most serene and pretty hiking trails in Cyprus. You can see a map of the hike here.

iStock.com/leszekglasner

Walking & Hiking In Cyprus: A Spectacular Long Distance Trail

8. The E4 Trail

The E4 trail is a European long distance path that starts in Spain and ends in Cyprus!

The last stretch of this epic cross-European walk connects Larnaka and Pafos. It takes you through stunning coastal landscapes, up into the majestic Troodos mountain range, and through some of Cyprus’ best regions for wildlife spotting.

This hike is 110 miles (176km) in length and should take around one week to complete. Therefore camping or sorting out accommodation on the way is required. (Related: Camping in Cyprus).

iStock.com/maniscule

Recommended For Your Walking & Hiking In Cyprus Adventure

*This article may contain affiliate links which allows Wandering our World to make a small commission on any sales made – and keep the coffee flowing! It involves no extra cost to yourself. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, but only recommend products we believe in.

Author

  • Wandering our World

    Hi and welcome to Wandering our World! This article was written by one of the Wandering our World team - a team of travel enthusiasts who live around the globe.