Cyprus. Akamas National Park, Avakas Gorge, Lara Turtle Beach and Baths of Aphrodite

Cyprus (Greek Κύπρος, tour. Kıbrıs, English Cyprus) is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the third most populous island. Geographically belongs to Asia. Cyprus is located in the eastern Mediterranean at a distance of 380 km from Egypt, 105 km from Syria and 75 km from Turkey. Most of the island is occupied by mountains. The Kyrenia mountain range stretches along the northern coast in a latitudinal direction. Its width in the western part is 15 km, to the east it expands to 25-30 km. The western part of the Kyrenia ridge is higher; some peaks exceed 1 thousand m. The highest point of the ridge is Mount Akromanda (1023 m). The southwestern half of the island is occupied by the wide Troodos mountain range, indented by longitudinal river valleys. The highest is its northern part, here is the highest point of Cyprus - Mount Olympos (1952 m).

Cape Greco, sometimes Capo Greco (from Italian Capo Greco - Greek cape), also known as "Kavo Greco" (Greek Κάβο Γκρέκο) - a cape in the southeastern part of the island of Cyprus, is the southern end of Famagusta Bay and the eastern end of Ayia Bay -Naps. Cape Greco is the easternmost point of the island of Cyprus,

From Paphos we drove for the whole day to the Akamas Peninsula, one of the most beautiful places in Cyprus. It is located north of Paphos, about an hour's drive from it. About the trip itself to.

Even at home, I wondered which part of Akamas to choose for a walk: east or west. On the western side is the Avakas Canyon - a narrow, picturesque passage between high cliffs. Photos of the canyon reminded me of the famous Siq pass to Jordanian Petra. Behind Avakas there is the protected Lara beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs.

Akamas peninsula: map

On the eastern side of the Akamas Peninsula is a grotto called "Baths of Aphrodite", where, according to myths, Aphrodite spent time with Adonis. Hiking trails leave the grotto deep into the peninsula. One of the routes stretches along the seashore, skirting numerous bays, and leads to the bay of Fontana Amarosa, or the Blue Lagoon. The water in the lagoon is really amazing turquoise color.

Other trails climb mountains. One of them is called "the path of Aphrodite" and leads to the top of Mount Sotiras, from which a wonderful view of the peninsula and its many bays opens.

At the bottom, the "Aphrodite trail" connects with the "Adonis trail", which also goes through the mountains among the forest.

How to get from Paphos to Akamas

Travel agencies offer full day tours throughout the peninsula. First, they are taken by jeeps to the Avakas canyon, then to Lara Beach, and then they move to the east side, and everything ends with the "bath of Aphrodite" and fish restaurants in the village of Latchi.

But we wanted to penetrate deep into the peninsula. It was possible to take a car for a day (you can only drive around the peninsula by jeeps), but for one day, renting a jeep was expensive, and besides, right-hand traffic was embarrassing.

In general, we thought and chose the east coast of Akamas.

The girls working at the city bus station and at the same time cooperating with the Ruslan Travel travel agency gave us detailed instructions on how to get there and gave us a bus schedule.

First you need to take bus 618 from the city bus station Harbor to the center of upper Paphos (Karavella bus station). There, change to bus 645, which goes to the city of Polis. Minibus No. 622 departs from Polis to the village of Latchi and the "Baths of Aphrodite".

It sounds cumbersome, but the buses are docked with each other and, most importantly, a full day ticket costs 5 euros. At first we thought that the “all-day ticket” was valid only in Paphos itself (and our guide confirmed it), but the girls at the bus station said that it was valid throughout the entire Paphos Polis area.

When boarding the first bus, you need to ask the driver for an “all-day ticket”, and in the next buses, show it when boarding.

So, we arrived in upper Paphos, at the Karavellou bus station.

Karavella bus station in upper Paphos

It was Sunday. Either on weekends this area is so deserted, or always, but the center of upper Paphos seemed extinct. We had about half an hour until the next bus, and we wandered through the deserted streets, meeting only two men who were sitting in an open cafe and at the same time shouting in terrible voices. We tensed a little: by all indications, a fight was outlined. But, coming closer, we saw that they were just playing some kind of board game and looked quite good-natured.

