Hiking in Cyprus: The Best Trails in the Akamas and the Troodos Mountains

Want to explore Cyprus on foot and wondering where to go hiking in Cyprus? We live in Coral Bay near Paphos and rent out two holiday villas here. Many of our guests ask us about walks and hikes nearby. In this guide we show you the best hiking trails in the west of the island and in the Troodos Mountains – with distance, walking time and the drive from Coral Bay. The trail details come from the official tourism board Visit Cyprus; we measured the driving times with a route planner.

Hiking in Cyprus: why the island is worth it

The island of Cyprus offers far more than beaches. It is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean – and much more mountainous than many people expect. Within a short drive you’ll find a rugged coastline, pine forests, gorges and peaks of almost 2,000 metres. That is what makes hiking in Cyprus so varied: one morning you walk along the coast with sea views, the next day along forest trails in the mountains – a very different side of Cyprus. In the east, Cape Greco National Forest Park near Ayia Napa also has coastal paths, but this guide focuses on the west of the island around Paphos.

The Republic of Cyprus has a network of designated walking trails in its state forests, known as nature trails, each described with length, duration and difficulty. Many of them are circular routes that start at a car park or picnic area, so every hike in Cyprus is easy to plan as a day trip. For hiking holidays in Cyprus you don’t need much hiking experience – just good shoes, enough water and the right time of year.

Best time for hiking in Cyprus

The best time for hiking in Cyprus is April and May, and October and November. It is warm then, but not hot. In Paphos daytime highs average around 17 °C in March, 21 °C in April, 24 °C in May and 25 °C in October (source: weather2travel, see our guide to the best time to visit Cyprus). In spring orchids and rockroses flower in the Akamas, and in October and November the paths are pleasantly quiet.

From June to September the coast is too hot for longer walks, with 28 to 30 °C. If you want to hike in summer, start very early or head up into the higher parts of the Troodos Mountains, where it stays cooler. In winter the coast is mild, while there can be snow in the Troodos – more in our article on Cyprus in winter and our overview of the weather in Paphos.

Hiking on the Akamas Peninsula

The Akamas Peninsula in the north-west is a popular hiking area. It is barely inhabited and protected as a Natura 2000 site, with rich flora and fauna, including endemic plants found only in Cyprus. The best-known trails start at the Baths of Aphrodite west of Polis, north of Paphos. From Coral Bay it’s around 37 kilometres, about 50 minutes by car. For more on the area, Lara Bay and the Moutti tis Sotiras viewpoint, see our guide to the Akamas Peninsula & Lara Bay.

Aphrodite Trail: a circular walk with sea views

The Aphrodite Trail is the classic hike on the Akamas Peninsula. The circular route, officially the Aphrodite nature trail, is 7.5 kilometres long and takes 3 to 4 hours. It starts at the Baths of Aphrodite at 35 metres and climbs to 333 metres. Along the way you pass the ruins of Pyrgos tis Rigainas, the “Queen’s Tower”, and an oak tree around 500 years old. The panoramic views stretch over Cape Arnaoutis, the bay of Polis and the Paphos Forest.

The name recalls the goddess of love and beauty: according to legend, Aphrodite bathed in the grotto at the start of the trail. The island of Aphrodite has a second famous spot – Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou) on the south coast, where, according to myth, the goddess was born.

Adonis Trail and Smigies Trail

The Adonis Trail is also 7.5 kilometres long, takes 3 to 4 hours and starts about 400 metres before the Baths of Aphrodite. It reaches 319 metres. Both trails meet at the Queen’s Tower, so you can combine them. Expect some steep uphill stretches on both. At the end of the Adonis Trail you walk a short stretch along the road between the Baths and Polis.

Shorter is the Smigies Trail from the Smigies picnic area, 2.5 kilometres from Neo Chorio. You can choose between 2.5 kilometres (about 1 hour) and 6 kilometres (about 2 hours). First you see the west coast with Lara Bay, later the bay of Polis to the east. The longer route passes old mines. From Coral Bay it’s around 38 kilometres, about 55 minutes. We also describe the trails around the Baths in our guide to Latchi & the Baths of Aphrodite.

Avakas Gorge: currently closed

Avakas Gorge was long one of the most popular hikes in Cyprus – a narrow path between high rock walls. The trail has been closed since 6 December 2025. In May 2026 the Forestry Department confirmed that the gorge will remain closed until further notice. So don’t build your plans around it, and check the current situation locally.

