We begin today with a visit to the Sanctuary of Aphrodite near Kouklia, located about 17 km east of Paphos. Unfortunately, not much remains of the ancient temple complex of Aphrodite, but the visit is still worthwhile. The ancient site sits on a hill roughly 2 km inland, overlooking the sea. A museum displays numerous excavated artifacts, including clay and ceramic vessels, jewelry, decorative figurines, and column fragments. About 5 km further east along the coast lies the Rock of Aphrodite — Petra tou Romiou — where Aphrodite is said to have once been carried ashore in a shell.

At the beach of Pissouri, we take an extended break and soak up the sun on the deserted shore. In peak season, this would hardly be imaginable, as beaches are scarce along this stretch of coast.

Now the road leads us into the mountains. We want to pay a visit to the wine village of Vasa and find ourselves in an almost deserted, sleepy village where many houses stand empty or are in ruins. The village itself, however, is nicely maintained. We take the old road to the neighboring village of Omodos and enjoy a magnificent view of the cloudless, highest mountain on the island — Olympos.

In the neighboring wine village of Omodos, a peaceful calm also reigns, though the village has since become well-prepared for tourism. There is an abandoned monastery and a historic wine press to visit. The village has been beautifully restored to make it appealing to tourists. The entire village area has been cobblestoned and the houses have received a fresh coat of paint.

In Pano Platres, just before Troodos, we set up camp for the night. At the Edelweiss, we find a room with breakfast for €50. At first the name put us off, but after finding 5 of 8 hotels closed and the other two with a few too many stars, we checked in. In peak season, it must be quite lively here. Besides the 8 hotels, there are plenty of holiday apartments, bars, cafes, and tavernas, though most of them were closed.