Σπηλιά του Κύκλωπα

Cave of the Cyclops


Useful Information

Location: In Protaras, at the eastern coast of Capo Greko.
Ayia Napa State Forest, National Forest Park "Cape Greco"
(34.986451, 34.076613)
Open: no restrictions.
[2023]
Fee: free.
[2023]
Classification: MineLimestone Quarries and Mine
Light: bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Cave of the Cyclops, Paralimni.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

The Σπηλιά του Κύκλωπα (Cave of the Cyclops) was obviously named after the episode in the Odyssey by Homer. At the beginning of their journey home from the Trojan War Odysseus and his men are quite unlucky to meet Polyphem. He is a Cyclops, a giant with only one eye, and unfortunately a man-eater. Odysseus is able to outsmart him, blind him, and flee from the island, but unfortunately his dad was Poseidon, the god of the sea. So he was quite pissed and gave him bad winds and currents, so it took 10 years to travel what is today a day trip by car. Polyphem was living in a cave above the sea, it should be big enough for a giant, and there should be some rocks in the sea in front of the cave, because the irate Polyphem threw rocks, but being blind he missed.

Σπηλιά του Κύκλωπα (Cyclops Cave) is one of hundreds caves of this name. Actually any cave which is located close to the sea, and even some which are not, are named so because they are definitely the location where the fictional Polyphem lived. This cave meets those minimal requirements for being the former home of the giant. Unfortunately it is much younger, so the name is just to make it more interesting. The cave is artificial, almost rectangular, with a flat floor and flat ceiling. The small single chamber cave has multiple entrances. It was dug into the cliff face a few meters above the sea level. It is normally not reached by the waves, so it was probably used to store goods which were brought by boat. Or it was created by quarrying the limestone.

The cave is located on the Cape Greco peninsula, about 3.3 km to the north of the cape. On the eastern side of the Periyiali Konnos Villas Beach Resort is a huge parking lot, from here its 200 m walk to the cliff, and then about 75 m along the cliff to the cave entrance. The cave is signposted, it seems to be quite popular. Its also popular to get there along the cliff from the nearby Konnos Beach, which is about 700 m walk.

Nearby is another small cave named Anthea's Cave, which is actually a sea cave. It is only a small shelter, more or less and overhanging cliff face and not signposted. There are numerous such small sea caves in the cliffs.