Our excursion of Saturday 30 November 2024 takes us to the seaside and a good part of the walk is along the coastline. The trail starts at the most amazing scenery of the Sea Caves (Thalassines Spilies) on the road from Agia Napa to Cape Greco and follows a rocky path by the sea to Cape Greco and the church of Agioi Anargyroi and back. The distance to cover is approx. 8 km, which will take about 3 hours. There is plenty of vegetation along the way, mainly low plants, including asphodels, sea squills, narcissus and mandrake (mandragoras).
The Sea Caves – Cape Greco – Agioi Anargyroi walk starts at 10:45 am. Nicos is leading this walk, which will go ahead even in light rain; if you need to, call 99587448. The walk is mostly on flat ground, with minor climbing sections and is classified as easy to medium difficulty (rating 1 ½). Please wear a pair of proper hiking shoes, since walking on sea rock is not easy. Also, you are encouraged to carry a wind jacket, since it is likely to be windy and chilly.
Note: such is the beauty of this landscape that it is the only photo from Cyprus that pops up on your computer screen when you switch on, as part of the photo series from Microsoft. At the conclusion of the walk we shall have plenty of time to admire the unique Sea Caves landscape and take photos.
We shall follow the walk with a served meze lunch at our choice taverna in the village of Xylophagou. The taverna is a small, family place, about a 15-minute drive, on the way back towards Larnaca and Nicosia. Participants registered for lunch will receive full details via e-mail the day before. To provide you with maximum safety, and in order to have maximum traceability, we require every participant to register, irrespective of your participation at lunch or not. To facilitate arrangements, for your better service, you are required to sms the walk leader or e-mail Xenophon by end Thursday, indicating whether you will be joining us for lunch or not.
You have the choice of meeting the group at the walk start, or meet at the designated meeting point in Nicosia. In either case, you need to carry copy of this set of instructions. Meeting in Nicosia offers two important advantages: we drive in full cars, leaving some cars behind; thus, we save in fuel and enjoy the trip in good company. The meeting point in Nicosia is the Handicrafts Centre (Kentro Heirotechnias) on Leoforos Athalassas (Athalassa Avenue), which offers ample parking space. The car trip starts at 9:30 am. Please ensure you observe start times, for the benefit of the group.
How to get to the walk start:
Get to the main junction between Leoforos Lemesou/ Limassol Avenue and Leoforos Athalassas. Zero your odometer at this junction. Drive along the Nicosia-Limassol motorway, heading towards Larnaca. At the 34.6 km reading, you reach a major roundabout. Ignore the 3rd exit to the right, which leads to the airport. Ignore the 2nd exit, going straight, towards Larnaca city. Zero your odometer and turn left, towards Dhekelia and Agia Napa. Continue on this main motorway. At the 43.7 km reading you reach the end of the motorway, at a crossroads. Ignore the exit to the left, leading to Paralimni, Deryneia and Protaras. Take the exit to the right, towards Agia Napa and Cape Greco. The road goes downhill and reaches a roundabout at the 44.9 km reading. Ignore the exit to the left, to Kokkines. Ignore the exit to the right, to Agia Napa. Go straight, towards Cape Greco and Protaras. At the 50.5 km reading you reach a sign indicating a) ahead on the E306 road, to Protaras (5 km) and Paralimni (15 km) and b) a right turn on the E307 road, towards Cape Greco (3 km). Turn right. The road leads to the start of the Sea Caves trail. A mere four hundred metres further on, there is a discrete sign indicating a right turn to the Sea Caves, along a dirt road. Turn right and drive downhill for a few hundred metres to a parking area, overlooking the Sea Caves, which you see ahead. We meet here.
How to get to the meeting point for the car trip, coming from the Landmark (formerly Hilton) hotel area:
Get yourself on Makarios Avenue, heading out of town and set your odometer to zero as you drive past the Nicosia Landmark (formerly Hilton) hotel. At the 0.1 km reading you reach traffic lights (with the Apoel club building on your right), go straight. At the 0.5 km reading you reach another set of traffic lights, go straight. Driving along, you pass a few more traffic lights, staying on this main road (named Leoforos Lemesou/ Limassol Avenue). At the 2.1 km reading, you reach a principal set of traffic lights. Set your odometer to zero again and turn right here. You are now in Leoforos Athalassas, a very busy avenue. At the 0.2 km reading you see a large empty space on your right and the Handicrafts Centre (a single-storey building) on your left. Park in the parking area. We meet here. The Handicrafts Centre is next to the church of St. Barnabas.
How to get to the meeting point for the car trip, coming from the Presidential Palace area:
Get to the round-about next to the Presidential Palace. From downtown Nicosia you reach this along the Kyriakou Matsi avenue or along the D. Severi avenue. Set your odometer to zero on the round-about and drive along the principal road towards Strovolos. At the 0.3 km reading you reach traffic lights. Go straight. At the 0.6 km reading you reach a 2nd set of traffic lights. Set your odometer to zero again and turn left. You are now in Leoforos Athalassas, a very busy avenue full of shops. At the 2.6 km reading you see a large empty space on your left and the Handicrafts Centre (a single-storey building) on your right. Park here.
Google Maps: Here is a map for those coming from the Landmark (formerly Hilton) area to the meeting place for the car trip http://tinyurl.com/phjc6s7
Google Maps: Here is a map for those coming from the Presidential Palace area to the meeting place for the car trip http://tinyurl.com/neo9duy
Google Maps: Here is a map taking you from the end of the A3 motorway (43.7 km reading on your odometer) to the walk start http://tinyurl.com/lbrp4ug
Disclaimer: If you attend a Cyprus Strollers walk you do so entirely at your own risk. The Cyprus Strollers is a social club and neither the organizers nor the leader of the walk are responsible for the health and safety of those taking part. If you do not wish to receive further e-mails, reply to this message, stating so.
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