Evretou Dam: The Reservoir in the Paphos Hills

Where Evretou Dam is

Evretou Dam holds back the Evretou Reservoir in the hills of Paphos District, and the water sits just off the B7 road near Polis. That position makes it a natural pause on the northbound run out of Paphos rather than a place you would cross the island for.

The reservoir is part of the island's water storage network rather than a leisure facility, so think of it in the same bracket as the other Cyprus dams you pass on rural drives. There is no ticket desk, cafe or formal car park layout: you stop, look, and move on or unpack a picnic.

Because it is a working reservoir, the water level changes with rainfall, so expect whatever the reservoir is doing that week rather than a fixed scene. When the water is low, the shoreline and the shape of the valley become the attraction instead.

Getting there from Paphos or Polis

The simplest approach is by car: join the B7 from Paphos or from Polis and watch for the Evretou turn-off, since the dam lies just off that road. A car lets you stop briefly on the way through and combine the reservoir with other stops on the same drive, and rural buses are poorly suited to small roadside stops like this.

Build the stop into a wider loop rather than making it the whole outing. A Paphos–Polis drive passes through hill country, and the reservoir fits neatly as a twenty-minute pause before you carry on to Polis or turn back.

Allow more time than the map suggests for the hill roads around the reservoir. Distances in Cyprus are short, but curves and switchbacks take longer than a straight-line estimate, which matters when you plan a day around one or two stops.

What you actually see: the reservoir, the dam wall and the hills

The centrepiece is the sheet of water held back by the dam wall, framed by the dry hills of the Paphos interior. In a wet season the reservoir looks full; in a dry one the water pulls back and exposes the shoreline. Either way it is a working landscape, not a manicured park.

The surrounding country is quiet hill terrain that rewards a slow look rather than a checklist. Cyprus wildlife turns up in exactly this kind of landscape, from birds of prey overhead to the endemic Cyprus mouflon on forested slopes, though sightings are never guaranteed on a short roadside stop. Bring binoculars and treat any wildlife as a bonus.

For scale on how reservoirs fit the island's water supply, Asprokremmos dam west of Paphos is the well-known example on the same side of the island, and it makes a useful comparison if you are touring several. Evretou is the smaller, quieter version of the same idea.

Picnics and a summer stop-off

The dam is a popular spot for locals to picnic in summer, which tells you what to expect: a low-key, informal stop rather than an organised day out. Pack what you need in Paphos or Polis first, because there is nothing at the water to rely on. A blanket, shade and water make the difference on a hot afternoon.

The trade-off is seasonal. In summer the reservoir is a pleasant place to sit and eat, but on a cold winter day it is a bleak stop with little to hold you, so fold it into a drive rather than making it the reason for one.

Plan the stop for early morning or late afternoon and keep out of the sun at midday, since shade at the water is not guaranteed. A hat and your own water make a roadside picnic comfortable instead of a chore.

Walking routes around the reservoir

The main walking option is a loop around the dam, which trail listings record at roughly 8.1 miles (about 13 km) with around 974 feet (roughly 300 m) of ascent and a moderate rating. That is a proper half-day outing rather than a stroll from the car, so wear walking shoes and carry water if you intend to complete it.

If you want more, the Evretou area also carries longer hill trails, including one recorded at about 9.1 miles (roughly 14.7 km) with around 1,020 feet (roughly 310 m) of ascent and a moderate rating. Expect rough ground, heat and livestock, and choose the shorter loop if you only have an afternoon.

Do not count on toilets or water points at the dam, and download the route before you drive up with a paper backup, since mobile coverage in the hills can be patchy.

Fishing and other practical points

Fishing at Cyprus reservoirs is regulated, but the rules are set by the responsible water authority rather than by the dam itself, so check the current position before travelling with rods. There is nothing on site to tell you what is allowed, which makes a bit of advance checking worthwhile if fishing is the reason for your visit.

A few driving facts matter on this route. Cyprus drives on the left, so take extra care on narrow hill roads and at blind bends, and keep left at roundabouts even when the road feels empty. The Republic uses the euro, so fill up and pay for your picnic in euros on the southern side of the island, and top up fuel in Paphos or Polis because stations thin out in the hills.

There is no ticket desk or formal entry point at the dam, so treat any day here as a drive-and-stop outing whose cost is fuel and your own supplies rather than an admission charge. If you are stringing together several reservoirs, Germasogeia dam near Limassol shows how the same kind of waterside landscape plays out in a different setting.

Is Evretou Dam worth the stop?

Yes, if you are already driving the B7 between Paphos and Polis and want twenty minutes of water and hills without a built attraction around you. No, if you are expecting facilities and a formal visitor experience, or if you are visiting on a cold winter day when the reservoir is bleak.

Plan it as one stop on a longer west-coast day, with the dam loop as your walk if you want exercise and a shorter look if you are short of time. Carry your own food, water and shade, and check the water rules before you go.