Cyprus. Part 1
In mid-October, as the Covid-19 virus continued to gain momentum, we managed to visit one of the safest countries in Europe at the time without much trouble. We traveled by local buses across the island and explored its most interesting corners on foot, enjoying nights in secluded spots by the sea...
At the end of summer 2020, after our trip to Finland, we decided to get tickets to Cyprus. We paid for the tickets with a voucher from a canceled flight to Greece due to Covid-19, which we had planned to visit in the spring. The price was very attractive -70 euros per person round trip, with a direct flight from our city to Paphos.
A week before departure, the Covid-19 situation in Lithuania worsened, but we were fortunate to leave when Lithuanians were still allowed to travel without Covid certificates. Had our flight been a day later, we would have needed a Covid test and certificate, costing more than the flight itself, at 80 euros each. Such are the realities of travel today, but with the right approach and desire, anything is possible. The main risk was getting stuck in a foreign country under quarantine if a positive test was detected upon arrival, which is done randomly according to flight regulations, or if you yourself tested positive. Nevertheless, traveling to Cyprus from Lithuania in mid-October was probably the safest of all possible trips during the pandemic. At the airports, everyone was checked for the "Cyprus Flight Pass" form, which needed to be filled out in advance.
And so we landed on the island. At the airport, our documents and "Cyprus Flight Pass" were checked, and we were released into summer. Mid-autumn, and it's over 30 degrees Celsius. Leaving the airport, we immediately looked for the bus that goes directly from Paphos airport to Larnaca, where we had booked a hostel for the first night. However, due to the virus, many bus services had canceled their routes, so we traveled to Larnaca with transfers through Limassol, arriving at 7 PM. Settling into a hostel near the city center, we didn't go out to explore, spending the evening on the cozy rooftop of the hostel.
The next morning, while Diana prepared breakfast, I ran to the supermarket for a gas canister for our stove, as we planned to spend most of the trip in the island's natural areas with overnight stays in a tent, a sort of autumn hike.
From the hostel, we headed through the deserted streets of Larnaca to its main attraction...
St. Lazarus Church...
The church is named after Lazarus of Bethany, whom Jesus Christ resurrected according to the Gospel. After the resurrection of Christ, Lazarus had to leave Judea due to Jewish persecution and reached Cyprus, where he was soon appointed the first bishop of Kition (Larnaca)...
Larnaca's promenade...
From the bus stop on the coast, we reached the city of Ayia Napa, where we set out on a walking trail along the coast. Thus began our walk along the sea towards Cape Greco National Park...
We stopped for the night in a specially equipped picnic area. There were many gazebos, water, and toilets around. The next morning, we took a bus from Greco Park to Ayia Napa and then a mainline bus to Paphos. From the Paphos bus station, we immediately went to Polis, where there was a nice campsite on the coast. Arriving at the campsite at noon, we spent the rest of the day at the sea...
From Polis, it is very convenient to get to the "Baths of Aphrodite," from where the Aphrodite and Adonis trails diverge. We left the campsite before dawn and, after taking the first morning bus to the baths, started the ascent to catch the sunrise...
The culmination of these two short routes is a rocky peak offering panoramic views of the island's westernmost part...
The next bay was called "Blue Lagoon"...
Our route continued along an interesting and unusual road covered either with a huge layer of dust or such fine sand. All the trees along the road were covered with this same substance. Occasionally, people passed by on quad bikes, prompting us to step off the road to avoid breathing in the dust...
The landscape then changed a bit... My wife "nosedived" on one of the descents, and the nature of the ground reflected on her dress...
After gathering water in advance, we stopped for the night in a completely non-touristy area. There were no buildings within a few kilometers, and signs indicated that this was a local zone (the first time I'd seen such strange signs). The coast in this part was very littered, but we found a pretty good spot for the tent. The main feature of this overnight stay was the solitude and a beautiful sunset...
The next morning, we continued exploring the island... Cyprus.Part 2
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