Land Hiking Cape Greco

Cape Greco on foot: trails, sea caves and safety

A rocky cape at the south-east tip of Cyprus, 7 km east of Ayia Napa, with four short official trails along the coast. The walking is easy; the cliff edges and the sea are not. Here is what the official sources say.

Last checked: 14 October 2026. Every fact below links to its source at the end of this page.

Status on 14 October 2026: none of the four trails below is marked "Temporarily closed" on visitcyprus.com, where closed trails are labelled. Entering the sea caves and diving from the rocks above them are prohibited, and since May 2026 a temporary fence blocks the dangerous point above the caves: see below.

Adventure activities carry inherent risk. A listing here is not a safety guarantee: check the operator's current verification and your own fitness before you go.

In an emergency, call 112. To report smoke or fire, call the Department of Forests on 1407 (24 hours, free).

At a glance

What it is: The Cape Greco (Kavo Gkreko) National Forest Park, declared in 1993; about 385 hectares; part of the EU's Natura 2000 network
Where: The south-east tip of Cyprus, 7 km east of Ayia Napa, with Protaras to the north
Trails: A network of about 16 km; four official nature trails, all grade 1, the easiest on the Department of Forests' scale of 1 to 3
Visitor Centre: Run by the Department of Forests since May 2017, with exhibits on the cape's land and sea; opening hours change with the season
Water: None on the Konnoi – Agioi Anargyroi route; drinking water at the picnic site near Agioi Anargyroi church; cafés with toilets at Konnos beach and the Visitor Centre
Best period: Spring, according to the Department of Forests' Konnoi leaflet. In summer, walk in the morning or the afternoon, out of the strongest sun

The four trails side by side

Grades, lengths and times are from visitcyprus.com, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism's 2026 trail map and the Department of Forests' Konnoi leaflet. The trails join up, so you can link two or more.

The four Cape Greco nature trails compared
Trail	Route	Time	Grade	Height	Start
Konnoi – Agioi Anargyroi	4.8 km, circular	2 hours	1	About 5–60 m	Konnos beach, Agioi Anargyroi church or the Visitor Centre, each with a car park
Aphrodite	2 km, circular	1 hour	1	About 10–60 m	Visitor Centre car park
Sea Caves – Agioi Anargyroi	4 km, one way	1.5 hours	1	About 10–30 m	The sea caves, or Agioi Anargyroi church
Konnoi – Cyclops Cave	1.7 km, out and back by a slightly different path	45 minutes	1	From sea level to about 30 m	Konnos beach car park

Konnoi – Agioi Anargyroi: the full loop

From Konnos beach, the first 2 km follow the coast through juniper, wild olive and carob to Agioi Anargyroi church, built over a sea cave where the Anargyroi saints are believed to have lived as hermits. The trail then heads south through low shrubs to Kamara tou Koraka, a natural stone arch. After the arch it climbs gently past the ruins of an ancient temple to Aphrodite to the Visitor Centre, and returns parallel to the shore through tall shrubs and a small pine wood. The Department of Forests describes it as a smooth path and names the view over Konnos Bay as the finest on the way. There is no drinking water on the route.

Aphrodite: the short loop from the Visitor Centre

This Aphrodite trail is not the one in Akamas (that is a 7.5 km loop: see our Akamas guide). It runs downhill from the Visitor Centre car park to the shore, past the temple ruins, where a sign with the Cypria Aphrodite logo marks where the temple is believed to have stood, and past natural caves walled with dry stone that shepherds used for their animals. Before the arch it turns back uphill to the Visitor Centre. There are many viewpoints on the way.

Sea Caves – Agioi Anargyroi: along the shore

A one-way walk, so plan the way back. From the sea caves it crosses rocky ground with sparse, salt-loving plants to the Kavos hill, then turns north through low shrubs and cereal fields to Kamara tou Koraka and on to Agioi Anargyroi church. A picnic site with drinking water is about 200 m west of the church end.

Konnoi – Cyclops Cave: the short one

From the Konnos beach car park the path runs beside the rocky shore to the Cyclops Cave, comes back the same way for about 250 m, then drops to the beach and climbs back up to the start. You see Konnos beach and Agioi Anargyroi church all the way.

