If there are no signs banning dogs from the territory, it means they are allowed, right? In that case, we present you probably the best place to take your dog for long walks (and hikes) in the nature – unspoiled Cape Greco.
The whole territory is designated as a National Forest Park as of 1993, but since it is almost of no interest to the locals and is only enjoyed by some of the nature loving tourists, no one bothered to put “dogs are not allowed” signs all over the place as you would typically expect. Yet still, with not a single attribute of a dog park (bins for dog waste), Cape Greco would still rank above any of the dog-friendly parks and even the official “Dog Park” in Nicosia (no mine field, no barbed wires, longer routes, more trash bins and benches and...wait, yes, scenery!).
The territory is huge (385 hectares) with several of hiking trails and paths extending to 16 kilometers, 4 kilometers of bicycle track (but you could also go off-road – especially if with a dog) as well as a picnic site with an amazing sea view. You can find more detailed information on the paths by clicking here. We would recommend Kavos and Konnoi trails as well as visit to sea caves.
Cape Greco is also an area of unspoiled natural beauty – you (and your dog, of course) can enjoy spectacular views from the cliffs, visit sea caves and natural bridges and you should also be extremely ecstatic about this place if you are all into flora and fauna (in some paths it is almost like a botanical park).
We have been to this place for 5 times already and are still yet to discover all the paths and attractions and that is actually what makes this place so great for us. Some of the paths are perfect for cycling, some only to walk and enjoy the view and in other places you can do some of rock climbing if your dog is into this. Beware that during the summer season many of the tourists come to Cape Greco with ATVs and tend to get extreme and careless in the off-roads – so you might want to choose the paths that can be only walked on foot.
All the times we have been to this place we did not see any other dog, so this would be more of your one-on-one dates rather than socializing with other four-legged pals. The good thing though is that there are almost no people in the area during the off-season and even during the season most of the people just come with the cars, bikes or ATVs and go straight to the view points and very few of them actually walk the paths, so there will be many opportunities to let your dog to run off-leash. Also, tourists are generally more dog-friendly and do not freak out so easily when they see a loose dog. Even if you are not into walking so much, it is good to know that you can bring your dog with you just for the sightseeing or picnic.
What you should have in mind is that there is almost no place to find a shade and it could get really hot, especially during warmer months. There are only very few ways to actually get into the sea, so your dog might not be able to cool off. Benches are all over the park at every single view point, but there is definitely a lack of trash bins, so you might be carrying a bag with you (because you do clean up after your dog, right?) for quite a while...On the positive side - if you forget to bring water with you, there are water taps next to the church and at a picnic site and, during the summer season, there are van-kiosks selling drinks and snacks also near the church and near the bus station. There is also a bigger kiosk and tables near Konnos beach.
Lastly, some (or some of the parts) of the paths will not be suitable for young puppies, smaller size or elderly dogs. You should also consider your own health issues and whether it would be a good idea to bring your kids and your dog together. Also, the trip could turn out to be very stressful if you cannot trust your dog not to jump off the cliff – there are no protections or fences even when there really should be.
Thankfully, Buddy is smart enough when it comes to evaluating risks and danger and really enjoys long and challenging walks in the nature, so we will be coming back to Cape Greco and continue exploring the park.