A remote forested valley deep in the Paphos Forest, carpeted with thousands of endemic Cyprus cedars (Cedrus brevifolia) that grow wild nowhere else on earth. The unpaved forest road in is slow and dusty, but it rewards you with deep quiet, birdsong and a real chance of spotting mouflon. There are no facilities, so bring water and a full tank.
Type: Nature · Area: Paphos Forest, Akamas & Paphos · Best time: Apr–Jun · sturdy car · Entry: Free
Cedar Valley (Koilada ton Kedron) lies deep in the state Paphos Forest, a broad hillside cloaked in thousands of endemic Cyprus cedars — Cedrus brevifolia, a tree that grows wild nowhere else on earth. It is one of the quietest, most remote corners of the island, more about the journey and the silence than any single sight, with a small picnic area where the forest tracks meet.
Reached only on unpaved forest roads, most commonly from Panagia/Kykkos to the west or via Kampos to the north. It is slow going — allow well over an hour of dirt-road driving from the nearest villages — and a higher-clearance car is far more comfortable than a small hatchback.
Informal roadside and picnic-area parking where the tracks converge; no marked car park and no facilities.
April–June for wildflowers and comfortable temperatures, or autumn for cool, clear air. Avoid after heavy rain when the dirt roads turn to mud, and always travel in daylight.
Directions · More free spots in Cyprus
