hire companies allow you to take a car hired in the south to the northern part of the island, but extra insurance will have to be purchased. However, cars hired on the north cannot be taken to the south.
Getting around
There are plenty of small waterfalls to enjoy on Walk 16
Buses
If you want to get around by bus you need careful planning. There are buses running along the coast and serving some villages from Paphos, Limassol, Nicosia and Polis, but you need to check the timetables very carefully when planning a walk. Some villages are only served by one or two buses daily and a return journey can also be tricky. Check routes and timetables at the local bus stations and tourist offices before setting off for a walk.
Intercity buses connect major towns; for more information visit the town’s bus terminal. You could also consult the local websites, but remember to check when they were last updated:
Buses in Northern Cyprus run between the major towns, and white minibuses, known as dolmuş, serve North Nicosia, Famagusta and Kyrenia. Getting around by dolmuş is cheap but they don’t have a timetable; people either have to wave them down or board the vehicle at its departing point.
Bear in mind that many of the walks described in this guide start and/or finish in a remote place with no public transport, in which case a taxi or hired car may be the only option.
Taxis and car hire
While it may seem like a disadvantage to have a car parked at one end of a linear walk, most of the time it is possible to retrace your steps or arrange a pick-up service at the other end. This also applies if you’re relying on buses, as you might get to the beginning of the linear route relatively easily but then need to call a taxi at the end of the walk. In the Troodos mountains you can find taxis in Platres and Troodos Square, and it is recommended to arrange the taxi before you start your walk.
Hiring a car is easy; cars can be booked in advance or are available in towns and are very reasonably priced. On Cyprus, drive on the left. Main roads are in good condition but you can easily find yourself driving on winding, single-lane roads with the threat of rock fall. Check with your car hire company about any rules for driving on dirt roads.
If you hire a car in the south, you might be able to take it to the northern part of the island but you will need to purchase extra insurance. However, if you hire a car in the north you are not permitted to take it to the south.
Roads might be busy around the coastal towns and near the historical sights but many mountain roads are quiet. The driving habits in Cyprus may seem a bit more chaotic than in the UK, but locals know their roads and cars and they can recognise tourists on the road so driving is as safe as anywhere can ever be. A hire car is one of the best and easiest ways to get around the island.
A view over Ayia Eirini (Walk 20)
Accommodation
Choice of accommodation is always a personal one, taking into account your budget and preferences. There are plenty of hotels and self-catering options to choose from in coastal areas, and there is a range of options both in the Troodos and further north around Kyrenia.
As a walker you might opt to tackle several day trips in the same area, or you might consider splitting your holiday between different bases. If you decide to stay in one base, for example in a coastal town, you can still enjoy different areas on the island as many places are easily reached in a day trip. When choosing accommodation you might want to bear in mind that many towns have interesting sights that you can explore after your walk.
There are also some campsites on the island; a list of Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) licensed campsites can be found at www.visitcyprus.com.
For accommodation resources, see Appendix B.
Tourist information
The tourist information offices in Limassol, Polis, Platres, Paphos, Larnaca airport, and Agia Napa provide really useful information about trails and historical sites. Booklets about the most popular nature trails and the E4 long-distance trail (which was extended onto Cyprus in 2005) are also available from the Troodos Visitor Centre; some of them can be downloaded from the Department of Forests website: www.moa.gov.cy/moa/fd/fd.nsf (select the English-language option, if required, and then ‘Informative Leaflets’). Check the opening times of the Troodos Visitor Centre as it varies.
It is best to ask for information about transport at the local bus terminals and Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) offices.
In Northern Cyprus there are tourist information offices in Kyrenia, Nicosia, Famagusta and Ercan airport. There is also a kiosk with maps and leaflets at the Ledra Street border crossing in Nicosia. Booklets of some of the trails, with basic maps and historical sites, are available in English.
You can also find useful information on the following websites:
and for Northern Cyprus
The vertical sea cliffs near Pissouri (Walk 28)
Language
Greek and Turkish are the two official languages in Cyprus, and English is widely spoken. Signs are usually in Greek, and English is in use in the south; however spelling with the Latin alphabet is not consistent. Names of places, villages, nature trails and historical sites are spelled in many different ways. Signs are in Turkish in the north but
