Rural Destinations
: Pafos
Nature Preserves
Pafos Region is full of areas of natural beauty
as well as special areas set aside to preserve the environment.
Sites of Natural Beauty
Petra tou Romiou: Birthplace of Aprodite
The legendary “Petra tou Romiou” is one of the most beautiful natural
sights of the area, which combines the location’s beauty with the
mythology and folklore of the area. A rock ridden with legend,
tradition, and memories. The fertile Greek imagination chose Cyprus -and
that rock in particular -as the place where the Goddess of Beauty and
Love emerged out of the froth of the sea.
Baths of Aphrodite
Baths of Aphrodite place, a natural pool where legend has it that the
Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, used to take her baths. The serene
pool, shaded by a fig tree and surrounded by beautiful examples of
maindenhair fern, can be reached by nature trails from Akamas. Is about
3km from Latchi and 9km from Polis, and from there start the Akamas
National Park towards the cape.
Avakas gorge
An impressive gorge about 2 km long , between 3-10 m wide and with
height over 80m. A circular walk of around 14km up the gorge and then
back via trails, is possible. Adonis
Water Falls
Beautiful waterfall and two ice pools.
Nature Reserves
Tripilos Mavroi Gremoi Nature Reserve
Tripilos - Mavroi Gremmoi Nature Reserve, covers an area of 3381 ha and
its is situated in the middle of Pafos Forest. The last natural stands
of the endemic Cyprus Cedar (Cedrus brevifolia) which are restricted to
this area, together with the ancient stands of the endemic golden Oak (Quercus
alnifolia) make the area unique from the ecological point of view. The
presence of the Cyprus moufflon (Ovis gmelini ophion) and the rare birds
of prey (Hieraaetus fasciatus and Accipiter gentilis) add a lot to the
ecological value of the area. The area is part of a proposed Natura 2000
site and a designated Special Protection Area under the Birds'
Directive. Akamas ,Peyia and Meleti
Forests
Akamas, Pegeia and Meleti Forests, with a total area of 7,140 ha, have
been managed for the last twenty years as National Forest Parks,
although they have never been formally gazetted as such. The Akamas
Peninsula is the last remaining region on Cyprus with large extent and
complete pattern of low land vegetation, most of it in good natural
state. 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 areas of the remaining populations of the Green turtle (Chelonia
mydas) and the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). |
