Kato Paphos

A charming west coast town, Paphos attracts many tourists due to its excellent amenities and attractive harbour, lined with bright fishing boats and restaurants. With a population of just 28.000 Paphos nestles in the lee of the Western Troodos Mountains, which add another dimension to this area of scenic beauty. The recent addition of its own international airport has opened up the Paphos area to mass tourism and the resort is graced with some luxury hotels along the coastline.

Paphos has an air of holiday charm combined with history and elegance from its classical style buildings in the upper part of town. The lower part of the town - known as Kato Paphos - has a coastal life of its own and here you will find the harbour, the fish tavernas, souvenir shops as well as several beautiful hotels, with important archaeological sites surrounding them.

A former capital of Cyprus, Paphos has a history dating back thousands of years. Innumerable ancient sites are to be found in the area of Paphos and these are included in UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage sites. Paphos became the capital of Cyprus under the successors of Alexander the Great - the Ptolemies and in those days its harbour was a busy, thriving port. It continued as the island's first city for more than seven centuries, retaining its importance under Roman rule. Its most famous Governor, Sergius Paulus, was converted to Christianity by St Paul in 45 AD.

This is the birthplace and centre of worship of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty and the whole area retains some of this magic. Landmarks associated with Aphrodite are the chunky, rugged rocks of her beautiful birth shore known as the Aphrodite Rocks or "Petra tou Romiou", the evocative sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia Village, one-time shrine and scene of pagan festivals for thousands, the Baths of Aphrodite at Polis, supposed source of fertility and the Fountain of Love, or Fontana Amorosa, a few miles further into the Akamas Peninsula. Even the town's name is linked to the Goddess as Paphos was the name of the mythological daughter of Venus and Pygmalion.

Even the town's name is linked to the Goddess, for Paphos was the name of the mythological daughter of Venus and Pygmalion.

Bordered by a lovely coastline, the Paphos area has charming villages in its mountains where life has gone apparently unchanged over the years and country traditions have been kept alive.