CAP GREKO NATIONAL FOREST PARK

This national park (Εθνικό Δασικό Πάρκο Κάβο Γκρέκο/Ethniko Dasiko Parko Kavo Greko, Cape Greco National Forest Park) was established in 1993. It covers 385 ha between Cape Greko and the outskirts of Agia Napa. Despite its name, it is sparsely wooded. On the sea side, it is bordered by superb limestone cliffs and sea caves. Inland, it's mainly scrubland, with the Phoenician juniper (Juniperus phoenicea) in particular. Only in the western part of the park, on the outskirts of Agia Napa, is there any real forest, with the Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) in particular. But Cape Greko Park is an important nesting area for birds. As such, it has been classified as a Natura 2000 site by the European Union since 2008. Here you'll find a rare, small bird of prey, the kobez falcon (Falco vespertinus), passerines such as the colorful European bee-eater (Merops apiaster), and two endemic species, the Cyprus warbler (Curruca melanothorax) and the Cyprus traquet (Oenanthe cypriaca). All these birds are victims of poachers who use the illegal technique of net hunting. However, thanks to effective repression by the Cypriot authorities, this practice has fallen sharply in recent years. The national park is crossed by the Aphrodite Trail, a pleasant 2 km loop trail which starts from the information center at Cape Greko.