Alternative activities to do in Cyprus during summer

Summer is a fantastic season to spend your holidays in Cyprus. Sun, beaches and tasty food are only a few things you will be enjoying here during the hot days of summer. During this period, beaches are the main calling card of the island. However, Cyprus offers too many opportunities during your summer holiday to just spend them on the beach. Here are three alternative activities you should try out this summer.

Cycling

Perhaps not as popular as in the rest of Europe, cycling in Cyprus is nonetheless a great outdoor activity. Due to the geological diversity of the island, you can start cycling on the beach and end up on the mountains, being able to cover a lot of ground in a relatively short period. Searching online you will find many interesting cycling trails next to the beach or up in the mountains.

Speaking of the beach, you can cycle the entire length of the Limassol seafront, by renting a bicycle on the spot. However, if you’re looking for some other scenery rather than the coastline, the cycling trail from Mesa Geitonia to Zygi and back, is where you’ll get the best of both worlds, city and nature. The trail spans approx. 80km there and back. of course, you don’t have to go all the way to Zygi, as the scenery is great the entire way.

Nature Trail Hike

Hiking is a must in Cyprus, if you truly want to experience and see the full scope of nature on the island. Even though largely popular for its beaches, Cyprus has some impressive mountains. Even though there are not many, they offer great hiking trails. Some of the most popular hiking trails are found on Troodos mountains. On the outskirts of the area of Troodos, you can find beautiful panoramic ridge traverses on top of the limestone mountains. What makes this hiking spot even more appealing is that it is relatively easy to make the climb and still be rewarded with a great view. Of course, if you’re looking for something spectacular the climb is more demanding.

Another great hike trail, the Avakas Gorge is a favorite among hikers and nature enthusiasts alike. It offers wonderful scenery made up of the surrounding rock formations, wildlife and rare plant species. Located 16km to the west of Paphos in the Akamas peninsula, the gorge itself was created from water pouring over the limestone for thousands of years. Make sure to bring a jacket or raincoat as the gorge is very wet.

Rock Climbing

Probably one of the most overlooked activities on the island, rock climbing is a fantastic way to delight yourself with the mountain scenery of the island, and enjoy the freshness of the Mediterranean outdoors. Unlike most other Mediterranean rock-climbing locations, Cyprus has a wider variety of rock and not just limestone as commonly found elsewhere. For those that have never done any rock climbing don’t panic, there are climbing clubs dotted around the island that will allow you to practice before attempting an actual rock climb.

A popular climb site, Dhizarizos is located between Limassol and Paphos, offering a variety of climbing – including bouldering. The area is made up of limestone, which adds to the wonderful mountainside view on the crystal-clear beach.  

Let Louis Hotels be your resting nest in between your outdoor activities this summer.