The Land of Turtles and Aphrodite (Akamas Peninsula (Cyprus))

Member Name: Praskipark

Product:	Akamas Peninsula (Cyprus)
Date:	27/01/09 (273 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful walking opportunites, sunsets, peace and tranquility

Disadvantages: Some of the walks are a little steep.

This review of the Akamas Peninsula is really an extension of my Paphos review and was a favourite haunt of mine while I was in Cyprus on holiday. The reason I love this particular area is because it has been saved from property developers mainly by environmental campaigners so that the turtle breeding ground at Lara beach remains undisturbed. I love walking and a day out in the Avgas Gorge is a 'perfect' day for me and another good walking area is the nature trail near the 'Baths of Aphrodite.' The little town of Polis is very popular with young backpackers and independent travellers as it is the only place in Cyprus that I know of where overnight accommodation is available in small pensions or cheap private rooms. However, if you are looking for a lively nightlife in Polis this is the wrong place. I toured the peninsula in a hired car and some parts on foot but it is suitable for cyclists as long as they are not afraid of the steep hills. To walk the whole of the peninsula you will have to take a taxi to reach the more remote sights as buses only operate between Pathos and Polis.

That's just an overview and now on with the full virtual tour........

First stop is Ayios Neophytos Monastery. The story goes that St Neophytos, who had a love of travel, had been robbed of his money in Paphos in 1159 while en-route to Palestine. Impoverished, he saw his plight as a sign from God and decided to stay put. The spot he chose for his enclosure (enkleistra) and where he was to spend the next 65 years was by a spring at the entrance to a wooded valley.

Using only simple tools Neophytos took a whole year to cut a cave out of the sheer rock face above the present monastery. In 1170, at the request of the Bishop of Paphos, he accepted a number of pupils but he found himself ill-suited to life in a monastery. So the recluse dug out a second cave a little higher up and cut a shaft through to the first cave so that he could follow the liturgy in the first cave without having to make contact with his fellow monks. Finally he dug his own grave in the rock, but his last wish - to be left to rest in peace until the Last Judgement - has not been fulfilled as his bones and skull, covered in silver and now a shade of yellow from the countless kisses of his followers, are displayed in the 15th century monastery church.

Even during his lifetime, the walls of Neophytos's cell, smoothed with a layer of plaster, were covered with splendid paintings. Two of the scenes show Neophytos himself. In one he is being carried up to heaven by angels and in the other he is kneeling at the feet of Christ, flanked by John and Mary. I remember the sun this day as being especially radiant and as its rays beamed through the arched window in the cell it spread a glorious red and amber glow over the paintings giving the whole room a serene warmth.

In the monastery church, there are three clear styles. In the ascetic-style frescoes on the west, the saint, clad only in sack-like drapes, seems sullen and weary. The pictures in the apse of the chapel are quite different: the figures here display refinement and elegance but they were the work of artists friom the imperial court in Constantinople. The most recent pictures, such as the foot washing scene, were added during restoration work in 1503 and the style has a more popular appeal.

It was a weekend when I visited and I was surprised to see that the inside of the new museum had been turned into a busy market. I found it hard to imagine that once a hermit communed with God and nature here. For a hermit, however Neophytos played an extraordinarily active part in the island's politics. Apart from a wealth of religious writings, he penned a chronicle entitled Regarding the Misfortune of Cyprus, a detailed account of the Crusaders' conquest of the island.

Polis has been popular with independent travellers for a long time. Like I mentioned above there are no hotel complexes and you can stay in rooms rented out by the locals or in small pensions. It's always a lot of fun I think to haggle over the price of a room with the landlords/ladies of the island. They can be quite precocious but nowhere near as aggressive as sobe grans in Serbia and Croatia. However, even in Polis Chrysochou, the 'Town with the Golden Sand' as it is officially known, a few villas and apartment blocks have been built and the attractive main square and street leading to the pedestrianised zone have been smartened up. In antiquity, the town of Marion was situated a little nearer the sea and the copper mined in the hinterland was exported from the harbour. At the end of the last century, archaelogists (some Polish archaelogists, I might add) uncovered a number of tombs from Marion's golden age; however, these have been filled in and are awaiting another round of excavations. The shingle beach, interspersed with sandy sections, extends for miles as far as the Baths of Aphrodite.

Only a few tracks and bridle paths cross the uninhabited Akamas peninsula. The northeastern tip of Cyprus has survived as a habitat for rare plants and strongly-flavoured wild herbs such as sage and thyme. The British Army, which occasionally uses the Akamas for artillery practice, and Cypriot environmental campaigners are to be thanked for saving the peninsula from tourist development. Unfortunately there is little to be done to curtail the activities of the four wheel drive enthusiasts and motor cyclists who chase through the woodland.

