APHRODITE TROPHY – Mountain Bike & Mountain Run races

Aphrodite Trophy is a new event specially designed for Leisure and hobby people who want to enjoy their sport and get to know the traditions and history of Cyprus. The events take place in Tochni, a small and picturesque village which lies between Larnaca and Limassol. Set on the slopes of two hills, its stone-built houses line the narrow streets that wind their way to the beautiful church of Constantinos and Eleni.

A local supermarket, coffee shops and a bank mark the village square. The CYPRUS VILLAGES reception and  Tochni Tavern by the pool offer a panoramic view of the whole village, the serene countryside and the pristine sea below.

Discover Cyprus with the bike!

Between the cities of Larnaca and Limassol the villages Tochni and Kalavasos are situated. The region is ideal for everybody who wants to spend their holidays in a quiet ambience combing relaxing on the beach, daily excursions and bike tours. Like this you have the possibility to get to know the whole island.  The Location here is ideal for both mountain biking and road cycling. Hundreds of kilometers of paved or forest roads start from here which can offer you enjoy the Cyprus nature and feel the aromas of the forest.

Climate and landscape

The island has perfect weather for cycling, especially in the months between October and April, when temperatures range between 15°C and 25°C, while annual rainfall is also quite low in comparison to European countries. What's more, unlike other European or Mediterranean countries, the strong headwinds that are a bane to cyclists, here are rare.

But what makes Cyprus stand out as a heaven for cyclists is its compactness. It is like a whole continent condensed into a small island. The third largest island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus combines attractive beaches with pine-clad peaks, busy modern Europeanised towns and tranquil old stone villages, vineyards and olive groves and ancient ruins. The short distances mean that there are rapid changes of terrain entailing a variety of different road surfaces over short distances.
Within the space of 10 km you can go from rocky to clay, and steep to flat, enabling you to experience all surfaces within a short period of time, and making the island into one huge mountain bike arena. Bikers can hone their skills on the unique trails of the mountains of Troodos or Machairas, or in the Akamas region, riding steep slopes that have been ridden and tested by many world champions. Quiet roads add to the attraction.
In addition there are no legal barriers to cycling anywhere on the island except of course on motorways.

Specialties – “Meze” traditional meals

The national specialty is "Meze", a culinary cross section, which exists of up to 20 different dishes., starting with salad and dips, grill, side dishes and dessert. You find fish or meat meze, meaning the main dishes consists either of fish or meat specialties. As specialties are considered also the Kebabs (pieces of lamb or other meat skewered and roasted over charcoal fire), the Stifado (a stew of beef or hare cooked with wine, vinegar, onion and spices), Koubebia (vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice) and Tava (a tasty stew of meat, herbs and onions). In our village tavern traditional meals are prepared with a lot of care.

Cyprus beverage - Cypriot Wines
Cyprus is renowned for its good wine. The Cypriot Wine was already in the antiquity famous for its quality and excellent taste. This has of course to do with the superb climate of the island. You find all kinds of wine, white, rose and red; from different regions of Cyprus. The village wines are liked and they go with the traditional food. 
Cyprus is also famous for its honey-sweet red wine called "Commandaria". Commandaria is an excellent desert wine. People say it is the oldest wine in the world. Famous it become at the time of Richard the Lionhearted and the time when Cyprus was occupied by the Order of the Knights of the Temple.