Paphos

Paphos (Greek: Πάφος, also Pafos; Turkish: Baf) is a town at the southwestern tip of Cyprus, between the coast and the Troodos Mountains. The city is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Understand
Paphos is renowned as the birthplace of Greek goddess Aphrodite. Modern-day Paphos is divided in two, with the upper section up the hill being the commercial center, and lower Kato Paphos containing the main archaeological points of interest, as well as most hotels and tavernas.

The local government has improved the lower Kato Paphos area which combines hotels, bars and restaurants along a coastal strip a few km long. There is a front leading round to the marina and a long coastal path with amazing views - perfect for a morning or evening stroll.

Paphos was the European Capital of Culture for 2017, together with Aarhus in Denmark.
 * Visit Paphos tourist information

Get around
Paphos town is small enough to navigate on foot however the travelling around the region of Paphos will require motorised assistance! Local bus services are available however hiring a vehicle (bike, quad, car) is common place and allows for going off the beaten track to find small villages in the hills. It gets hot and humid in summer (33 °C and 90% humidity) from between late June through to early September. The rest of the year is relatively mild, with colder spells in January & February.

Karavella Bus Station open. There is no need to head to the Municipal Market bus station if the Paphos website bus site states that a bus route starts at Karavella.

Buy
Leather goods, Lace, Yeroskipou delights, Beware of stores selling copy DVDs these appear a bargain but are often poor quality and a waste of money. Also check the store's 'returns policy'. Some do not offer refunds or exchanges on faulty goods!

Overall shopping in Paphos is a pleasurable experience, with its shops spread out from the numerous quality furniture stores on the road to Polis to the small independent tourist shops on the harbourside.

There are several supermarkets in Paphos:



Eat
Paphos offers a wealth of choices to eat from world known Western KFC & McDonalds to five-star dining at Il Classico and Colosseum, and at many of the hotel restaurants. There are limitless choices from Chinese to Mexican and from traditional Cypriot meze to pizza and pasta. You must try traditional Cypriot fare, but if at all possible venture out a little into one of the villages surrounding Paphos town for not just authentic food but great atmosphere, either NE towards the mountains or should you want to travel a little further West call into Kathikas village where there are a multitude of traditional tavernas.

Drink
Accompany any traditional Cypriot dish with wine from the Nelion Winery, Vasilias Nikoklis inn offers a variety of local wines starting from Cyprus aperitif zivania, the Refreshing rose, the dry white wine the medium sweet white and red, the ofthalmo and the shiraz.

Go next

 * Tala Village: found high up north west of Paphos, Tala is a pretty traditional village, now with a large expat population but with beautiful Agios Neophytos Monastery nearby and a good range of popular restaurants.
 * The Akamas Peninsula: in the far west of Cyprus. Paphos is the closest major city to this area of outstanding natural beauty. A day may not be enough to explore the deep gorges the wild landscape and the sandy bays. This is an area of great biodiversity and ecological significance. Home to 530 plant species, a third of the total for Cyprus, 126 of which are endemic to Cyprus. It remains largely unspoilt to date mainly thanks to its inaccessibility.
 * The Diarizos river valley an unspoiled paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Drive through Nikoklia village towards Troodos mountains and enjoy the views. Scenic little villages, family-run inns and wineries.