Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, south of Turkey and Greece, and northwest of Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt. It is an increasingly popular area for visitors, owing to its gorgeous beaches, inland mountain trails, archeological sites, and reliably sunny climate. Cyprus is 250 km long and 100 km wide, and is ringed by coast and features two interior mountain ranges. Running on Cyprus is becoming increasingly popular, due to the scenery, variety of terrain, and miles of runnable beach. Note: If you’d like to have a guided running experience in Nicosia, we highly recommend Go! Running Tours.
The best places to run in Cyprus feature the island’s coastal regions. There are two waterfront paths and great beaches for running in Limassol, the island’s second largest city. There’s another great waterfront path in Paphos, on the west side of Cyprus. In the capital of Nicosia, your best bet is to get up early and run the alleys of the old Walled City. For a unique run, head to Lanarka Salt Lake, which has excellent paths for running. Trail running opportunities abound in Cyprus. Not too challenging are the trails in Athalassa National Forest Park, and some options in Akamas Peninsula National Park. For a challenge, take on Vasa Kellakiou, which is part of the Cyprus Ultra.
A couple of notes about running in Cyprus. Fist, the Green Line/border separates Cyprus from Turkish occupied North Cyprus, and although one can travel between the two, there are tensions and there can be hassles. Also, summers are very hot — be cautious and hydrate. And driving is on the left hand side, so remember to look right when crossing. Finally, our special thanks to Michael Rivers, Limassol running coach and local running guide, for his help with the Limassol area routes.
