European E4 long distance path The Cyprus section, which has been set up as a joint venture between the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Cyprus Tourism Organisations, connects Larnaka and Pafos airports. Along the way, it passes through areas of outstanding natural beauty, places of ecological importance and historic and archaelogical sites. All the roads and tracks on the route are well signposted and the CTO has published a booklet of the Cyprus section, splitting it into comfortable daily sections, with the distance and time needed to cover each one. Ot also gives useful information on the geology, flora, fauna and points of interest along each section of the route.
Hiking and rambling The Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Forestry Department have created over sixty nature trails to assist hikers and ramblers enjoy the island’s hills and vales. The trails, some linear and others circular, help walkers discover the most fascinating corners of Cyprus. The terrain varies from that of Cape Gkreko in the southeast, through the Troodos Mountains, the foothills and forests to the Akamas peninsula in the west. The tyrails, which are designed to take in areas of outstanding, natural beauty and cultural importance, are on gentle gradients and are divided into three degrees of difficulty with two trails suitable for the disabled. Wooden signboards mark the start of each trial and there are pointers to interesting flora or geological features along each route. The CTO’S booklet ‘European Long Distance Path E4 and other Cyprus Nature Trails’ gives details of the European E4 path and all the nature trials with the length, duration and degree of difficulty of each one. You can pick up a copy at the nearest CTO information office. Cycling:
If your idea of traveling is to have the wind on your face, the sun on your back, the gentle crunch of tyres on gravel, the scent of pines around you and a glimpse of the sea sparkling in the distance, then cycling in Cyprus is for you. Almost all the tourist resorts have bicycles for hire and the CTO’s guidebook Cyprus Cycling Routes can be picked up at the nearest CTO information centre. The guidebook covers main routes connecting towns or regions and excursions within a region. Each itinerary describes the route from point to point by altitude and the distance from the start point the total distance is given, as well as the difficulty rating, which is based on the average moderately fit cyclist. Recommendations are also made as to the type of bicycle suitable for each route and the road surface is described. The book includes a map of each route. There is also a longer cycling route in the Troodos mountains. This is split into three sections and takes riders from Pano Platres to the Karvounas mountain saddle; then to Prodromos and finally back to Platres. The route is on forest, rural and secondary roads and it passes villages, historical sites, monasteries and areas of outstanding natural beauty. It is signposted and there are markers pointing to viewpoints etc. for competitive cyclists, the Cyprus Cycling Federation, which is a member of the International Cycling Union (ICU) organizes an annual three-day international mountain bike competition called ‘Afxentia’ that attracts cyclists from all over Europe. The CCF also runs annual road races.
Horse Riding: Riding is a different way of exploring the hidden secrets of the Cyprus landscape. There are riding stables and ranches all ovewr the island, so you can enjoy the Akamas peninsula, the Cape Gkreko Natiional Forest Park or the pine-scented Troodos Mountains on horseback. Riding allows you to enjoy nature at a slower pace, to hear the birdsong and watch the incredible colours of the last rays of the setting sun over sea or mountain. Riding can be enjoyed year-round thanks to the island’s climate and there is trekking and hatching for all levels of competence. Riding lessons are also available at centres with well-trained horses and qualified instructors. The CTO has published a pamphlet Horse Riding in Cyprus and more information is available from the Cyprus Equestrian Federation. For those who are nervous of horses, donkey rides are also available.
Skiing and Snowboarding: Chionistra, the traditional name for Mount Olympus at the summit of the Troodos Mountains, means ‘the snowy one’ and in winter, it is covered with a good layer of snow.Cyprus Hotels There is a brief but vigorous skiing and snowboarding season from December to March. There are four main runs, on the southern slopes Sun Valley I is ideal for novices and Sun Valley 2 is for more practiced skiers. North Face I and North Face 2 are for the experienced. The Cyprus Ski Club runs t-bar lifts at Sun Valley and the North Face, where there are six alpine standard runs varying from 100 to 500 metres. There are two langlauf trails at Sun Valley; one of eight kilometres and one of four, which go through some wonderful and dramatic scenery. Snowboarding is growing in popularity and plans are afoot to create a park dedicated solely to this up-and-coming sport. Visitors can hire equipment from the ski store at Sun Valley and individual and group tuition is available for skiers and snowboarders.