We also came across the closed Jami Kebir mosque, formerly the Hagia Sophia church.

Hagia Sophia Church, or Jami Kebir Mosque

Soon the 645th bus arrived, on which we went to the city of Polis. We drove to Polis for about 40 minutes and admired the surroundings.

The area around was mountainous, a wide green valley stretched below, a mountain range stretched in the distance.

Vineyards were laid out on the slopes. Almonds were blooming. When I said “almond blossom”, I always imagined a bright pink cloud, something like sakura. It turned out that the flowers of the almonds are small, slightly pinkish. And almonds look like light light clouds on green slopes.

There were also orange and tangerine groves strewn with fruit.

Our bus overcame the pass and began to descend to the sea. Sometimes the road was cut into the rock, and we drove along a narrow white-stone corridor with high rock walls on the sides.

Rock corridor

In Polis, we switched to a minibus and drove for about 15 minutes along the sea. We passed the village of Latchi and soon got out at the final stop.

In addition to us, there were several other tourists in the minibus, so we all headed along the path to the "bath of Aphrodite".

First, a small garden with winding paths appeared on the way.

These are such funny birdhouses

We rise higher

The path led us to a shady grotto with mossy rocks. Water flowed down the rocks in thin streams and fell into a small, shallow lake.

This is what the Baths of Aphrodite looks like.

Trail of aphrodite

A well-groomed trail left the grotto, along which we went further (according to the sign "Nature trail").

Cyclamens in February in Cyprus are scattered on all slopes

First we walked along the coast, went out onto the road.

From time to time, jeeps drove along the road, heading deeper into the peninsula.

The road is seen along the edge of the peninsula

In especially beautiful places there are benches for rest and admiring.

And - again cyclamens:

We decided that the lower path - along the sea to the Blue Lagoon - is more suitable for the summer period, when you can explore the bays along the road and swim at every opportunity. And in winter, it's better to climb higher and look at Akamas from above.

Therefore, as soon as we met a path going up, we went along it.

Here in this place we left the road and began to climb the path

At first we were surrounded by bushes, rocks, driftwood.

Steep serpentine

A hilly coast stretched in the distance, each cove was visible, and the Blue Lagoon was clearly visible, distinguished by its color.

Then we heard bells ringing ahead of us, and we saw a herd of goats in front of us.

Cypriot goats are a separate topic. There is probably no such variety of colors in any herd. One is more bizarre than the other. And brown with white stars, and mousey in apples, and pure Dalmatians. They scattered along a steep slope among the tall grass, and a melodic ringing emanates from them.

The goats scattered like colored grains of sand all over the slope.

And the pre-summit rocks are already visible.

We rise higher and higher.

The trail goes around the hill and leads to the top of Mount Sotiras (375 m - the height of this mountain).

The summit is a flat grassy meadow. We approach the rocky edge.

Summit Sotiras, 365 m

The views from there are excellent. Only very windy.

From the top, the trail descended to a wide hollow with tall pines. These pines were visible from afar, and we decided that we would have a snack under their spreading crowns.

Descent from the top. Juniper

There were signs and markers with mileage along the trail.

Here are just the route along the path of Aphrodite, we, as it turned out, went in the opposite direction, so now our mileage was decreasing: 3 km, 2, 1 ...

Soon we came out to a hollow with pine trees. In the middle of the clearing stood a spreading oak tree, behind it - a spring.

Here is such a spreading oak!

It was a special place for relaxation and picnics, with drinking water and benches. The ruins of a house could be seen a little to the side.

We had a snack in the clearing and had a little rest.

Resting-place

The main path went down. And there was also a pointer to the path of Adonis. At this point, near the oak, the path bifurcates: the path of Aphrodite leaves to the right, and Adonis to the left.

Adonis trail

We also decided to walk along the Adonis trail. It is also a picturesque route and differs from the previous one in terms of vegetation and relief.

The trail of Aphrodite passes through lighter, open places, there are more flowers, brighter vegetation.