A short coastal walk near Coral Bay

Not every hike needs a long drive. Around 7 kilometres north of Coral Bay, near Peyia, are the Sea Caves: caves and arches in pale limestone cliffs, plus the Edro III shipwreck. Short walks along the clifftops are perfect at sunset. There is no shade, so the late afternoon is best. Directions are in our guide to the Sea Caves & Edro III, and there’s more about our neighbouring village in our article on Peyia.

Hiking in the Troodos Mountains

The Troodos Mountains are the heart of the island, in the interior between Paphos and Limassol. Here stands Mount Olympus at 1,952 metres, also called Chionistra in Greek – the highest mountain in Cyprus. Many of the trails lie within Troodos National Forest Park and take you through black pine forests, past streams, waterfalls and small Cypriot mountain villages. From Coral Bay it’s around 90 kilometres, just over an hour and a half by car on winding mountain roads.

Artemis Trail around Mount Olympus

The Artemis Trail in the Limassol district is an easy high-level walk. It loops once around the summit of Mount Olympus in 7 kilometres and 2.5 to 3 hours. It starts at 1,835 metres, and the highest point is at 1,850 metres. Along the way you pass two black pines around 500 years old and the remains of Venetian fortifications from 1571. You get stunning views in every direction. It is rated difficulty grade 1 – the other trails in this guide are grade 2 or 3.

Kalidonia Trail to the waterfall

The Kalidonia Trail is short with spectacular scenery: 3 kilometres, about 1.5 hours, downhill all the way from 1,571 to 1,238 metres to Psilodentro above Pano Platres. The highlight is the Kalidonia Waterfall. As it isn’t a circular route, you’ll need a taxi or a second car for the return, or you walk back up the same path. Rocks near the waterfall can be wet and slippery – sure footing helps.

Atalanti Trail: the long route

For experienced hikers there is the Atalanti Trail. It starts at Troodos Square, is 14 kilometres long and takes around 5 hours. Allow a full day and start early – that way you can enjoy the nature without watching the clock.

Churches and monasteries in the Troodos

Combine your hike with culture: ten churches and monasteries in the Troodos are on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the “Painted Churches in the Troodos Region”, nine of them since 1985. The best known is Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis near Kakopetria, from the 11th century and famous for its frescoes. The medieval Kykkos Monastery is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Coral Bay. If you’d like vineyards and picturesque villages, drive to Omodos – around 72 kilometres, about 75 minutes from Coral Bay.

The best hikes in Cyprus at a glance

Here are all the hiking trails in this guide with distance, walking time and the drive from Coral Bay. We measured the driving times with a route planner; allow a little extra on the mountain roads.

Hiking gear and safety

With these tips every hiker is well prepared for a trip to Cyprus:

• Walking boots: Sturdy shoes with good grip keep you steady on uneven paths.
• Water: Take at least 1.5 litres per person. According to the tourism board, the fountains on the Aphrodite and Adonis Trails do not have drinking water.
• Sun: A hat, sun cream and an early start – there is hardly any shade on the coast.
• Map: Download the route to your phone for offline use in case there’s no signal.
• Emergency: The European emergency number 112 works in Cyprus. More in our article Is Cyprus safe?.
• Hire car: You can only reach the trailheads by car. Many insurance policies don’t cover dirt tracks – read our guide to car rental in Cyprus first.

FAQ: hiking in Cyprus

Conclusion: Cyprus on foot is worth it

Many hikes in Cyprus are shorter than you’d think and very doable: in the Akamas you walk with sea views, in the Troodos Mountains through pine forests at almost 2,000 metres. Travel in spring or autumn, take plenty of water and leave the closed Avakas Gorge out of your plans for now. With Coral Bay as your base you can reach both hiking areas as a day trip – and the pool is waiting in the evening. For days without walking boots there’s culture such as the Archaeological Park in Paphos – find more ideas in our overview of things to do around Coral Bay.

Sources: length, duration, altitude and route descriptions of the trails from Visit Cyprus (nature trails Aphrodite, Adonis, Smigies, Artemis, Kalidonia; Atalanti from the Visit Cyprus Walking Festival programme); height of Mount Olympus and UNESCO churches from Wikipedia; Avakas closure from Politis (06.05.2026); climate data from weather2travel; driving times measured with the OSRM route planner (OpenStreetMap) from Coral Bay, 11.10.2026, Kykkos and Omodos from our article on Cyprus in winter. Header image: rocky cove on the coast near Peyia, close to Coral Bay. Last updated: October 2026.

Your base for hiking in Cyprus

Two private pool villas, each with three bedrooms and sea views, in Coral Bay – around 50 minutes to the Akamas and just over an hour and a half to the Troodos. Booked directly with your host.

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