Kato Paphos

Located in the lower part of Paphos, this is a charming part of town that has all of the amenities considered essential for a sun and sand holiday plus, as an added bonus, loads of historical sites. It has an atmosphere and life of its own.

Kato Paphos is situated by the sea and is home to the lovely picturesque harbour. Here you will find excellent fish tavernas, where you can taste and enjoy the days catch. Several souvenir shops and hotels are also situated here.

The Mosaics of Paphos

Located in Kato Paphos near the harbour. The Mosaic’s consist of the House of Dionysos, the House of Theseus and the more recently excavated House of Aion. They are the most famous historical sights in Paphos. The mosaics were originally laid down in the 3rd century as floors for the houses of the Roman nobles. The first mosaic was discovered in 1962 and the ongoing excavations have revealed a complex of buildings which cover approximately 300 sq metres (980 sq ft). The mosaics are, considered to be the best in the Eastern Mediterranean and depict scenes from Greek mythology and are beautifully executed. Whether you are interested in history or not you should really make an effort to check out these mosaics as they will take your breath away.

The Akamas Peninsula

Situated on the west coast, this is one of the last wild and unspoilt places on the Cypriot coast. It is well worth taking a few hours out to visit this area where the landscape is a patchwork of lush vegetation and barren rock. There is a wide variety of flora and fauna; including some rare species. It is a great destination for walkers, with a network of paths criss-crossing the rugged terrain. The views are terrific so do not forget to take a camera along with your walking boots and bottles of water. This is also the best area to see wildlife. The Baths of Aphrodite are situated here, according to local legend; this is where Aphrodite restored her virginity after nights of lust with her admirers.

Easter

This is a more important event in the Greek Orthodox Church than is Christmas. In Paphos, as all over Greece and Cyprus, it is the biggest celebration of the year. It is definitely worth the effort to visit Paphos at this time of year. There are atmospheric candle-lit processions, firework displays and feasting. The date of the celebration is different each year, but you can work it out, as it is 50 days after the first Sunday in Lent, which incidentally is occasion for a carnival of its own. You have to book early for the Easter celebrations as they attract many visitors from Europe.

The Tombs of the Kings

Located 2km (1.2mi) north of Kato Paphos, This is another historical site that is a must to visit .It is a wide area containing complex maze of fascinating tombs carved into the solid rock of the sea-cliff. They date back to the 4th century BC and many are decorated with Doric pillars. It is not known for sure whether Kings were buried here or not but the locality got its name from the magnificence of the tombs.

Paphos Castle

Located in Kato Paphos the castle was originally built as a Byzantine fort in order to protect the harbour. It was later rebuilt in the 13th century by the Lusignans and then dismantled by the Venetians in 1570. The Venetians had found themselves unable to defend the castle from the Ottomans, who, in their turn, restored and strengthened the castle after they seized the island.

Petra Tou Romiou (Birthplace of Aphrodite)

Located 25 km east of Paphos. Most visitors to Paphos take the time out to visit this lovely attraction. According to local legend, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, rose from the waves in this beautiful spot. The Greek name, Petra tou Romiou ,The Rock of the Greek, is associated with Dighenis Akritas a famous legendary frontier-guard in the Byzantine period. He kept the marauding Saracens at bay with his amazing strength. Legend has it that in one fight he hurled a large rock (Petra), at his enemy.

Shopping

shoppers have plenty of stores to browse around in both parts of Paphos Town. There are sparkling jewellery stores selling lovely local products at reasonable prices, handicrafts centres and boutiques selling locally made clothes. The main crafts of the island are offered in the Paphos shops such as, delicately woven Cypriot lace, hand-turned pottery, and paintings and sculptures. These are all among the souvenirs and gifts that travellers often take home because they are well made and the prices are reasonable.

Golf

Paphos has established itself as a centre for golfing trips. One of the best courses is the Tsada Golf course, which was built in 1994. The golf course is set in the grounds of a 12th Century monastery, and was designed by famous golfer, Donald Steel. The 18-hole course is 550 metres above sea level, and has a number of other facilities include a driving range and putting green.

Other excellent courses include the Secret Valley golf course, which is located within close proximity of the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love, at Petra tou Romiou. The course is situated in a lovely scenic valley with lots of trees and strange and unusual rock formations. And Aphrodite Hills, designed by Cabell Robinson, which is 20 kilometres from Paphos in a beautiful setting surrounded by lush olive and carob trees. Onsite there is a driving range, academy holes, PGA instructors and a pro shop.

Beaches

Six of the Paphos beaches have been awarded the coveted European Blue Flag awards in 2004. These are Pachyammos, Vrysoudia A, Vrysoudia B, Alykes, Municipal Bath and Farros. The "Blue Flag" is awarded to beaches which meet some pretty stringent criteria, including: the quality of the bathing water, and beach area management and safety.

These beaches are a joy to visit and you can let your kids play with impunity. The sands are fine and golden and you can sunbathe, play volleyball or whatever appeals to you.

This is what sun and sand holidays are all about and a few days relaxing on the beach will put you in the right frame of mind to return to the real world.

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