Akamas Peninsula
Akamas Peninsula
The Akamas Peninsula is said to take its name from the son of Theseus, a hero of the Trojan Wars who founded a city called Akamantis in the north western tip of the island Cyprus. No traces of that city have been found however, but the legend still lives on.
The beautiful Akamas Peninsula covers 230 km2 and has a unique but fragile beauty and is a vast expanse of wilderness, with remarkably diverse features in wildlife, vegetation, geology, beautiful landscapes and coasts and a rich historical and cultural heritage. This area of Cyprus is so unique because it is the last coastal region on the island to remain largely untouched by mass tourism and development. You can swim, cycle, walk and explore this very beautiful area of the island and not be disturbed. This stunning area however, remains under constant threat from development.
Whilst conservationists have lobbied to protect the area for the past 20 years, the government is yet to fully declare the area a Cyprus National Park. The Akamas has however been included in the European Council's Mediterranean Protection Program.
The Akamas Peninsula is the most westerly point of the island and contains many hundreds of plant species, bird species, mammals and reptiles. During spring, the area is ablaze with flowers and the scent of Anemones and famous Orchids and Jasmine of Cyprus are heavy in the air. There are forty-five orchid species on the island including the rare Ophrys Kotschi and many beautiful butterflies including the Glaucopsyche Pafos which, as the name suggests, is the symbol of the region.
For plant lovers there's a booklet available entitled Nature Trails of the Akamas which describes all the plants along the trails. The booklet is available from the Cyprus Tourist Organisation (CTO). You don't have to explore the Akamas on foot as you can always take a boat tour along the lovely Akamas coast from Latsi or explore the area by bicycle, and less active tourists can always opt for a jeep safari tour or even hire their own 4x4 vehicle to marvel at the remarkable scenery. The park protects one of the most important habitats for several species of fauna and flora unique in the Mediterranean, including 33 endemic flowers.
The area has a long Hellenistic history, dating back to 3000 years ago. The ruins of "Pyrgos tis Rigenas" (the Tower of the Queen) are located in a magnificent glade with a giant oak tree and a gentle spring. According to an ancient legend the area was the shelter where Aphrodite, the goddess of love rested after she had taken her bath.
This beautiful area is known as Aphrodite territory, the playground of the goddess. It is said that the Greek goddess Aphrodite met her lover Adonis for the first time when he came across her bathing naked in the pool while he was hunting in the forest. They were both instantly enamoured by the beauty of each other and fell in love. You can almost feel her presence amid the scent of flora and fauna, lush valleys and the ancient tracks which she and her lovers once took.
are many popular trails to explore, including the Aphrodite trail, the Adonis trail and the Smigies trail that will help you to discover the natural beauty of the Akamas Peninsula.
