One of the trails in the Akamas Peninsula National Park is named after Adonis, the Greek god said to have visited his lover Aphrodite here. Your journey begins at the Baths of Aphrodite: check out the grotto fabled to have been the goddess’s favourite bathing spot along with the adjoining botanical garden, where you can learn to identify the flora in the park. At the trailhead, both the Adonis and Aphrodite trails are joined in a steep, rocky ascent for about two kilometres. Pass through groves of Phoenician junipers as you take in the views of mountain and sea. Eventually you will reach a hollow shaded by an ancient oak tree. There, the two paths diverge. Climb up the small rise to the left and continue for the remaining 5.5 kilometres of the Adonis Trail. You will pass along an unpaved road before reaching the bed of a (usually dry) river. The path then descends alongside the river for about 1 kilometre. Take in the impressive rock formations as well as the brilliant green canopy of the pine and juniper forest below. You will later pass through the shady forest before descending to the paved road; from here it is just 500 metres to the starting point. Trail signs include directional arrows, kilometre markers, and red dots spray-painted on rocks; be sure to take a trail map and plenty of water. Along the way, signs identify the distinctive geological features and plant specimens that make the region so alluring.
