A forgotten backwater before Cyprus was divided by the Turkish invasion, the region of PAPHOS or PAFOS has now grown into a major tourist holiday destination. Pafos can be divided into three main areas.
On the south coast is the popular tourist holiday resort of Paphos Town, served by an international airport and packed with luxury hotels and timeshare resorts that run along the coast.
Paphos Town is the fourth largest on the island with about 20,000 inhabitants. The coastal strip is dominated by a chain of newly-built hotels that have commandeered most of the beaches, leaving just a handful of small, sandy strips that are for public use.
The resort of Paphos proper has a long sea wall promenade packed with tourist shops, cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Also found in the Paphos area are several important archaeological sites and the attractive and hugely popular beach resort of Coral Bay.
Inland from Paphos are the quaint hill villages of the Akamas heights, including Akamas itself, a horn-shaped wilderness where roads are non-existent and tracks are few. Agriculture and wine making are the main occupations here, though many hill villages have suffered serious depopulation in recent years and there is little to see beyond a few ramshackle homes and a cafe or two.
The north coast Paphos area resorts are smaller, less frenetic and more gentrified than those in the south. Here you will find uncrowded beaches and many good walking trails into the nearby hills.
Pafos harbour
Paphos is the name of both the holiday resort and the region which covers most of the western end of Cyprus. The resort is divided into the upper and lower.
Ano Pafos sits in the hills and is the main administrative centre while Kato Paphos is the port area where you will find the big tourist hotels, the bustling cafes and the lively tavernas.
Though much of the region of Paphos has been engulfed by commercial interests, especially on the south coast, there are still some attractive places to visit away from the crowds.
Pafos fort
Pafos town beach
The port area of KATO PAPHOS has grown considerably since the airport was built nearby. Tourist hotels have mushroomed along the coast and the centre heaves with tourists from May to October.
A palm tree-lined promenade curves right around the bay edged on one side by the busy main road and with a concrete wall on the seaward side. There is just one one small strip of sand, the municipal beach, heavily loaded with sunbeds.
The promenade ends at the picturesque, traffic-free harbour area which is stuffed with restaurants and cafes, a small museum and a squat medieval fort are perched on the point. The harbour is usually chock-full of yachts.
Cafes, bars, tavernas and boutiques have multiplied to feed the booming tourist trade. To be blunt, Paphos is about as Cypriot as Clacton. This is a resort tailor-made for the British chasing that foreign tan in a home-from-home setting.
Restaurants run the gamut, from mock-British pubs to mock-Continental bars, from Mexican and Indian to pie and chips. And the chips, like the tinned veg, are ubiquitous. Oh, and it has a McDonald's, a KFC and a Pizza Hut - and so does Stoke-on-Trent.
It's rather more attractive than Stoke, of course, with a very attractive harbour area that is crowned with its small fort. Pelicans strut around the harbour and among the holidaymakers while scores of boats of all sizes bob in the large enclosed bay.
The town beach may be a small, scrappy affair but most visitors tend to spend the day on the hotel beaches to the east and wander into town for a stroll and a meal.
Pafos street
The upper part of of the resort at ANO PAPHOS, also called KTIMA is little more than a suburban sprawl of concrete with narrow main streets a virtual log-jam of cars. It is the city's administrative centre with town hall, library and museums.
For the visitor the main attraction is the shops which sell designer wear clothes, shoes and jewellery. It also has an interesting market with herb and lace shops as well as the usual tourist tat.
The main roads are heavy with traffic and there are few cafes and tavernas as not many tourists venture here. Most intercity buses arrive and depart from Ano Pafos and local buses, mainly number 11, will take you down the hill to the harbour.
Pafos hotel beach
Pafos public beach
Most Paphos holiday hotels are strung along the coast to the east of the centre. A modern road runs into Kato Paphos and there are regular buses, while taxis cruise the hotel strip lookng for trade.
Most hotels have a small beach area but most of the shore is rock and shingle with small patches of sand here and there. Rock barriers have been built to provide shelter and anchorage for boats.
The waters around Paphos are as clean and inviting as anywhere on the island, particularly compared to the relatively dreary beaches of Limassol and Larnaka.
