Cyprus walking travel guide

Although the Cyprus Tourism Organisation has concentrated on walks in the south, it’s Cyprus’s Turkish north that holds the lion’s share of timeless tracks with the 100km ridge along the Kyrenia Mountains flanked by views over the Med and the Mesaoria Plains. Tear yourself away from crusader castles for a moment and you’ll find walks to turtle nesting grounds and ancient monasteries along the Karpas Peninsula to the east; however, roads are rough, with belligerent, braying donkeys best bypassed with just a nod.

Back in southern Cyprus, less confrontational paths can be found around the island’s highest point, Mt Olympus, within the central Troodos Mountains, where Artemis lays claim to one of the best circular walks on Cyprus. More myths and legends prevail the further west you walk with the Akamas Panorama featuring the Baths of Aphrodite and the start of the Adonis and Aphrodite trails which lead over dusty gravel tracks to some of the island’s finest stretches of unblemished coastline.

Find out more in our Cyprus walking vacations travel guide.

Choosing between self guided and small group walking vacations in Cyprus depends on whether you prefer to walk with detailed trip notes or an experienced guide. Small groups are suited for walkers who like to make friends along the trail with the added bonus of local knowledge to transform seemingly meaningless rocky ruins into fantastical folklore. Self guided walking vacations in Cyprus allow you to choose your own adventure, from a selection of trails, where you can set off at a time that suits you depending on how you feel and the number of meze dishes consumed the night before.

Cyprus abounds with ancient wonders, including those found within Paphos Archaeological Park, although it’ not always possible to combine a walk with such sites. However, there are several short walks featuring stone built villages, medieval Venetian bridges and weather-worn watermills and vineyards to provide some fascinating points of interest during a week away. Aside from ancient heritage, Cyprus has a wealth of woodland paths and verdant valley trails with black pine, cedar, juniper and yellow flowering sea broom and gorse allowing longer distances and wild encounters with sea turtles and migratory birds or horned mouflon and semi-feral, dusty, donkeys.