Cyprus

In a country of crassly commercial, ill-planned resort monstrosities, Pafos seems to be hanging on to its identity while pulling in the tourist dollar. Kato Pafos, the lower town, has committed some nasty developmental sins, but Pafos itself, slightly inland, provides a taste of real Cypriot life.

Before the 20th century

Nea Pafos is the ancient city of Pafos, which was founded in the late 4th century BC. Palea Pafos (Old Pafos) was in fact Kouklia, southeast of today's Pafos, and the site of the Sanctuary of Aphrodite. At the time of Nea Pafos, Cyprus was part of the kingdom of the Ptolemies, the Graeco-Macedonian rulers of Egypt whose capital was Alexandria. The city became an important strategic outpost for the Ptolemies, and the settlement grew considerably over the next seven centuries.

The city was originally encircled by massive walls and occupied an area of about 950,000 sq m, reaching several hundred metres east of today's Leoforos Apostolou Pavlou. The streets were laid out in a rectangular grid pattern. Archaeological excavations have shown evidence of commercial and cultural activity over the life of the city. Nea Pafos was ceded to the Romans in 58 BC but remained the centre of all political and administrative life in Cyprus, reaching its zenith during the 2nd or 3rd century. It was during this time that the city's most opulent public buildings were constructed, including those that house the famous Pafos mosaics.

Two kilometres north of Kato Pafos is a site containing a set of well-preserved underground tombs and chambers used by residents of Nea Pafos from 3 BC to AD 3, during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Despite the name, the tombs were not actually used by royalty. Instead, they earned the title 'Tombs of the Kings' for their grand appearance and the Doric pillars that help support the structures. Members of the higher social classes were buried here.

Nea Pafos went into decline following an earthquake in the 4th century that badly damaged the city, as well as many other cities on the island. Subsequently, Salamis in the east became the new capital of Cyprus, and Nea Pafos was relegated to the status of a mere bishopric. It was at this time that the fine Hrysopolitissa Basilica was built. Arab raids in the 7th century set the seal on the city's demise and neither Lusignan settlement (1192-1489) nor Venetian and Ottoman colonisation revived Nea Pafos' fortunes.

For centuries, this attractive part of the Republic of Cyprus was considered to be the island's Wild West thanks to its physical and cultural isolation from the heartland of the country. The region gained a reputation as backward and introspective, particularly as the Greek and Turkish dialects of the west were among the most difficult for an outsider to understand (the Greeks had even retained parts of Homeric vocabulary). Its people were considered canny yet uneducated, and they became the butt of the island's jokes. They were not bothered by this at all, and in fact considered themselves a notch above the rest of the island in intelligence.

Modern history

Most of the treasure in the region's tombs has long since been spirited away by grave robbers - notably the late-19th-century American consul of Larnaka, Luigi Palma de Cesnola.

The Akamas Peninsula, however, has remained relatively untouched: the British army used the interior of the peninsula as a firing range for a long time and were never too happy about travellers spoiling their games. While not strictly part of the Sovereign Base Area agreements of 1960, the Cypriot government has tacitly allowed the Akamas to be used for this purpose. This has not sat well with conservationists, whose lobbying and outspokenness has brought the controversial status of the Akamas into the public consciousness. It could be argued that by isolating the peninsula for such dubious purposes, the wilderness is being preserved.

Featured as a stylised graphic on the tail fin of Cyprus Airways' planes, the Cypriot moufflon (similar to a wild sheep), is Cyprus' de facto national symbol. Once treated as vermin, it was fair game for trigger-happy hunters, and by the 1930s there were only 15 alive in Cyprus. Since then an enlightened preservation programme has seen numbers rise to around 10,000.

Recent history

In 1974, the west's large Turkish population reluctantly moved to the north, leaving the area solely populated by Greeks. Then in 1983, Pafos International Airport was constructed. Although a small hutlike structure, it meant the region was no longer considered a backwater. These days it now attracts an increasing share of the tourist influx, as demonstrated by the rows of resort hotels that stretch north and south from Pafos, the region's capital.

Top Accommodation

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  Annabelle

  Pafos

  A five-star hotel with wonderfully luxurious rooms, some with private pools. The large hotel pool ...

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  Columbia Beach Resort

  Pafos

  Columbia Beach Resort has been praised highly by spa-lovers. It's built in a remote ...

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Top Restaurants

• 

  Columbia Beach Resort

  Pafos

  Columbia Beach Resort has been praised highly by spa-lovers. It's built in a remote ...

  more

  

  0 ratings

  0 reviews

• 

  Annabelle

  Pafos

  A five-star hotel with wonderfully luxurious rooms, some with private pools. The large hotel pool ...

  more

  

  0 ratings

  0 reviews

The weather in Pafos is reasonably temperate and shouldn't ruin your trip, no matter what time of year. While winter is on the chilly side, you wont be needing thermals - but definately don't leave home without an umbrella. The warmer months are generally pleasant, although reasonably humid. Temperatures hover around 25°C (77°F) and scorchers are few and far between. But for those of you who enjoy the summer rain, prepare to be disappointed as precipitation is virtually non-existent.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting there and away

Pafos International Airport is 8km (5mi) southeast of the town. Charter planes and some scheduled planes fly here. There are two offices for Cyprus Airways in Pafos. Nea Amoroza Transport Co and Kemek Transport operate to Polis, Lemesos and Lefkosia. The companies' shared office is northeast of Ktima's main square, and buses leave from the urban bus station. There are two services each day to Lemesos (2.00) and Lefkosia (3.00), and around 10 buses a day to Polis (1.00). There are also three buses daily (except Sunday) to Pomos village (1.10), northeast of Polis. Alepa Bus Co also has daily buses at either 7:30 or 8:00 to Lefkosia and Lemesos. If you book in advance you can be collected from your hotel; otherwise, buses leave from the urban bus station near Karavella Parking. Service taxis are operated by Travel & Express in Ktima. Sample rates are 3.50 to Lemesos, 8.00 to Larnaka (change at Lemesos) and 9.00 to Lefkosia (change at Lemesos).

Getting around

Unfortunately, there are no buses to Pafos International Airport, 8km (5mi) southeast of town. A regular taxi to the airport from Pafos will cost around 6.00 or you can get a service taxi (operated by Travel & Express in Ktima). Afroditi Taxis (Georgiou Griva Digeni) is handy for a quick lift if you are in Ktima, while Daphne Taxi is easy to spot in Kato Pafos.

The urban bus station in Ktima is near Karavella Parking, behind the Alepa Bus Co office. From here, buses leave for various local destinations. Bus 10 runs every 20 minutes for Coral Bay and its beach (0.50, 25 minutes). Bus 11 leaves every 10 to 15 minutes for Kato Pafos (0.50, 15 minutes). Bus 15 runs between Geroskipou Beach, 3km (2mi) to the southeast of Kato Pafos, and Coral Bay, via Kato Pafos. This service is every 15 to 20 minutes and travels along the coastal route, past the major hotel strip. The cost is 0.50.

D Antoniades Ltd, in Ktima, rents mountain bikes, motorcycles and mopeds.