The northwestern peninsula of Cyprus, known as Akamas, is a wild, uninhabited region with spectacular landscapes and beaches, due to be designated a National Park. The area is named after Akamantas, an Athenian warrior and son of Theseus, who arrived here after the Trojan War. It is a unique area of biodiversity, habitats and ecosystems. Almost all the geological formations of Cyprus can be seen here, from narrow deep valleys, caves and islets to gorges, and there are over 500 different types of plants. The nature trails that cross the peninsula pass through unspoiled areas of extreme physical beauty. The area is ideal for hiking, cycling, diving and swimming in crystal clear waters.
The “Baths of Aphrodite” is an area in Akamas between Polis and Cape Arnaouti. It derived its name from a small grotto shaded by an old fig tree, in the waters of which, legend has it, the goddess Aphrodite used to bathe. According to mythology, this is where she met her lover Adonis. The site is on the Aphrodite Cultural Route.
The Lara-Toxeftra area is protected as a Marine Reserve and is of international importance. The beaches of the area are some of the few known nesting sites of the remaining population of the Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Loggerhead turtle.
Courtesy of the CTO
