Paphos
Information on Paphos
Paphos (Pafos) is located on the Southwest coast of the island and is sheltered from the north by the Troodos Mountains, was the capital of the island in Roman times, and dates from 1400 BC. Paphos boasts a number of unique claims to fame.
It was in Paphos that Aphrodite (the goddess of love) walked from the sea to find a thousand love cults across the Hellenic world. It was here that Agapeanor, leader of the Arcadian contingent to Troy, was shipwrecked and it was also here that St Paul stopped off on his way to Rome for a quick conversion of the local proconsul. Paphos is a city where myth and reality merge as readily as the new architecture with the old.
Thanks to the UNESCO, many areas of Paphos are protected so Roman villas, Crusader castles and Byzantine churches are all within a few minutes walk of the harbour. Paphos town offers a wide selection of accommodation ranging from luxury beachside apartments with every amenity close by or villa’s and townhouses with ample outside space, slightly further outside of the city.
Paphos, with its pleasant harbour and medieval fort combines a cosmopolitan holiday resort, spectacular countryside and historical sites. The region offers the possibility of enjoying both sea and mountains, as well as getting a taste of the islands culture with its many archaeological sites.
Modern Paphos mingles with ancient Paphos in a chaotic fashion above the old harbour; new and contemporary hotels mingle with ancient buildings. A wide variety of accommodation ranging from luxury beachside apartments, villas and townhouses are available in and around the region.
Traditionally, Paphos was made up of two settlements; Kato Paphos, which was the harbour area, and Ktima, which covered the hill area. These areas soon became entwined and the divide between the two became less evident as new and contemporary high rise buildings started to flourish in the two areas. Paphos is Southern Cyprus’ second largest resort and the area had expanded rapidly. Although much of old Paphos and its beautiful architecture still remains, much of it is suffering from the rapid change from a once sleepy village to a bustling tourist resort. Paphos International Airport is situated very close to the city which means the area is easily accessible and provides as a gateway to the less developed north and the untouched Akamas Peninsula.
Kato Paphos is a very touristic area. The harbour surrounds are made up of a medley of bars, restaurants, tourist shops and nightclubs. The town centre in the Ktima area however is more elegant and traditional with museums, a covered market and some remarkable Roman mosaics.
