Natural sites of Cyprus

The most interesting natural attractions of Cyprus are located in the National Parks. There are 3 national parks in Cyprus: Kavo Greco, Akamas and the Troodos Mountains. The first two are located on the coasts, and the Troodos Mountains are in the heart of Cyprus. There is climate different from the coastal resorts.

The symbols of Cyprus are most often called the Rocks of Petra Tou Romiou, as well as the two Bridges of Lovers. One of them is located in Ayia Napa, and the other on the eastern shore in the territory of the Cavo Greco National Park.

If you are vacationing in the area of the resort of Paphos, you can go to the Akamas National Park. Here, from the Aphrodite Bath, you can follow the Aphrodite Trail to the Blue Lagoon. There is also a very interesting Avakas Gorge.
The Troodos Mountains are a very interesting excursion from any beach resort. Here is the highest mountain in Cyprus – Olympus. However, the most interesting is the trails near the village of Troodos.

This review presents the most interesting natural attractions of Cyprus:

• Rocks of Petra Tou Romiou
• Bridge of Lovers in Ayia Napa
• Bridge of Lovers in Cavo Greco
• Sea caves in Cavo Greco
• Avakas Gorge
• Blue Lagoon
• Trails in the Troodos Mountains
• Mount Olympus

Click on the hyperlinks to read in detail about each attraction and see a large number of photos

Petra Tou Romiou rock

A small rock on the beach, 20 kilometers south of Paphos, is called Petra Tou Romiou. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Cyprus. Sometimes it is also called the Rock of Aphrodite, as it is associated with the legend of the birth of the goddess of beauty Aphrodite. 

According to ancient Greek legend, Aphrodite, the daughter of Uranus, was born from the sea foam off the coast of Cyprus
The newlyweds come to the Rock of Petra Tou Romiou. According to legend, if they bathe in the place where the Goddess Aphrodite came ashore, they will always be together. There is also a legend that bathing in this place gives women youth and men strength, but this is not for sure. 

Bridge of Lovers in Ayia Napa 

The Bridge of Lovers in Ayia Napa is located on the eastern outskirts of the city. In the immediate vicinity, on the high bank, there is a Cactus Park and a Sculpture Park, so a trip to the Bridge of Lovers should definitely be combined with a tour of these attractions. 

The Bridge of Lovers in Ayia Napa is an arch, but it is one of the symbols of Cyprus. The coast to the east of Ayia Napa is formed by volcanic rock. The Kavo Greco National Park is located here. There are no beaches in these places, as the rocky coastline rises 10-20 meters above the water. 

The natural arch, called the Bridge of Lovers, descends in one part into the azure water of sea. The bridge is 7 meters long and about 2 meters wide. People can freely enter the Bridge of Lovers. You can frequently see people who want to take beautiful photos on it. 

Bridge of Lovers in Kavo Greco

Bridge of Lovers in the National Park Kavo Greco is located on the south-eastern shore of Cyprus. Unlike another Bridge of Lovers, which is located in Ayia Napa (where it is in the form of an arch), here you can see a full-fledged bridge created by nature over two rocky shores of a small Bay. 

The Bridge of Lovers in Kavo Greco Park is one of the most famous site of Cyprus. This is a wonderful natural attraction. The length of the natural arch of the bridge reaches 7 meters. It rises above the water surface at a height of about 18 meters. 

On maps, the Bridge of Lovers is designated as "Kamara Tu Koraka", which means "Crow Arch" in Greek. Sometimes this Bridge is also called the Bridge of Sinners. 

Sea Cave

There are many Sea Caves in the Kavo Greco National Park, but the most famous of them are located on the southern shore of Cape Greco. Hundreds of people come to these Sea Caves every day to take photos on the background of azure water. Some people here even jump into the water from a height of 20 meters and swim in the Bay. 

Sea Caves are located in a small picturesque Bay. The height of the rocky coast in this place reaches 20 meters. On the left side, the height of the Bank gradually decreases, but remains high. It is impossible to go to the water to swim here. 
Sea Caves are located on the left side of the Bay. You can go down to them on the rocks and go to the entrance. Some caves have passageways and grottos that open out to the Bay.

Avakas gorge

Avakas gorge in the Akamas National Park is located on the western shore of the peninsula. This gorge is one of the most famous natural attractions in Cyprus. It is one of the most protected places in the country. 

Avakas gorge (Canyon Avakas) is 2 kilometers away from the turtle beach of Lara. In 2 kilometers away the trail to the Avakas gorge begins. It goes deep into the gorge, but at first, it is quite wide. The Avgas river flows along the bottom of the gorge. There is a very rough vegetation. 

After one kilometer, the most interesting section of the Avakas gorge begins. This is a very narrow canyon among steep chalk cliffs. The height of the rocks reaches 30 meters, and the width in some places is only 3-5 meters. In some places the upper part of the gorge Avakas even narrower than the lower. In one place, visitors must pass under a huge block that is stuck at the top of the gorge due to the narrow edges. 

Blue Lagoon 

The Blue Lagoon in Akamas National Park is one of the most famous places in west coast. All boats from the village of Neo Chorio or excursion boats from the more remote town of Polis sail here. The water in the Blue Lagoon has a turquoise color near the shore and a rich blue color in the open sea. The Blue Lagoon is also called the "Amphitheater".

Tourists who sail to the Blue Lagoon by boat can admire the mountainous terrain of Akamas Park, which is densely overgrown with vegetation. In the middle of the way, they see the highest mountain of the Akamas reserve, Moutti tis Sotiras. Its height is 370 meters. The Aphrodite Hiking trail, which starts at the Aphrodite Baths and then goes to the Blue Lagoon, also goes past this mountain. On the way here, you can meet grazing goats. 

Trails in Troodos

The Troodos Mountain trekking trails are a popular hiking destination in summer. In winter, Troodos has a ski resort. The mountain activity center is located in the village of Troodos. It is located near the mount Olympus, whose height is 1952 meters. Despite the warm weather in the coastal cities of Cyprus, snow falls here in winter. 

There are many trekking trails near Troodos village. They are on the mountain slopes among the cedar and pine forests. The Artemis ring Trail is 7 kilometers long around mount Olympus. From the village of Troodos you will have to walk there 2.3 kilometers or drive this distance by car. However, there are no fewer similar trails near the village of Troodos itself. Their total length reaches several tens of kilometers.

Mount Olympus 

Mount Olympus is the highest peak in Cyprus. It is located in the Troodos mountain range, in the Eastern regions of the island. A trip to the mountains, with a visit to the top of Olympus, is one of the most interesting excursions from any beach area of Cyprus. In winter, you can come here for a ski resort. 

Mount Olympus in Cyprus has a similar name to the Greek Olympus, where, according to ancient Greek mythology, the gods lived. Cyprus Olympus (height 1952 m) is lower than the Greek Olympus (2917 m), and the gods have never lived on it. However, the interest of tourists to it does not become less. Going on an excursion to the mountains, you should definitely take warmer clothes, as the weather in the Troodos mountains is cooler than in the coastal resorts.

Millomeris waterfall

The picturesque Millomeris waterfall and the Krios Potamos river gorge is one of the most famous in the Troodos mountain range. It is located near the village of Pano Platres. Usually tourists visit it when they go to the Troodos mountains from the southern side (Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa). 

Waterfall Millomeris is the highest in Cyprus. Its height reaches 15 meters. This river does not dry up even in the driest summer months, so you can plan a visit at any time, without fear that instead of a waterfall, you will see only small streams of a dried-up stream.