Cyprus Crossing

Best time to ride

• The best season is April through October, with snow covering the Troodos Mountains during winter.
• Summer temperatures can get quite hot at the coast, though you’ll find some relief in the mountains.
• Spring is great with all the orchards in bloom and tourists yet to arrive en masse.
• Bring layers. While you’ll be roasting at the coast, you’ll find chilly nighttime temperatures in the mountains.

Logistics

• There are daily flights to both Paphos and Larnaca from major European airports.
• A transfer between the two can easily be arranged (it’s only an 80-mile drive) or simply cycle between the two along Eurovelo 8 to close the loop.
• Cash/card: We used a card for everything, apart from one meal at a tiny taverna in the mountains.
• There are a few ferries that run from Turkey to the northern part (Kyrenia) and one cargo ship that goes twice weekly May-Sept from Athens (Piraeus) to Limassol and takes 31 hours.

Warnings

• Snakes: Beware of vipers, especially at the lower elevations.
• Mud: The limestone roads of the lower elevations will turn to unrelenting slippery and sticky mud when it rains.
• Rockfall: The steep, rugged mountains mean you’ll find rockfall everywhere. Be careful when rounding blind corners.

Bike choice

• This is true gravel country, so any gravel bike will be perfect. Andrew rode a Giant Revolt with 40mm tires, and I rode a Specialized Diverge STR with 42mm tires.
• Make sure you have fresh and/or spare brake pads, as the descents are long and steep!

• Wild camping is technically illegal in Cyprus, but there are numerous campgrounds where you can pitch a tent for a small fee, especially throughout Troodos National Forest Park.
• Within Paphos Forest and elsewhere, you may find a few picnic sites where you could probably bivy for the night in a pinch if you pitch at dusk and strike before dawn.
• Whatever you do if wild camping, don’t light a fire and leave no trace.
• We found that the nature of the terrain made it very difficult to wild camp anyway, as the forest roads are cut directly into the side of very steep mountains.

• Water and food is plentiful most days with mini-markets and restaurants in small villages dotted along the route.
• Within Paphos Forest, we ran across a couple of water fountains. In early spring, at least, there is a creek at the lower elevation where you could filter water from in a pinch.
• Generally, we brought all the food and water we would need with us for an entire day with a plan to restock only at night or the next morning along the route.

The route can be ridden in either direction, depending on if your flight lands in Paphos or Larnaca. It’s easy enough to get between the two cities either by cycling the somewhat uninspiring Eurovelo 8 route or arranging a transfer. We took two days to cycle from Paphos to Larnaca then Tochni, checking out Limassol’s hip old town along the way.

Recommended 7-Day Itinerary

The route is set up to be ridden in either direction depending on where you fly into—Paphos or Larnaca. It’s easy enough to get between the two by cycling the Eurovelo 8 route or arranging a transfer if you want to skip the somewhat mundane ride, though it will take you past Petra tou Romiou, the birthplace of Aphrodite.

I originally planned the route as a relaxing bikepacking adventure but soon found out that 30 miles per day could be quite epic thanks to the generous amount of climbing required. Here is a suggested itinerary:

location Larnaca to Tochni

Day 1 (27 mi +2,181 ft / 43 km +665 m)

This is a relatively easy day to give you time to either transfer from Paphos to Larnaca or get your bike together and head to Tochni. It mostly follows the Eurovelo 8 route along the coast with some off-road variations on your way to the historic town of Tochni, one of the oldest villages on the island. If you have time, ride over to Kalavasos to visit the Neolithic settlement and archaeological site of Tenta or head to the Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement to catch a glimpse into the island’s prehistoric past with its remarkably preserved dwellings and artifacts dating back over 9,000 years.

location Tochni to Agros

Day 2 (37 mi +6,929 ft / 60 km +2,112 m)

Steady climbing all day through orange and apple orchards, with one of the chunkiest sections of the route. Agros is famous for its cultivation of roses, along with its production of cured meats (sausages, ‘Lountza’ and ‘Hiromeri’), homemade marmalades and sweets.

location Agros to Troodos

Day 3 (23 mi +4,425 ft / 37 km +1,349 m)

An unrelenting climb up to the summit of Mt. Olympus, but most of the day is spent riding through beautiful juniper forest trails where you might spot a mouflon or two.

location Troodos to Tsakistra

Day 4 (33 mi +2,740 ft / 53 km +835 m)

A nice rolling descent through the pine forests of the Troodos Geopark area. Keep an eye out for soaring Bonelli’s eagle, and be sure to stop off at Kykkos Monastery, one of the most lavish on the island.

location Tsakistra to Pomos

Day 5 (30 mi +2,595 ft / 48 km +791 m)

A glorious day spent entirely off-road in the Paphos Forest. After all the relentless climbing of the past few days, you’ve earned the last 12-mile descent into Pomos. Enjoy being back at the warmth of the coast with an opportunity to swim and eat fresh seafood.

location Pomos to Lysos

Day 6 (28 mi +3,714 ft / 45 km +1,132 m)

Get ready to sweat, as there is no shade to be found on this route as you climb away from the sea before entering undulating forest with a final climb to Lysos. The morning’s coastal track, where Cyprus trees frame the deep blue sky and sea, was one of my favorite sections.

location Lysos to Paphos

Day 7 (35 mi +3,855 ft / 56 km +1,175 m)

Don’t underestimate this day, as it turned out to be one of the hardest thanks to the steepness of the climbs and descents. Lots of hike-a-bike through wine country with little shade but great strade-bianche farm roads to ride. If tackling the route in spring, be prepared to wade through quite a bit of water as you follow the Ezousa Creek bed on the final stretch out to the beach at Paphos.