Just about all the local beaches have Blue Flag status which means they are both clean and safe. Most of the beaches have been commandeered by hotels but there are a couple of public beaches along the coast just out of town.
The shore is generally free of the big breakers you get on the north coast and, being close to the hotels there are plenty of tourist facilities such as sun beds and sea sports.
Nea Pafos ruins
The ancient city of Nea Paphos, founded in the 4th century BC, sat on the bluff to the west of modern Paphos City overlooking the sea. Various archaeological sites are dotted around the cliffs and the around modern city itself. All are well signposted and well marked.
Nea Paphos was a strategic outpost for seven centuries until it was ravaged by earthquakes and its significance declined. The main archaeological sites are the Paphos Mosaics and Tombs of the Kings (both described below). But also of note are the Agora, Asklipieon and Odeion near the lighthouse on the headland. The semi-circular Odeion theater was restored in 1970.
Also near the mosaics' site are the remains of the medieval Saranta Kolones Fortress, now reduced to a few unimpressive archways. There is a fairly boring tomb complex at the Christian Catacombs where the ghostly frescoes are just visible and some underground burial chambers at Agios Lambrianos, notable for their size more than anything else.
A fairly extensive site is still being excavated at the 4th century Hyropolitissa Basilica where St Paul's Pillar can be found, so-called as he is reputed to have been tied to it before being whiplashed by the local Roman governor for his religious teaching.
Paphos mosaics
One of the most popular attractions is the impressive collection of well preserved and colourful mosaics found in Kato Pafos. They were unearthed in 1962 completely by accident as the site was being leveled.
Extensive mosaics - mostly Roman - decorated the homes of wealthy inhabitants, particularly in the House of Dionysus (named after the god not the occupant). There are 34 rooms with a striking variety of mosaics.
Unfortunately they don't look so good in the dry, dusty atmosphere so the colours in the guides are brighter than you are likely to see. But a set of wooden gantries over the mosaics allows good overhead views.
There are more mosaics in the rebuilt villa of Theseus and in the House of Aion. If you want to view all the mosaics properly allow yourself at least two hours.
Paphos tombs
Only they weren't kings, just local notables - but it doesn't stop making this one of the most popular attractions in Pafos. The sprawling World Heritage Site is on a rocky ledge overlooking the sea on the edge of town.
The impressive underground tombs were used from 300BC to 300AD and, though scattered over a wide area, they are all are accessible to the public. The most impressive is No 3, recently restored, with an underground atrium enclosed by Doric columns. Niches in the walls are where the bodies were placed.
Most of the treasures have been snaffled by grave robbers - and the 19th century American consul of Larnaka who looted the best of them.
It's a good idea to get there early to avoid the heat and the crowds and to allow at least two hours for a good look around.
Paphos coast
Tourist development came relatively late to the western area of Cyprus and the influence of mass tourism has not spread too far from Paphos resort in the south. Pretty inland villages litter the valleys and the small beach resorts have a more tranquil air.
Banana plantations are common and there are plenty of vineyards on the south facing hillsides between Pahos and Polis. The wild Akamas peninsula is a sparsely populated wilderness and the Troodos foothills are within striking distance to the east.
Coral Bay beach
Popular CORAL BAY is 4km north of Paphos and well marked off the coast road. If you don't mind regimented ranks of sun beds and heaving crowds it's a splendid beach of good sand sitting beneath a small cliff bluff.
Large car parks on both sides of the road above testify to its popularity and the crowds can be fearsome in high summer. Seas are shallow and sandy so it's fine for children and this is a popular family beach.
There is no shortage of watersports and other entertainment - you can even get massage. There is also a large cafe overlooking the beach that offers chips, burgers, cola and irritating pop music - oh, and chips.
The resort is aimed at the family package holiday and there are plenty of activities on offer - jeep safaris into the hills, walking, cycling and sailing are all available as well as scuba diving.
About 1km before you get to Coral Bay there is a road sign pointing to the ADONIS FALLS where there is a 10ft waterfall that cascades into a small pool. You can pay to splash about in it.
