Cape Aspro in Cyprus – hiking trail to the highest cliffs and the most beautiful views on the island
Cape Aspro is a cape with the highest cliffs on Cyprus, reaching a height of over 250 meters above sea level. The scenic hiking trail fascinated me so much. Look at this!
I have to say, that I have discovered the trail completely by chance. I chose Pissouri Bay as our base for our Cypriot vacation in summer of 2021. This is a small village on the southern coast of the island, about a half-hour drive from Paphos.
Unlock Cyprus: discover flights from your nearest airport:
Check the beautiful house with swimming pool we rented in Pissouri Bay!
We spent a few peaceful days sunbathing at Pissouri Bay and exploring the surroundings. Even from the beach, you can see quite high white cliffs that piqued my curiosity from the first day. Can we walk there? Make some hiking? We have to find out!
Cape Aspro Trail – let’s see, what’s around the corner!
As the beach in Pissouri narrows and approaches the cliffs, a rocky path upwards begins. One evening, when the sun wasn’t as scorching anymore, we decided to follow that path further and see what lies beyond the nearest hill. And that’s how we reached the starting point of the Cape Aspro cliff trail. Technically, the trail begins in the center of the Pissouri Bay resort, but I didn’t know that at the time.
Indeed, keep that in mind!
According to the information board, the trail runs along the peaks of the chalk cliffs and leads to the village of Pissouri, located on a hill above Pissouri Bay. The views are already stunning from the beginning. However, the Cape Aspro trail is not easy. There are steep sections where the path is eroded, and there are landslides (ropes are installed at these more challenging spots). But don’t worry, older school children, who are well accustomed to mountain hiking and listen to their parents, can handle it. However, sturdy trekking shoes and common sense are necessary!
These are wild places. There are no safety barriers along the cliffs. Under no circumstances should you approach their edges, as these soft, chalky rocks can easily crumble. We ended our initial reconnaissance after the first kilometer of the trail. One reason was that it was getting quite late, and the other was that we didn’t have any water with us. However, I knew that I would come back in a few days to complete the entire trail.
The most beautiful sunset in Cyprus
As I decided, I did. Equipped with water bottles and light provisions, my daughters and I set off from where we were staying in Pissouri Bay. The signboard informs that the trail to Pissouri Village will take approximately 1.5 hours.
The trail can be hiked uphill, like we did, starting from the beach in Pissouri Bay and continuously ascending, or downhill, starting from the village of Pissouri and practically descending the entire time. You can choose the type of trekking you prefer. In any case, these are not exhausting ascents. However, I do not recommend hiking during hot summer days as there is no shade along the route. It’s worth going before sunset. You should also be cautious about hiking after rain at times other than summer. I suspect that the chalk trail becomes very slippery.
Reaching the gates of Pissouri Village will take significantly longer than an hour and a half. You will be walking uphill for at least two hours from the beach. The fact is that there are many stops to admire the views, take photos, or simply sit and marvel at the beauty of nature. After all, the goal is not to race through the trail. And we usually maintain a fairly fast pace.
Views from Cape Aspro
The views are extraordinary. On one side, there is the sea and rugged cliffs, along with inaccessible beaches. With each meter of ascent, more space and views of additional bays unfold. We also see a valley with rock slides covered in dry shrubs.
The Cape Aspro trail is marked very discreetly, I would say. Small blue signs with arrows appear from time to time, assuring us that we are on the right path.
At one point, we come across goats and their enclosure, right in the middle of nowhere, on top of the cliff. They graze on the cliffs and seem unfazed by the beautiful views. They must be accustomed to them by now!
Towards the end of the hike, the trail starts to level out, and we walk on a plateau that reminds me a bit of the summit dome of our Śnieżnik Mountain in Polish Sudety. After a good two hours, we see the first signs of civilization – satellite antennas and rooftops. It’s around 8 p.m., which is when the sun sets in Cyprus in June. We still have about 2 kilometers to walk through the village to reach the center of Pissouri Village.
Dinner with this view
We plan to have dinner at a restaurant with a beautiful view of the area. Hill View Restaurant doesn’t disappoint, neither with its view nor with its menu, which is worth recommending.
In total, you should plan about three hours for a leisurely walk uphill from the center of Pissouri Bay to the center of Pissouri Village. I highly recommend it. For me, it’s the most beautiful place in Cyprus. After completing this trail, the famous Aphrodite’s Rock won’t impress you as much anymore 😉
You can read about other interesting places in Cyprus in my TOP 10 list.
Check some more entries about Cyprus!
Practical information on how to organize a vacation to Cyprus on your own can be found here.
Cyprus: interesting books (in Polish)
What and where to eat in Cyprus?
Booking.com