If exercises are planned, a red flag will be hoisted at the start of the footpath and warning lights switched on. Another danger comes from unexpected shells which can sometimes be found lying in the grass. I suggest you don't touch them but notify the forest rangers or restaurant staff.

A road leads from Polis past the fishing village and holiday village of Lachi to the Potamos estate, ending at a car park outside a large restaurant. Continue on foot and before long the path reaches Loutra tis Aphroditis (Baths of Aphrodite), hidden away in a fertile grove. According to legend, the goddess and her lover Akamas sought privacy here. Refreshingly cool water trickles from a rocky ledge into three natural basins. Bathing in the pool is said to bring beauty and eternal youth, and anyone who drinks the spring water will soon fall head over heels in love.I can't vouch for the authenticity of this legend but I can only hope it is true - well the bit about eternal youth - I was already in love when I sipped the water which tasted very nice, I have to say. Two nature trails follow Aphrodite's footsteps further into the peninsula's interior. The couple are said to have rested at Pyrgos tis Rigaenis, a ruined monastery in the shade of some primeval oaks. If you are a romantic then this part of the trail is worth a visit. If you are not then I think you might find it somewhat boring.

The villages near Drousha in the Laona region are trying to create a 'gentler form of tourism'. The village school by the church square in Kathikas has been converted into a cultural centre, where you can find information on everyday life of the local farmers, fauna and flora and possible walks. The road from Drousha to Nechorio through the abandined Turkish village of Androlikou is little used by traffic and so features in many of the walking tours organised on Cyprus.

The pilgrims' church of Ayios Georgios at Cape Drepano overlooks a fishing harbour and a small beach. The foundations and mosaics of a basillica provide evidence that in late antiquity an important town once stood on the plateau, but little is known of its fate. The inhabitants buried their dead in rock tombs near the steps to the quay. Archaelogists hope that the excavation work underway on the tiny offshore island of Geronissos will reveal more about the mysterious town that probably dates back from the Ptolemaic era.

The quiet village - not much more than three tavernas - comes alive on Saturdays. Baptisms take place in the church and that is always an excuse for Cypriots to organise a lavish feast. Presents, votive offerings and wax figures of babies can be bought at the market. The faithful then offer them to the church saint. Single people still in search of a partner may find that the wishing tree outside the Byzantine church will help to bring them love. But if they have no faith in the practice of tying rags to the tree trunk, then a candle in the church might do the trick: say the name of the loved one three times and then turn the candle upside down. If it continues to burn, love and happoiness will follow.

To the north of Ayios Georgios, a coastal path runs beside a turtle beach. In July and August eggs are buried under the sand and cars are not allowed under any circumstances to go anywhere near the water 's edge in order to avoid the eggs being crushed.

For me one of the finest walks on the peninsula was through the Avgas Gorge. It's difficult at times but so exhilarating. At midday the sun penetrates to the floor of this steep and narrow ravine. In places the path is the stream fed by rock springs, but don't be alarmed, the water is very shallow but also cool and refreshing. The path ends in a hollow with sides so steep that even the goats find it difficult to negotiate.

And from here it was back to Coral Bay where I returned to civilisation and a friendly, holiday village which was once a Bronze Age settlement and is now popular with windsurfers.

A Few Tips
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On the Arkamas Peninsula the authorities have laid out and waymarked a number of nature trails. The tourist offices in Paphos supply leaflets which are also left in little boxes at the start of the walks. These provide guidance on the flora and geological features encountered en route. I went in the winter but the weather was very mild. I should imagine Spring and Autumn would be the best times to visit although the summer heat should be bearable on the peninsula.

The terrain in Cyprus is not terribly difficult, although the ground is often stony and covered with thick undergrowth. Good walking shoes are recommended, together with
trousers to protect against thorny bushes. A 1: 25000 map might be useful.

Accommodation
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Bougainvillea - this is situated in Polis between the town centre and the beach. A peaceful hotel with a swimming pool. Suitable for an overnight stop, in my opinion. No fuss - very laid back.

Camping
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The site is based in Polis and it is a 10 minute walk from the shingle beach. Situated in a eucalyptus grove and is very popular with travellers.

Restaurants
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Karouzis - good, friendly restaurant on the way to the campsite. Serves the best food on the island in my opinion and rooms are available also.

Summary
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The Arkamas Peninsula is a great place to get away from it all and a chance to leave the hustle and bustle of Paphos behind for a couple of days. To see the sun setting way above the Avgas Gorge is one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever seen on any of my travels. You really do feel you are in the Land of the Gods.

Highly Recommended.

Summary: A stunning nature trail