Neo Chorio, the village at the gate of Akamas

Neo Chorio is the last village before the Akamas forest begins on the north side, and for me the best starting point for walking the peninsula without going via the beach. Here’s what it has and which trails start there. For the rest of the area, see Akamas peninsula.

A village on the Laona plateau

Akamas Municipality places Neo Chorio about 41 km north of Paphos, on the Laona plateau, at an average altitude of 170 m and about 2 km from the sea. The 2021 census gave it 522 residents. Its land is huge for a village, because it includes much of the Akamas state forest, and its highest point is Mavri Siinia, at 428 m. Average rainfall is 530 mm a year, and the fields grow olives, carobs, citrus, vines, almonds and walnuts. Pine and wild olive dominate the hills.

Places to stay and holiday homes have gone up along the coastal strip, and that’s where, according to OpenStreetMap, you’ll find the Baths of Aphrodite and the Blue Lagoon. Below lies Latchi, the harbour.

What to see in Neo Chorio

The chapel of Agios Minas dates from the 16th century. It stands 3 km west of the village, in a lonely patch of scrub, and is a single-room vaulted stone church, with walls almost a metre thick and room for about thirty people. Inside there are old paintings badly damaged by time and a simple wooden iconostasis. It opens only a few times a year, mostly for baptisms, and is protected by the Department of Antiquities.

The village church is also dedicated to Agios Minas and holds its feast on 11 November, according to the Metropolis of Paphos.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Neo Chorio before prices climb.

The Smigies trails

Smigies picnic site is 2 km from Neo Chorio and 7 km from Polis, next to the track into the Akamas forest, at about 200 m. It has barbecues, tables, toilets and spring water, with room for 500 people. You get there through the village along a farm track of about 3 km that passes the chapel.

Two loops start there, a short one of 2.5 km and an hour and a long one of 6 km and two hours, plus the 3 km Pissouromoutti trail, which climbs a hill with views over the south coast of Akamas and Chrysochou Bay. At Kefalovrysia, the Smigies trail joins the Adonis trail, which leads down to the Baths.

Getting there

Pafos Buses route 623 leaves Polis bus station and reaches Neo Chorio via Prodromi and Latchi. For somewhere to stay, the five-star Anassa hotel is within Neo Chorio, and the rest of the area’s options are in hotels in Latchi. I gather the Akamas routes and the rest of the island’s in hiking in Cyprus.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Neo Chorio and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Larnaca on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Neo Chorio before prices climb.