Paphos
Lying on the southwest coast of Cyprus Paphos has two main areas, the modern beach resort and the older historic hill town which is just inland from the beach resort area. The Paphos international airport is about sixteen kilometres from the area and is a nice easy drive for people holidaying here.
The beach resort area has four main beaches with a harbour in between them. There are also many small rocky coves and secluded beach areas for those who prefer to avoid the larger beaches. The larger beaches do however offer a lot to people who are interested in watersports, and jet skiing, para-sailing, snorkelling, diving and fishing are all available here. There is also a large water park and aquarium to enjoy. Close by is the larger resort of Coral Bay. It lays just eight kilometres to the north and is one of the finest beaches in the area. It is served by an excellent bus service meaning that visitors to Paphos can take advantage of everything it has to offer as well as what is available locally.
The hill town is said to be the birthplace of the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite, and there are many myths surrounding the area. During the Roman occupation of the area, Paphos was the capital of the island, and the remains of the Roman governor’s palace can still be seen today. It has some extensive and very fine mosaics which are worth viewing. In and around the historic town you will also find the Baths of Aphrodite, several museums and the Tombs of the Kings.
Paphos also serves as an excellent base for anyone wanting to explore the Akamas peninsula which is an amazing combination of rugged coastline and amazing gorges. There are many walking trails here, and it the area is wonderfully diverse in both it’s landscape and flora.
The area is home to many tavernas and it is lovely to stroll from one to the next enjoying the breathtaking beach views and harbour scenes as well as any local music that you may find playing. In the evening the area has lots of live music in the bars and pubs, and there are clubs and discos as well.