The Adonis Trail runs through a juniper and pine forest. The wind gave the pines the most fantastic poses, they are short, dumpy, some of them are completely bent to the ground.

Another well-equipped resting place

There are cypresses and plane trees, strawberry, myrtle and pistachio trees.

On both routes you come across signs with descriptions of plants or geological types, for example "Eroded Areas", "Limestone Rocks", "Terpentine Tree".

There are more tourists on the Aphrodite trail. At Adonis, it seems, we were alone from the newcomers, but from time to time we met locals who climb in their jeeps to the most unexpected places.

The locals hunt here. The sounds of shots were heard on the mountain, but here in the forest - especially often. The trail was littered with cartridges. So much for the reserve.

Sleeves on the trail

Meanwhile, it would be time for us to go down to the village, because at 15-30 our minibus departed for Polis.

And the path kept leading and leading us through the mountains.

In the end, we went out into the ravine, again saw the sea.

For some time they skirted around the plantation of prickly pears, fenced with a net. From above they saw how our minibus drove along the highway to the village.

Below is the highway

Finally we went down to the highway about three hundred meters in front of the village and ran upstairs. At the very beginning of the village, such a bougainvillea grows.

And next to it - prickly pear.

We made it in time and after a while we were already going to Polis, exchanging impressions with other tourists. We returned to Polis in about the same composition as we drove here.

We arrived in Paphos before dark.

Avakas canyon

On the way we met an elderly couple from Switzerland. They said that they had already visited the western side of the Akamas and showed photographs of the Avakas canyon.
How to get from Paphos to Avakas Gorge
At the Harbor bus station, you need to take bus 615 and get to Coral Bay. There, change to bus 616 and get to the final one - to the Church of St. George. And from there walk along the sea to the canyon. Before the beginning of the canyon there is a parking lot where those who got to Avakas by jeeps leave their jeeps (independent auto-travelers or organized groups who bought the tour "Jeep Safari on the Akamas Peninsula").
Our new acquaintances went to the end of the canyon and climbed up. I was surprised. Usually, descriptions of the Avakos Gorge said that people reached the end of the canyon and returned back the same way.

No, there, it turns out, you can climb up, only "very strong", as the Swiss said. There is a trail along the canyon at the top. The whole route took them 6 hours. They seemed to me a photo on the camera display - attractive.

I use the map when traveling Tinkoff black
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Akamas is a peninsula and national park, which is a 230 square kilometer promontory located in the northwestern tip of Cyprus (northern Paphos).

At the southern end of the peninsula is the city of Peyia, and at the northeast is the city of Polis. Due to the mountainous nature of the peninsula, there are no roads on Akamas that run through its heart. In addition, some of the roads marked on the Cypriot road maps of the area are not leveled.

In the heart of Akamas there is no housing (hotels, apartments), cafes, restaurants and other infrastructure, as well as no public transport. The nearest places for accommodation are the city of Polis and the village of Latsi.

For the purpose of tourist visits, Akamas can be divided into the southwest and northeast coasts. The most popular is the northern part of the coast, it is here that such famous landmarks as:

Hiking trails in the reserve, among which are the trails of Aphrodite and Adonis;

And also other less famous, but no less pretty places, for example, bays and.

In this article, we will tell you how to visit the northern coast of Akamas and its main attractions.:

1. Bus

The only bus that will take you to the Baths of Aphrodite is route 622, starting from the bus station in Polis. Drive to the final stop. From the stop about 5 minutes walk to the baths.

The bus runs from 06:00 to 18:00 hours, approximately every hour, travel time is about 30 minutes. Drives along the E713 road: past the western end of Polis beach, then past Latchi and goes along the coast of Neo Chorio, Akamas.

Polis bus station can be reached from Paphos (airport and city center) and Coral Bay (Peyia). Read more on how to get from Paphos to Polis.

The fare is 1.50 Euro. Day ticket - 5 Euro. Tickets are available from bus drivers.

Near the baths of Aphrodite, from the sea side, there is an observation deck with stunning views of the bay. There is a restaurant with a terrace near the observation deck.