Agios Georgios chapel
Further north from Coral Bay is the small beach at AGIOS GEORGIOS in a beautiful setting below steep cliffs. The small sandy beach is sheltered from the sea by a large enclosed harbour. It looks good for swimming but a sign warns of stiff fines for anyone taking a dip.
To the south of the harbour is an expanse of flat rock and to the north, for those seeking solitude, there are cliffs and coves to explore. The rocky islet of Geronisos adds offshore interest and a taverna overlooks the whole lot on the cliffs above next to the splendid Agios Georgios chapel.
Lara Bay
North of Agios Georgios the road turns into a dirt track and LARA BAY signals the entrance to the wild region on the Akamas peninsular. The beach of sand and shingle is long and narrow with wide flatlands behind.
This is a major turtle nesting site and visitors are asked to take extra care on the beach. There are few facilities here and no sun beds but there is a large taverna at the southern end of the bay that puts out brollies in a small cove over the headland. Ideal for those looking to escape the crowds.
Akamas
The horn-shaped piece of land north of Lara Bay is one of Cyprus's last remaining wilderness areas. This is largely thanks, if that's quite the right word, to British commandos who used the AKAMAS PENINSULA for many years as a firing range.
Its relative remoteness and the lack of roads have also kept the crowds away. It is now a favourite target for hikers and there are four major hiking trails that run through the northern part of the region.
If you like walking see Foxy's guide to Akamas Hiking for the Aphrodite, Smigies and Adonis Trails. The area is also a major attraction for botanists with more than 600 plant species, 35 of them found only here.
Akamas Heights
Two roads (B7 and E709) run from Pafos City on the south coast over the hills to Polis on the north. Both routes skirt the Akamas peninsular and pass through or around a series of attractive hill villages, known for their cooler climates and wine growing.
KATHIKAS on the E709 north of Coral Bay is known for its fine vineyards and good restaurants. Further north, just off the B7 are PANO AKOURDALIA and KATO AKOURDALIA, both picturesque villages with accommodation and restaurants. Staying north on the E709 brings you to the popular villages of INIA and DHROUSSIA with wonderful views and small tavernas.
Polis beach
The main resort on the north coast has been spared the rampant tourist development of the south and POLIS caters more for the independent traveller although there are plenty of bi-name tour operators here. It has a pleasant, genteel, laid back air.
The compact village is 2km from the coast and has a traffic-free centre packed full of very fine tavernas and cafes. The number of pavement tables testifies to the popularity of the place with day trippers.
The long, sandy beach at Polis is backed by pine woods and in the shade is a large beach cantina, showers, toilets and a few sun beds scattered over the beach of mostly soft sand and a few pebbles. There is a large campsite nearby.
There are more beaches to the east but they tend to be scruffy and isolated. At the strung-out village of POMOS there are a couple of restaurants behind a sheltered pebble beach and at KALINOUSSA, just over the headland, there is better swimming and some beach umbrellas.
Latchi beach
To the west of Polis, along a new coast road, is the beach resort of LATCHI, also called LATSI or LAKKI. It is not much more than a string of shops and tavernas at the roadside road with two very long beaches stretching out into the distance on either side of a small harbour.
It's a pleasant enough spot with deep, flat sand on the western side and a narrower and stonier strip to the east. There are plenty of facilities. A large car park indicates the resort's popularity with day trippers, many of them off to see the much-touted but slightly disappointing Baths of Aphrodite that lie just up the road.
Latchi is very popular with divers, there is a scuba centre in Latchi and diving takes place along the Akamas peninsula. The pretty village of Polis is only 5km away.
The scenic beauty of the area is spectacular, with coastal cliffs at Cape Pomos and pine and cedar forests carpeting the mountains behind. There are any number of deserted beaches just a short drive away and interesting villages nestle in the surrounding hillsides.
Baths of Aphrodite
On the north coast of the peninsula are the island's much advertised BATHS OF APHRODITE, which sound rather grand but turns out to be less appealing on closer inspection.
This is reputed to be the spot where the famous beauty Aphrodite arose naked from the sea (á la Botticelli) to found an Cyprus island cult that is still, somewhat surprisingly, in existence today.
