Nature And Outdoors in Limassol

The nature around Limassol is arranged in tiers. Below lie the sea and the shore: sunset sails, full-day cruises, and to the west, past Kourion, a wild strip begins with cliffs and Aphrodite's Rock. Above come the vineyards, higher still the pine forest of Troodos, a little over an hour from town and fifteen degrees cooler in summer.

In the mountains people walk trails to the waterfalls: Caledonia in a fir-lined gorge, Millomeris under a rock face, both paths short but with a drop. There is also the Artemis Trail, running along the ridge around Olympus at nearly two thousand metres, from where on a clear day both coasts of the island show at once. A separate, longer line is the full-day trip to the Blue Lagoon on Akamas, where the water holds the same turquoise as in the photographs.

Practical notes. Trails need closed shoes: stone is slippery after rain and the roots on the descent are uneven. Up top a jumper is worth taking even in August, and in winter snow lies on Olympus. Sea departures are cancelled on wind with money returned, and the decision comes in the morning. Bring water: there are few springs along the routes and no cafés on the trails at all.