Angling: Angling in the dam reservoirs of Cyprus is a very popular pastime and twenty-one reservoirs provide excellent fresh-water fishing throughout the year. Seventeen species of fish are stocked, including trout, bass, carp, perch and roach. ‘Catch and keep’ is allowed at akk but two sites, Polemedeia (Lemesos District) and Achna (Ammochostos District) , which are ‘catch and release’ only. Anglers need a fishing licence, which can be easily obtained from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research in Nicosia or from the regional offices of the Fisheries Department.
Ornithology: Cyprus lies on one of the main migratory paths for bird species from Europe, Asia and Africa and there are many endemic species on the island. Winter is the time to enjoy spectacular flocks of flamingos and wildfowl at the Salt Lakes. High summer is a quiet time, as the number of breeding species is relatively small. Autumn is excellent for the passage of raptors, especially in September and October. The season also sees a massive movement of wildfowl, gulls and herons. Birdlife Cyprus is an NGO that promotes the protection of birds and their habitats. BLC is an affiliate of Birdlife Europe and it runs birdwatching trips and a birdline, through which visitors can find out what is happening on the local scene.
Botany: In the heat of summer, visitors can be forgiven for thinking that Cyprus is bereft of flowers, as the dry rock-strewn hills show scant evidence that the island is home to an extraordinary variety of wildflowers and orchids, including around 130 endemic plants. The best time to see Cyprus’ wild flowers is in early spring (February-march). When most species enjoy a short period of blossoming and take advantage of the unusually moist climate. The country’s floral profile is the result of the catastrophic ice ages when much of the flora of northern and central Europe was glacier covered, while the Mediterranean basin escaped unscathed, providing a haven for the evolution of plant life.
National Forest Parks: There are seven national forest parks, including two within the environs of Nicosia-Athalassa Park and Paedagogical Academy Parks, which have nature trails, picnic sites, birdwatching basketball arenas. The Troodos National Forest Park is the largest and includes four Nature Reserves. It has the largest number of wild plats, including endemics, compared to anywhere else on the island and has been designated as one of the thirteen Mediterranean Plant Diversity Hot Spots. The Park has many recreational facilities, including picnic sites, a campsite, nat?re trails, riding and winter sport. The Cavo Gkreko National Forest Park in the southeast of the islands is ideal for hiking., picnicking, cycling, riding, climbing, swimming and diving.
Traditional Houses; anyone who prefers the charm of a quiet, rural environment to the hustle and bustle of a tourist resort can opt to stay at a traditional house in a village, accommodation known in Cyprus as agrotourism . These properties are renovated traditional village houses. All have modern kitchens and bathrooms and are furnished with rustic furniture and soft furnishings in traditional weave. Most of the houses have a garden, where you can enjoysuch delights as lemons fresh from the tree, and some even have a swimming pool too. You can enjoy the comfort of a house that will soon feel like home. All the properties are licensed by the CTO and are maintained under the umbrella of the Cyprus Agrotourism Company, an affiliate company of the CTO and whose members are the owners of the houses. Most properties are open year-round, so are ideal for botanists, birdwatchers and hikers, for whom Cyprus in the early spring is a must.
Tourist Villas; Scattered around the countryside are tourist villas offering high standards of accommodation. These are invidual houses with pools, and many are built in local architectural style. Cyprus Holidays Other accommodation; There is a wide range of accommodation ranging from hotels to self-catering establishments, varying in size and capacity and offering everything from the very basic accommodation facilities to the most exclusive features. These are located in villages, such as Agros, Lefkara, Polis/Latsi, Kato Pyrgos, Drouseia, Neo Chorio, Lysos, Platres, Pedoulas, Kakopetria, Spilia and others.
Camp Sites; the four camp siteslicensed by the CTO are: Kalymnos Beach, Lemesos District, and three in the Pafos district; Geroskipou Zenon Gardens; Feggari at Pegeia; and Polis Camping. However, there is another camsite operating at Troodos, The Troodos, Campsite, which is run by the Cyprus Forestry Department. Kalymnos and Feggari are open all year round, the other coastal ones open March to October and Troodos opens from May to October, weather permitting. Facilities at each site include showers, toilets washing facilities, mini-market and a snack bar or restaurant.