You can go down the steps and visit the beach strip, which is also called the beach of the baths of Aphrodite. For those who wish - deck chairs and sun umbrellas.

2. On foot

Or you can go along the coast and, admiring the coast, walk to the Blue Lagoon, Manolis Bay and the open bay of Fontana Amorosa. The distance from the baths to the Blue Lagoon is about 5.2 kilometers.

If you want to hike in Akamas, we advise you to wear comfortable closed shoes, a hat, closed and, preferably, loose clothing and / or generously apply sunscreen on exposed areas of the body (if visiting during the hot summer months), take from clean drinking water (plenty of water) and something for a snack (if desired). It is better to apply sunscreen in advance, it is very dusty on Akamas, it is very uncomfortable to apply the agent to a body covered with dust.

You can also bring sunscreen with you and, if swimming in the lagoons, the necessary bathing accessories. It is most convenient to put all things in a backpack.

3. Car, ATV, Buggy, Motorcycle, Bicycle

Car, ATV and buggy are the most convenient means of visiting Akamas. Car rental in Cyprus ...

Also, from anywhere in Cyprus to the Baths of Aphrodite can be reached by taxi. Taxi in Cyprus ...

Below the baths of Aphrodite, near the bus stop, there is a parking lot where you can leave your car. By car we reach Polis, then along the E713 road we go down to the sea, along the same road without turning anywhere, we pass the village of Latchi, go up a little (an approximate landmark is the Caprice Spa Kosher Resort, coordinates 35.037650, 32.374845) and turn right ( also on the E713 road), then on the same E713 road we leave directly to the parking lot near the baths of Aphrodite. The road is normal, asphalt.

If you go by car along the coast of Akamas, then the car should be rented with a high suspension, such as a jeep (SUV), even if it is old, it is even better. The fact is that there are no roads on Akamas, along the coast there are sections with potholes, pits and bumps. Many, who decided to go in an ordinary passenger car, turn around without having overcome even a third of the way.

The ATV and the buggy are going through Akamas with a bang. You can rent it anywhere you find it.

It is also possible to rent these types of transport directly near the parking lot at the Baths of Aphrodite, there is an agency there, but the prices are higher than in other places on the island.

Here you can also buy a seat in the common "truck", which will take you to the Blue Lagoon, the Amorosa Fountain and back.

ATV, buggy, motorcycle and bicycle can be rented in Polis. For example, on the E713 road, before reaching the western end of Polis beach, on the right side (by the road), if you go to the sea, there is a vehicle rental office. Prices here are lower than on Akamas itself, starting at 80 Euros per day.

A bicycle for traveling around the Akamas does not need an ordinary city bike, but a specialized (mountain) one. Bicycles can be rented in the same office. Cost from 8 - 25 euros per day.

Here you can leave your car, if you have arrived in one, rent a bugg or other means of transportation, ride it to Akamas, and when you return, change to your car again. The site of the company.

Buggies and ATVs can also be rented near the pier in Latchi, prices are more expensive. Website .

4. Excursions by land and sea

You can visit Akamas with one of the excursions.

There are excursions, both by land - by off-road vehicles or ATVs (safari tours), and by sea - by boats and yachts.

An abundance of excursions to Akamas is offered in Paphos and Latchi (Latsi) - a tourist village near Polis.

Safari jeep on Akamas from Paphos costs about 55 Euro. From Paphos, you can also take a sea excursion, with a visit to the Blue Lagoon and / or other lagoons of Akamas.

From Latsi you can take a group Akamas safari

If you do not want to go with a group and on your own, you can order an individual excursion with a visit to Akamas + other sights of Cyprus, for example, - excursion "In the footsteps of Aphrodite with a visit to the Akamas reserve and the rocks of Aphrodite"

You can rent a boat with a captain or a yacht in Latchi. There are many sea cruises, both individual and group, for example, a mini-cruise along the northern coast of Akamas. You can only visit the Blue Lagoon or other places on the northern coast of Akamas, with the opportunity to swim wherever you want, in the case of renting an individual boat.

