Our next destination is Polis and I stayed at the Mariela hotel as I had previously with Dan and Glenn.

As we check in, the owner recognises me as a previous guest. Put our bags in our room and head for the beach.

It was quite melancholy to see the beach which had been in blazing sunshine the last time I’d seen it be overcast.

Worse the friendly bar where we all had beers at 9am in the morning was closed.

We spend another afternoon and evening relaxing around Polis (and its important to do that, or you can come back from a holiday more tired then when you went away 🙂

Polis is right near the Akamas peninsula which has some spectacular walking that I’m really looking forward to.

The next day, we drive out and at the car park, I see this donkey. I remember that during the war for independence, the Donkey was the symbol of the resistance (and now the symbol of Cyprus itself).

We set off on the Aphrodite trail.

Rocky shrubland underfoot, but the weather is nice and bright, yet cool enough for a hard day of walking.

We cover about 12 miles, passing through thorny forests like this one and we later meet up with a Russian walker out with his family who we help with directions.

As the route goes higher, we get this view back to Polis. The route is said to follow the path taken by Aphrodite and and Adonis.

The route is circular, but this iconic shot is taken at the “top” of the route.

The view there was one of the very best I think I’ve seen on a coastal walk.

As we head back down, we see this mountain goat.

I know how well they can climb, but I’ve honestly no idea how it got up there.

The walk begins/ends at the Baths of Aphrodite.

The place where the epitome of beauty would bath, wasn’t very inspiring to my eyes.

After a good nights sleep, we head for our final destination Paphos.

The harbour was pretty quiet and we had a cup of tea and a look around.

We had a walk around inside Paphos castle on the waterfront.

It was rebuilt in the 1300’s.

Inspired by the castle and with not much going on in the town (turns out the beach is actually a bus ride up the coast) we decide to explore some of the older sites in Paphos.

Paphos archaeological park covered a massive area and had loads of interesting things to see.

Paphos Mosaics was located on the site and showed how they had recovered and restored many of the Mosaics there.

Obviously, the Mosaics were stored indoors.

Further around, and amphitheatre (which I’ve always loved) and a lighthouse in the background.

In the evening, town is pretty dead.

We walk around for an hour, until we find a really nice Italian, that’s full of locals.

Next day we decide to drive out to the beach.

On the way we stop off at the Tomb of the Kings.

I always like exploring under ground and I was in my element (although annoyingly, I’d forgotten my headtorch).

A peaceful spot where I sit down and contemplate life (and disappointingly realise that I’m going home very shortly).

We arrive at the beach.

It’s interesting, as there seems to be a series of large resorts, which are all closed.

So much so after walking along the beach for 2 hours, there was literally now where to get a drink.

We headed inland and found a sort of Cowboy themed bar, where I had a steak and a couple of beers.

Another quiet night, and then were off back to Larnaca for the final evening of our trip.

On the way, we stop off at an enormous ancient site, called Kourion.

Much of the area was covered, which worked out well, as shortly after we arrived, the heavens opened.

We’d seen a lot of archaelogical stuff in the previous days, so were feeling a bit “party’d” out.

Just at the right moment, another amphitheatre.

Its lunchtime by now, and I actually convince Nikki to have lunch at Macdonalds.

Our next stop is Aphrodite’s rock, where she is said to have been born.

A strange sort of arrangement, as you turn off the main coastal road see to drive in the wrong direction towards a car park.

There are cafes and souvenir shops here. I wander around, I find there is a tunnel that leads down and underneath the road.

The view above, on the left, showing the “doorway” that lead from the car park to the beach.

Apparently, this was created as lots of unnecessary accidents had occurred with people crossing the road on foot.

Aphrodite’s rock on the right.

And with that, the trip ends as it began.

Back in Larnaca, we check back into our hotel and head out for the evening.

An early flight will be taking us back to the UK in the morning.

But for now I’m enjoying life’s simple pleasures, good company, cold beer and an amazing travel destination.