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Travel guide to Pafos holidays

A forgotten backwater before Cyprus was divided by the Turkish invasion, the region of Paphos has now grown into a major tourist holiday destination. Pafos or Paphos 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 the 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 string 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 proper has a long sea wall promenade packed with tourist shops, cafes, restaurants and boutiques. In the Pahos area also are the main archaeological sites and the attractive beach resort of Coral Bay.

  Inland 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 winemaking are the main occupations here, though many hill villages have suffered serious depopulation in recent years.

  The north coast resorts are smaller, less frenetic and more gentrified than those in the south. Here you will find quieter beaches and walking trails into the nearby hills.

pafos churchPafos beachPafos coastPafos ruinsPafos bay
Agios Georgios | Akamas | Baths of Aphrodite | Coral Bay | Lakki | Lara Bay | Pafos Town | Polis
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Paphos Town

photos Photo gallery

Aquarium
Kato Pafos 2695 3920
Daily 10am-8pm
An impressive array of fish found behind the municipal town beach.

Byzantine Museum
Ano Pafos 2693 1393
Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
Sat 9am-1pm C£1
Excellent museum south of the main square has fine 13th and 14th century icons.

Archaeological Museum
Ano Pafos 2694 0215
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Sat-Sun 10am-1pm C£0.75
About 1km out of the centre on Leoforos Georgiou Griva Digeni. Of note are Roman terra cotta dogs and stags.

Ethnographic Museum
Ano Pafos 2693 1010
Mon-Sat 9am-6pm
Sun 9am-1pm C£1
Privately owned jumble of domestic artifacts, costumes and coins.

Paphos city is divided into upper and lower parts. Ano Pafos sits in the hills and is the main administrative centre, Kato Paphos is the port area with big tourist hotels, cafes and tavernas. Though much of the area around Paphos has been engulfed by commercial interests, there are still some attractive places to visit.

Kato Paphos
The port area 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. Palm trees line a long promenade and there are some tastefully restored buildings around the harbour. But cafes, bars, tavernas and boutiques have multiplied to feed the booming tourist trade. To be blunt, Paphos is about as Cypriot as Clacton. It's a resort 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.

Ano Paphos
The upper part of Paphos 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.

Beaches
The waters around Paphos are as clean and inviting as anywhere on the island. Compared to the relatively dreary beaches of Limasol and Larnaka they are superb, though they can get choppy at times. Just about all the local beaches have blue flag status which means they are both clean and safe. Beaches to the south of Paphos tend to be less inviting but they are handy for those staying at the string of hotels that stretch along the shoreline. 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.

kato pafos
Kato Paphos
photos

ano pafos
Ano Paphos
photos

Pafos Akamas villages

Paphos Town sights

 
 

Nea Paphos

 

Nea Pafos
2624 0217
Daily 8am-7.30pm
£C1.50
The entrance is easily seen on Pafos waterfront near the main car park and the site includes the Pafos mosaics below.

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 whip lashed by the local Roman governor for his religious teaching.

nea pafos
Nea Pafos
photos

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.

Pafos mosaics
Pafos mosaics
photos
 

Paphos Tombs of the Kings

 

Tombs of the Kings
2694 0295
May-Sep 8.30am-7.30pm
Oct-Apr 8.30am-5pm
£C0.75
To get there follow the signs from Pafos to Coral Bay or catch a No15 bus. It is well marked on the left about 2km out of Ano Pafos.

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 round.

Pafos tombs
Tombs of the Kings
photos
Pafos Akamas villages

Pafos map

 

Map of Pafos
Use the control buttons on this interactive map to pan left/right and up/down. Use the + and - keys to zoom in and out.
You can also drag your mouse over the map to move around.

 
Pafos Akamas villages

Paphos Town Factsheet

 

Tourist centres:
Vasileos Pavlou 2465 4322
Mon-Fri 8.15am-2.30pm
3pm-6.15pm Closed Wed
Sat 8.15am-1.30pm

Bus services:
Nea Amoroza/Kemek 2693 6822
Aleph 2683 1755

Service taxis 0777 474

Airport 2464 3000
Daily 8.15am-11pm

Medical
Hospital 2463 0322

Police
2480 4040

Accommodation
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.

Eating out
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.

Pubs and clubs
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.

Transport
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 Limasol 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 os 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. It costs about C£3 to Limasol and C£7 to Nicosia.

Money
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.

 
 

Resorts around Paphos

 

 

Tourist development having come relatively late to the region and its tentacles have not spread too far from Pafos City. 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. The wild Akamas peninsular is a sparsely populated wilderness and the Troodos foothills are within striking distance. Working your way west from Pafos the main points of interest are:

 
Pafos Coral Bay

Coral Bay

 

Taverna
Toilets
Sun beds
Watersports
Parking

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.
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 C£2 to splash about in it.

Coral Bay
Coral Bay
photos
 

Agios Georgios

 

Taverna
Toilets
Sun beds
Parking

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.

Agios Georgios
Agios Georgios photos
Pafos Lara Beach

Lara Bay

 

Taverna
Parking

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 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.

Lara Bay
Lara Bay photos
 

Akamas Peninsular

 

Akamas Peninsular
Main access by terrain vehicles on tracks from Agios Georgios and Lara Bay in the south, Polis and Baths of Aphrodite in the north.

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 it 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. It is also a major attraction for botanists with more than 600 plant species, 35 of them found only here.

See Foxy's guide to Akamas Hiking - Aphrodite, Smigies and Adonis Trails

akamas
Akamas
photos
Pafos Aphrodite

Baths of Aphrodite

 

 

On the north coast of the peninsular are the island's much advertised Baths of Aphrodite, which sound rather grand but turns out to be less appealing on close inspection. This is reputed to be the spot where the famous beauty arose naked from the sea (á la Botticelli) to found an island cult that is still in existence today. The baths turns out be a rock pool fed by a small waterfall and not much else. Even more disappointing on a hot day is to find that public bathing is forbidden. A well-marked trail leads to it from the large car and coach park on the main road.

See Foxy's guide to Baths of Aphrodite and Avakas Gorge Walks

Pafos baths
 

Lakki

 

Tavernas
Shops
Toilets
Sun beds
Parking

To the east of the Baths of Aphrodite, and along a new road, is the beach resort of Latsi or Lakki. It is not much more than a string of shops and tavernas at the roadside road with two long beaches stretching out either side of a small harbour. It's a pleasant enough with deep, flat sand on the western side and 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 disappointing Baths of Aphrodite.

Pafos Latsi
Lakki
photos
Pafos Polis

Polis

 

Tavernas
Shops
Toilets
Sun beds
Parking

The main resort on the north coast has been spared the rampant tourist development of the south and caters more for the independent traveller. It has a pleasant, genteel, laid back air. The compact village is 2km from the coast and has a traffic-free centre full of very fine tavernas and cafes.
The long, sandy beach at Polis is backed by pines and there is a large beach cantina, showers, toilets and a few sun beds. 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. At Kallinoussa, just over the headland, there is better swimming and some beach umbrellas.

Polis
Polis
photos
 

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 Dhrousia with wonderful views and small tavernas.

akamas
Akamas heights
 

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