The cost of a 2.5-hour group mini-cruise: from 20 Euros - an adult (from 15 with advance booking) and from 10 Euros - child tickets.

The cost of a 4-4.5-hour group cruise: from 25 Euros - for an adult, from 20 Euros - tickets for children.

There are cruises both in the afternoon or in the morning and in the evening (at sunset). Depending on the cruise, drinks and fruits, yoghurts, wine, beer and barbecues, salads, couscous and snacks are offered on board.

The unique Akamas peninsula is located in the northwestern part of the island of Cyprus, 48 \u200b\u200bkm from Paphos. A fabulously beautiful reserve, born by nature itself, will pleasantly impress any tourist. Perhaps because of the rare beauty of herbs and flowers that have survived only on this peninsula, and once growing throughout Cyprus, the famous Homer called it “The Fragrant Island of Flowers”. Clean springs gush out of the crevices, and even islanders from nearby villages come here to get drinking water. A wonderful place, the air here is filled with the aromas of pine forest and wild herbs.

The history of Akamas is closely connected with Greek mythology, for example, the myth of Theseus, who defeated the Cretan monster - the Minotaur with the help of the royal daughter Ariadne, in one of the modified versions takes us to Cyprus. The ship on which Theseus escaped from the island of Crete with his beloved Ariadne, her sister Phaedra, as well as the people he saved from the monster, hit the coast of Cyprus by a strong storm. Tui the hero had to leave Ariadne, who was pregnant and could not continue sailing with everyone. After some time, Theseus returned for his beloved and learned that Ariadne had died during childbirth.

When Theseus returned to his native Athens, where he was king, he married his sister Ariadne, who gave him two sons. Many years later, one of them - Akamas, who became famous for his dexterity and strength, replaced Theseus on the throne. The people revered and loved their new king so much that they erected a monument to him in Athens.

There is even a hypothesis that a fairly developed civilization existed on Akamas in ancient times, the center of which was Akamantida. But no trace of her has yet been found.

The origin of the name of the peninsula has long been of interest to Cypriot researchers. According to one of their versions, the word "Akamas" means "akavtos", i.e. non-combustible. This version is supported by the fact that Leontios Macheras, a famous Cypriot chronicler, wrote about how the Saracens (as the Europeans called the Arab conquerors) quite often attacked Cyprus, robbed and burned it. After one of these attacks, the island was totally incinerated - only Mount Akamas remained.

The landscapes of Akamas are incredibly beautiful: petrified shells, parts of ceramic vessels that remind of the settlements that existed here in antiquity, have created many legends and legends. Their echoes can be found in such poetic names as: Fortress of Rigena, Fountain of Amorosa, Baths of Aphrodite and many others.

The Baths of Aphrodite is very popular among travelers who come to Cyprus. As the myths say, it was in this place that the goddess of love and beauty, who is also called Cypria, took baths. Here love was born between Aphrodite and Adonis, but just like ordinary mortals, the gods of Olympus were jealous and envious. And the beautiful young man dies from the wounds inflicted by the boar, which was sent by Artemis. Aphrodite, mourning her beloved for a long time, turned him into a beautiful flower. From the blood of Adonis, roses bloom, from the tears of the goddess - anemones.

Now the beautiful goddess is reminiscent of the Baths of Aphrodite - a small lake to the northwest of the coast, fed by a mountain stream. Having washed in this stream, you can get eternal beauty, but swimming is prohibited.

The Akamas Peninsula is the most amazing and wonderful place in Cyprus, where nature has been preserved in its original form. The peninsula is home to 168 species of birds, including the rare griffin Vulture, 20 species of reptiles, majestic mouflons, and a varied bright world of butterflies are also pleasing to the eye.

Every year, green (Chelonia midas) and common (Caretta Caretta) sea turtles crawl into the dunes of Lara Beach to lay thousands of eggs here in small coves. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe city of Paphos, there is an incubator station engaged in the artificial breeding of sea turtles. On the peninsula, constant work is underway to protect reptiles, protect their habitat, especially breeding, feeding and wintering places.