The baths turns out be a rock pool fed by a small waterfall and not much else. Dense greenery surrounds the pool that has become an essential on day trip itineraries.
Apart from the refreshing sight of cool pool shde on a hot summer's say there is little to recommend. Even more disappointing is to find that public bathing is forbidden anyway.
A well-marked trail leads to it from the large car and coach park on the main road.
There's the wide range of hotels and apartments though most are designed for the package tour market and the independent traveller may find difficulty especially in the high season - especially in Kato Pafos where luxury hotels predominate. Rooms are much more likely to be available in Ano Pafos. The only decent camping ground is at Coral Bay, about 11km north of Pafos.
There are a huge number of restaurants in Kato Pafos especially around the harbour where they are packed tightly together with tables spilling out onto the promenade. But you will pay top prices there for indifferent food. Better and cheaper food will be found down the side streets away from the main tourist strip. Restaurants are much thinner on the ground in Ano Pafos.
Most bars and clubs are clustered along Agiou Antoniou, known locally as Bar Street. Most are noisy and raucous, catering for the younger tourist crowd. There are the usual British style pubs and eight clubs, some specialising in UK music while others opt for a more pan European taste.
The main bus station is in Ano Pafos with daily buses to Kato Pafos (every 15 minutes or so), to Coral Bay (every 20 minutes ). There are no regular bus services to the airport and a taxi will cost C£5 - C£7. Other daily buses go to Polis and Polos village nearby. There are three services a day to Limassol and Nicosia from the bus station and, if you advance book, they will pick you up from your hotel.
The main mode of transport is taxis and they line up along the front in Kato Pafos or near the bus station in Ano Pafos. Service taxis a re cheaper than normal taxis for longer journeys and they will pick you up from the hotel.
There are plenty of banks and ATMs in both Ano Pafos and Kato Pafos. Exchange services are also dotted about everywhere and many people will accept English money if a small tip is thrown in.
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Paphos International Airport is located 8 km southeast of Paphos, Cyprus and is the country's second largest airport, after Larnaca International. Paphos Airport is mainly used by tourists on holiday in western Cyprus staying mainly in Paphos, Coral Bay and Limassol.
In 2006, Hermes Airports Limited took over the operation of Larnaca and Paphos airports for 25 years. A new revamped terminal for Paphos opened in 2008. It handled 1.7m passengers in 2007.
Facilities include 20 check-in desks, five gates, 14 aircraft stands and a bank, restaurants, cafeterias, bars, a duty free shop and gift shop. There is also a tourist help desk, car rental, first aid, a baby/parent room and disabled facilities.
A new four-lane road is planned to link the airport and the Paphos hotel area so that passengers can avoid using the main B6 and E603 secondary roads which are currently often heavily congested.
Paphos Airport has regular shuttles that leave the airport soon after scheduled arrivals land and many of the charter flights to Paphos have private minibuses to take arrivals directly to hotels. There are plenty of taxis outside the arrivals hall and several car rental companies have small fleets at the airport.
Paphos Airport has basic uncovered parking facilities with space for 150 vehicles in the single parking lot opposite the terminal entrance.
Although Paphos is a port resort, there are no direct ferry services and visitors must arrive by air or land. Paphos International Airport mainly takes flights (see above) and Larnaca International Airport is within easy travelling distance - about one hour. Good roads connect Paphos with major cities and towns across western Cyprus. Ferries arrive at Limassol, from where travellers can get to Paphos by road. Limassol has ferries from Athens, Crete, Patmos and Rhodes as well as from Israel.
Paphos has good road links to other Cypriot cities. The B6 highway connects Paphos with Larnaca and Limassol, while the B7 heads north to Polis and the Akamas Peninsula region. Another good scenic route to the Akamas Peninsula is the E701/709, which also leads to Polis where it connects with the E713.
A network of bus routes operated by KEMEK link all cities and towns in the western half of Cyprus. Services to main cities depart hourly from the main bus station in Ano Paphos. Another company, Fontana Amoroza, runs frequent services between Paphos and Polis.
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