Three days of walks around vineyards, stone-built villages and in the forest
The trip constitutes a three-day exploration on foot in the wine region of Limassol and at the edge of Paphos Forest and Troodos highlands. The trip can be extended to include a walk around Artemis trail at the top of the island and even a bit further away, a walk around Madari peak, both of which offer stunning views towards many parts of the island.
Natural Beauty, cultural heritage, gastronomy and wine
The trip takes participants through some of the best combinations of nature and cultural heritage on the island. Wine land dotted by picturesque stone built villages and medieval bridges inside forests (with possibility of mouflon spotting). Participants will get many opportunities for wine tasting as well as for dining in some of the best village restaurants in Cyprus.
Omodos
Walkers will be staying in the village of Omodos, a stone built village in the wine region of Limassol, with developed tourism infrastructure in the form of great village restaurants, shops, coffee places, and accommodation.
The trip constitutes a three-day exploration on foot in the wine region of Limassol and at the edge of Paphos Forest and Troodos highlands. The trip can be extended to include a walk around Artemis trail at the top of the island and even a bit further away, a walk around Madari peak, both of which offer stunning views towards many parts of the island.
Natural Beauty, cultural heritage, gastronomy and wine
The trip takes participants through some of the best combinations of nature and cultural heritage on the island. Wine land dotted by picturesque stone built villages and medieval bridges inside forests (with possibility of mouflon spotting). Participants will get many opportunities for wine tasting as well as for dining in some of the best village restaurants in Cyprus.
Omodos
Walkers will be staying in the village of Omodos, a stone built village in the wine region of Limassol, with developed tourism infrastructure in the form of great village restaurants, shops, coffee places, and accommodation.
Rich Cultural heritage
Omodos stone-built wine producing village will be the base of the travellers. The ancient monastery in its center, dates from the third century AD. There are two 'linos' (wine presses) old big manual grape presses in the village, open to the public, as well as wine tasting establishments and shops whose ware ranges from locally processed glass, locally processed food, silverware and lace. Some of the best village restaurants in rural Cyprus can be found in Omodos. The main square, in front of the monastery, with its mulberry trees offering shade during the hot season, and its coffee shops and restaurants, is a very pleasant place to relax before or after a day's walk.
Other cultural attractions on (or near) the itinerary include :
1) Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge
2) Picturesque stone-built villages (Arsos, Vasa Kilaniou, Mandria)
3) Milia medieval bridge
4) A number of chapels (eg medieval Apostle Philippos chapel found between Arsos and Omodos)
Day of Trip |
Distance in km |
Total ascent (m) |
Total descent (m) |
Average elevation (m) |
Day 2 - Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge - Omodos |
14 |
1,050 |
700 |
750 |
Day 3 - Omodos - Arsos - Vasa - Omodos |
16 |
750 |
750 |
900 |
Day 4 - Omodos to Pano Platres |
14 |
850 |
550 |
900 |
Average |
15 |
900 |
650 |
850 |
The itinerary (summary)
Day 1 - Arrive at Omodos village - walk in the alleys, discover the village and relax
Day 2 - The taxi takes participants to Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge. From there they walk inside Paphos Forest back to Omodos village
Day 3 - The route takes walkers via Apostle Philip medieval chapel to Arsos and Vasa villages in a circular route back to Omodos.
Day 4 - Walkers walk from Omodos village towards Pano Platres village. Those who want to walk more, can add (at an additional taxi fee) Caledonia Waterfalls to their itinerary, increasing the route by many more kilometers
Day 5 - morning - end of the trip
Day 1 - Arrive at Omodos village - walk in the alleys, discover the village and relax
Day 2 - The taxi takes participants to Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge. From there they walk inside Paphos Forest back to Omodos village
Day 3 - The route takes walkers via Apostle Philip medieval chapel to Arsos and Vasa villages in a circular route back to Omodos.
Day 4 - Walkers walk from Omodos village towards Pano Platres village. Those who want to walk more, can add (at an additional taxi fee) Caledonia Waterfalls to their itinerary, increasing the route by many more kilometers
Day 5 - morning - end of the trip
Detailed Itinerary
On Day 1, those travellers who book the transfer, from the airport are transported to their accommodation in Omodos. Time to relax at the hotel or explore the village.
On Day 1, those travellers who book the transfer, from the airport are transported to their accommodation in Omodos. Time to relax at the hotel or explore the village.
On Day 2 the participants are transported by car along a scenic route to Kelephos medieval Venetian bridge, from where the walk begins. The first stretch (abouth 60% of the walk) is inside Paphos Forest, and at many points offers panoramic vistas of the area. There are possibilities of moufflon spotting on the way. The last part of the walk is in vine land, and ends at Omodos village. |
The whole of Day 3 is scheduled for exploration of wine land and visits to nearby traditional stone-built villages, that are of course wine producers. The route starts at Omodos village and passes through Arsos and Vasa villages. Of these three pretty villages, Omodos is the most developed touristically, while the other two are more laid-back (and offer better possibilities for chats with locals on village coffee places).
Walking through wineland on the white chalk hills offers different scenery depending on the season, with no leaves in winter, leaves in spring, also fruit in summer and earthy colours and falling leaves in autumn. The route passes by medieval Apostle Philip chapel, where an ancient laurel tree is used as a bellfry. |
On Day 4 the route takes walkers initially through prime vineyard land, as it ascends from Omodos towards Troodos peak through Mandria village. Uphill from Mandria village the habitat changes to forest. The itinerary climbs to Pano Platres village (a major tourist destination in Cyprus in the last century) on the way passing through a pine forest, Milia medieval bridge and Myllomeris Waterfall and trail. Those who prefer, can add Caledonia Waterfalls trail to their itinerary. |