On the Laona plateau lies a mysterious three-kilometer-long with its impressive caves. Relatively recently, a labyrinth was found in the Akamas forest at a depth of 70 meters, which only a few local shepherds previously knew about, but were afraid to go down there because of its inaccessibility. The cave has two exits, which are currently closed for safety reasons.

To get into the caves, you need to go through one of the passages with a diameter of 3 meters, and then crawl along a 30-meter manhole, after which a zigzag tunnel begins, which stretches 20 meters and where a person can already stand at full height.

After walking a short distance, you find yourself in a gallery with large stalactites and stalagmites. This place is home to thousands of bats. It is difficult to imagine the surprise of the researchers who descended to the depth with the help of special equipment and found a copper arrowhead and ancient pottery there. How these objects ended up in the cave, none of the researchers can understand, probably it will remain a mystery.
Public organizations and the state are closely monitoring the Akamas to prevent the advance of civilization on this unique corner of nature, inherited by the islanders from previous generations.

It is better to explore the peninsula on your own, on foot or by bike, walking along the most beautiful tourist routes in Cyprus: "Aphrodite's Trail" and "Adonis Trail" (both start at the Baths of Aphrodite). This type of recreation is now very popular with foreigners. A route map can be obtained from the tourist information station as well as from the offices of the Cyprus Tourism Organization.

You can get to Akamas by ordering.

History of the area

One of the most mysterious and deserted places in Cyprus is the Akamas National Park. It is located near the city of Polis, and is a monument of nature and history, attracting great attention.
The development of this territory began in ancient times. For the first time this area is mentioned in one of the ancient Greek myths about Theseus, the winner of the Minotaur. Carried out to the island of Cyprus by a storm, the hero was forced to leave the pregnant Ariadne. One of Theseus' sons, Akamas, a hero of the Trojan War, settled in these places after his expulsion from Athens. It was thanks to Akamas that a large city was built here, and the peninsula was named after him - Akamas. By the way, many historians are still arguing about where the name of the peninsula came from. Later, judging by the data of archeology, this area was actively inhabited.
The rich nature, convenient bays made the surroundings of modern Polis especially attractive for ancient settlers. In our time, several ancient cities and settlements of the Greek, Roman, Byzantine periods have become known on the territory of the Akamas National Park.

National park today

The government of the Republic of Cyprus is very responsible for the protection of the natural park. It is forbidden by law to violate the nature of this place in any way. An interesting fact is that the orders of the authorities are carried out with great love and care by the Cypriots themselves. Public organizations, local residents from the city of Polis are very zealous to keep order on the territory of the reserve. And there is something to keep track of.
The national park is located on a large territory, part of which is bounded by the sea. In the Akamas National Park itself, hundreds of different representatives of flora and fauna live, many of which are unique.
The highlight of the park, like the entire island of Crete, is that it is located on the border of the natural zones of Europe, Africa and Asia. In the park you can see a rare breed of Vultura griffins, numerous and varied butterflies, herds of wild goats in their natural environment.
A lot of work of the park staff is carried out with sea turtles. They lay hundreds of thousands of eggs on the banks of the Akamas National Park in Polis. But birds of prey and sea creatures allow an extremely small number of turtles born to survive. There was a time when these reptiles were on the verge of complete extinction. Today, nature lovers in Polis are helping to restore the population of these wonderful animals. From the flora of the park, one can distinguish beautiful pink-purple peonies, which are listed in the Red Book of Cyprus.

The amazing nature of Polis

Among the natural objects of the park, one can distinguish, first of all, the caves in the Avakas gorge. They were discovered relatively recently, and immediately became one of the most famous places in the park. The fact is that these caves stretch for many kilometers underground.
The nature of Polis generously rewarded these caves with beautifully shaped stalactites and stalagmites. The interior was once inhabited by people, as evidenced by fragments of pottery and a copper arrowhead. Who these people were, what they did in the vicinity of Polis, remains to be learned by historians and archaeologists. All together makes the Akamas National Park an interesting place to visit for tourists.