When to go

The Department of Forests' Konnoi leaflet names spring as the most suitable period. It is also when migrating birds come through: the cape is the first land they reach on their way back from Africa to Europe, and more than 3,000 birds of prey pass every year. Wild orchids flower here in winter and spring. In summer, the Department advises walking in the morning or the afternoon to avoid strong sun and high temperatures.

The sea caves and the cliff tops

The rock along this coast is eroding. Entering the sea caves and diving from the rocks into the sea are prohibited; the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre repeated this in August 2025. In May 2026 the Department of Forests put up a temporary fence to block the dangerous point above the caves, after a sharp rise in rescues there and because the rock shows signs of instability that could lead to collapse. In July 2026 the Department said there was no set plan to remove it.

Look from the path and stay outside the fence. The Department asks visitors to follow the signs and avoid anything that puts their safety at risk. Politis, reporting the fence, listed why this spot is dangerous: the water is in places much shallower than it looks from above, currents around the caves make it hard to get out, and there are rocks you cannot see from the surface.

The same goes for Kamara tou Koraka: look at the arch from the path, and don't climb on it.

Swimming and the sea

Konnos is the park's only sandy bay; there is a café with toilets near the trail start. Elsewhere the park's south-east coast is mostly rocky, with steep cliffs. Swim only where you can get in and out easily, and never alone.

From the sea, day cruises from Ayia Napa pass the sea caves. We haven't written a guide to kayaking at Cape Greco yet. If you go out on the water, go with an operator, and let the skipper or guide decide whether the sea is right that day.

Before you go

The park is protected under the Forest Law, and its rules are posted at points around the park. On the trails, the Department of Forests asks you to:

Stay on the marked trails, so you don't trample small plants and seedlings.
Avoid smoking or eating while you walk, and keep the noise down.
Take your rubbish home, or use the bins.
Never cut branches or uproot plants.
Leave motorbikes and bicycles off the trails; the park has a separate 4 km cycle track.
Never light a fire anywhere in the forest; at picnic sites, only at the marked places. If you see smoke or fire, call 1407.
Respect wildlife. The Cyprus viper is among the reptiles listed here: watch where you put your hands and feet, and leave snakes alone.

Bring water, a hat and sun cream: most of the park is covered by low vegetation, with only a few clusters of juniper and pine. For questions, call the Department of Forests' Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta division on 22 403739, or the Visitor Centre on 23 814412.

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Sources

All read on 14 October 2026. Where sources disagree, we give both figures or say "about".

Konnoi – Agioi Anargyroi (Circular), Cape Gkreko National Forest Park Nature Trail, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, visitcyprus.com
Aphrodite (Circular), Cape Gkreko National Forest Park Nature Trail, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, visitcyprus.com
Sea Caves – Agioi Anargyroi (Linear), Cape Gkreko National Forest Park Nature Trail, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, visitcyprus.com
Konnoi – Cyclops Cave (Circular), Cape Gkreko National Forest Park Nature Trail, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, visitcyprus.com
Cyprus Nature Trails map (PDF, 2026), Deputy Ministry of Tourism
Nature trails in the Lefkosia, Larnaka and Ammochostos forest division (leaflet: Konnoi – Agioi Anargyroi, 2016), Department of Forests
National forest parks and forests (leaflet: Kavo Gkreko National Forest Park, 2008), Department of Forests
Εθνικά Δασικά Πάρκα (National Forest Parks, in Greek), Department of Forests
Visitor centres (Kavo Greco centre, opening hours), Department of Forests
Nature trails (difficulty scale), Department of Forests
Cape Greco Cliff Diving Banned, Politis, 22 May 2026
Clampdown on Cliff Diving at Sea Caves, Politis, 26 May 2026
Cape Greco fenced off to protect public, environment, Cyprus Mail, 22 May 2026
Despite a fence at Cape Greco, people just keep jumping, Cyprus Mail, 18 July 2026
Woman rescued after falling at Cape Greco sea caves, Cyprus Mail, 16 August 2025
Despite dangers, no let-up in Napa cliff jumpers, Cyprus Mail, 14 July 2024 (erosion; day cruises)