Away from the tourism areas, the Cyprus countryside has a diverse wealth of its own with traditional villages, vineyards and wineries, tiny fresco-painted churches, remote monasteries and cool shady forests. This is a nature-lovers paradise, where you can walk for hours without seeing another living soul. In springtime, fields of flowers stretch as far as the eye can see, and a ramble along a mountain path will suddenly reveal a tiny chapel or a Venetian-built bridge that once formed part of the route of an ancient camel train. Around every corner is another surprise; a magnificent view; a rare sighting of the Cyprus moufflon as it scampers up an almost vertical slope; or a chance encounter with someone who will surprise you with his or her knowledge of your language and an invitation to join the family for a coffee or refreshment.
The island of Cyprus may be small but it has literally hundreds of villages, many of which are no more that a handful of houses clustered around a church, and a coffee-shop that also serves as the village store, post office and general meeting place. In the more remote parts of the island, these villages have remained virtually unchanged and although motorized transport has made them more accessible, their older inhabitants still cling to the traditional lifestyle which basically revolves around the seasons of planting and harvesting. For some of these people, the donkey is still the preferred mode of transport and these faithful animals can still be seen making their way home from the fields, laden with fireweed or green forage for the family goats.
Even in the larger villages, traditional values are still very much in evidence. Here, maybe the village shepherd carries a mobile phone and the farmer drives to his fields in a double-cabin pick-up truck but this is merely a sign of the times-a veneer that, when scratched, will expose the true character of the village people-family-orientated, warm-hearted, friendly and unbelievably hospitable. The main activity in rural Cyprus is arable and livestock farming. What is grown where depends on the area, the terrain and the climate. But the island’s range of produce is amazing. Just about anything will grow here, from tropical fruits such as mangoes, kiwis and bananas to produce more associated with that from northern climates.
On the island’s south facing slopes, especially in the western part of the island, are the vineyards. Cyprus is famous for its fine wines and a visit to one of the many wineries is a great ay to spend a day. The grapes are harvested during autumn, when entire families, from grandparents to the youngest toddlers, work together in their vineyards to bring in the crop. Autumn is also the time to harvest the olives. As in most other Mediterranean countries, the olive plays a significant role in the lives of the people. Every part of the tree is important: the deadwood is used to stoke the winter stoves; the fruit is either preserved in brine, or crushed for its precious oil. Even the leaves are dried, blessed and burnt as aromatic incense during church services.
Olive trees grow all over the island, except high up in the mountains, where they are unable to survive the harsher winters. Almost all villagers in the remote areas own at least a small plot of land on which they grow their own vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines, as well as pulse vegetables that can be dried and stored for the winter months. They raise chickens for eggs and meats, and many also keep a few goats, which provide them with enough milk to make their own yoghourt and cheeses, including Cyprus ‘famous Halloumi cheese. Sea fishing is also an important rural activity and fishing shelters are dotted around the coast. Visit them early in the morning, to watch the fisherman bring in the catch of the day. Mining the island’s rich mineral deposits of copper, asbestos, chromium, pyrites and umber used to be a lucrative part of the rural economy but its importance has declined as the mines gradually become worked out. Away from the cultivated land, there is an abundant ecosystem of flora and fauna with many endemic species. In spring, the island is carpeted with wild flowers and orchids. North Cyprus Hotels Cyprus is on one of the north-south migratory paths and during spring and autumn millions of birds either over*fly the island or break their long journey here. During winter, the Larnaka and Akrotiri salt lakes are an extraordinary sight with thousands of pink flamingos wading in the shallow waters. The moufflon, an indigenous wild sheep, roams the forested slopes of the Troodors range, and both Green and Loggerhead turtles breed on the island’s more secluded beaches.
The cultural landscape of the rural areas is rich and varied, with archaeological sites, monasteries, museums and churches, while traditional crafts such as basket-making, pottery, weaving, wood carving, and lace-making are still maintained in many villages. The Cyprus hinterland is a great place for botanists, artists, bird watchers, hikers, ramblers, anglers, cyclists, photographers and geologists. The greatest wealth of any country is its people and whatever your interest or wherever you travel in Cyprus you can always be sure of receiving the warmest of welcomes.
