Pafos, Paphos, Phafos,
Pathos now how do you
spell it ?
Paphos and its environs seems to have its
own mini weather system, slightly cooler in the summer and warmer in the
winter, the
countryside around it is some of the most beautiful on the
island. Its history goes back to the 4th century B.C. and you will find
loads of interesting archaeological sites in the vicinity.
The growing harbour town of Pafos,
nestling on the Western coast of the island, is so rich in historical
interest that the whole town is included on UNESCOS’s World Heritage
List. Wherever one treads in Pafos one comes across evidence of its
glorious history that dates back thousands of years. In Hellenistic and
Roman times it was the capital of Cyprus.
When the cult of the goddess
Aphrodite, who emerged from the seas, flourished in this beautiful part of
the world many visitors from inland and abroad were attracted to the area.
Still under the spell of her Beauty-goddess, the area retaining her magic
enchants the eye with its majestic coastline, historical treasures, and
delightful traditional villages. Kept in harmony with nature are mediaeval
monasteries that lie peacefully in the Pafos heartland.
Beach and water activities like
paragliding,jet skiing, diving and water skiing are
handsomely
catered for.
If you wish to see
a more off the beaten track perspective from the ground,
then check out these safari and adventure tours and see things
you will never experience from a coach trip.
Polis (Polis Chrysokhou)
which is further up the coast was
founded in the 7th century B.C and means city of the golden land. The
land around is fertile and it is the most backward of the tourist developments which adds
to its charm, as it still has its own distinctive character. We hope you enjoy exploring
the area feedback on your discoveries would be welcome.
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Contact us here
Villa's and apartments in
the Paphos
area and the Polis,
Latchi and Akamas areas can be found here
and hotel
accommodation is here |
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INTERESTING PLACES IN AND AROUND PAPHOS (PAFOS)
The word is actual Paphos, however mostly of the
enquiries we have had over the years has persuaded us that most visitors
call it Pathos, even when they have visited more than once!
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SARANTA KOLONES
Kato Paphos, near the harbour.
This castle was built at the beginning of the 13th Century on the site of a previous
Byzantine castle. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1222.
PAFOS ODEON
Kato Paphos
A small 2nd Century Odeon built of hewn Limestone blocks, it is used in the summer for
musical and theatrical performances. Nearby are the remains of the ancient city walls, the
Roman Agora and a building dedicated to Asklipeios, god of medicine.
TOMB OF THE KINGS
(26) 240295
Kato Paphos
Monday - Friday: 07.30-17.00 Saturday - Sunday: 09.00-17.00
A must see.. but put on walking shoes, this is big , these underground tombs date back
to the 4th Century BC. They are carved out of solid rock . High officials rather than
Kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the locality its name
click to enlarge
PAFOS DISTRICT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
(26) 240215 Griva Digeni, 43
Monday - Friday: 07.30-14.30 15.00-17.00 Thursday: 15.00-18.00 Saturday
- Sunday: 10.
Collection of Cypriot antiquities from the Paphos area, dating from the Neolithic Age
to 1700 AD.
click to enlarge
AGIA SOLOMONI CHURCH
Kato Paphos, Leoforos Pavlou
Monday - Friday: 07.30-17.00
Saturday - Sunday: 09.00-17.00
A Christian catacomb ,still with some of the 12th Century frescoes. The
sacred tree at the entrance is believed to cure the aliments of those who hang an offering
on its branches. The mosaic floors, date from the 3rd to the 5th Century AD and are among
the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean.
PANAGIA CHRYSOPOLITISSA CHURCH
AND BYZANTINE BASILICA
(22)
302189
Kato Paphos
Built in the 13th Century over the ruins of the largest Early Byzantine basilica on the
island. Within the compound you can see St. Paul’s pillar, where according to tradition
Saint Paul was flogged.
THEOSKEPASTI CHURCH
Kato Paphos
Theoskepasti means ‘Veiled by God’. According to tradition, a fog was sent by God
to protect the original church during the Arab raids. The modern church was built in 1923.
GEROSKIPOU FOLK ART MUSEUM
(26) 240216
Geroskipou village, 3 km east of Paphos.
Monday - Friday: 07.30-14.30 Thursday 15.00-18.00
(Except July and
August)
The name of the village comes from the Greek phrase ‘Heiros Kepos’
the sacred garden of Aphrodite. A collection of folk arts and crafts is exhibited in the
Chatzismith house.
AGIA PARASKEVI CHURCH
Geroskipou village, 3 km east of Paphos.
Dating to the 10th Century, and has beautiful mural paintings dating
back to the 5th Century.
PANAGIA CHRYSELEOUSA
3 km north of Paphos, Empa village.
A 12th Century church standing in the centre of the village. A series of icons and two
panels with the 12 Apostles date back to the middle of the 16th Century.
LEMPA
5 km from Paphos.
At Lempa village excavations have bought to light an important
settlement of the Chalcolithic period. Near the site replicas of two houses from this
period have been constructed.
PEGEIA (PEYIA)
Pegeia village, 19 km Northwest of Pafos.
4,5 km from the village of Pegeia are the ruins of two Early Christian
basilicas with mosaic floors depicting animals. There are also rock-hewn tombs of the
Roman period above the sea. Pegeia is also famous for its fountains in the stone paved
village square.
click
to enlarge
AGIOS NEOFYTOS MONASTERY
9 km north of Pafos.
Founded at the end of the 12th Century by Cypriot hermit and writer
Neofytos. The ‘Egleistra’, an enclosure carved out of the mountain by the hermit,
contains some of the finest Byzantine frescoes dating from the 12th to 15th Century. In
the monastery's church there is an ecclesiastical museum.
Visit Myths and Legends
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SANCTUARY OF APHRODITE
Kouklia village, 14 km east of Paphos,
off the Limassol/Paphos road.
(26) 432180
Monday - Friday: 07.30-14.30 Thursday 15.00-18.00
Saturday - Sunday:
09.00-17.00
This is the famous Sanctuary of
Aphrodite, the most ancient remains
of which date back to the 12th Century BC. The days of the sanctuary lasted until the
3rd-4th Century. The museum, housed in the Lusignan Manor, contains many finds from the
area, and excavations continue on the site of the sanctuary, the city and the necropolis.
click to enlarge
BATHS OF APHRODITE
Akamas Peninsula, near Polis, 48 km north of Paphos.
According to legend, the goddess Aphrodite used to take her beauty baths in the pool of
a natural grotto, shaded by a fig tree, which can still be visited. Fans of the Maidenhair
fern will be impressed by the example set in the back of the pool.
Nature trails set off
from Akamas nearby.
click to enlarge
click to
enlarge
PANAGIA LIMENIOTISSA
BASILICA
Kato Paphos, near the harbour.
Built in the early 5th Century and dedicated to ‘Our Lady of the
Harbour’, it was almost completely destroyed during the 7th Century Arab raids.
click to
enlarge
THE MOSAICS OF PAPHOS
(26) 240217
House of Dionysos, house of Theseus and House of Aion. Kato Paphos, near
the harbour.
Mosaics can be seen all over the island,
for a story of the finding of one such a mosaic in Paphos by one of our
readers,
see
here
click to enlarge
ETHNOGRAPHICAL MUSEUM
(26) 232010
Exo Vrysis, 1
Monday - Friday: 09.00-13.00 14.00-17.00
(May - September: 15.00-19.00)
Saturday: 09.00-13.00 Sunday: 10.00-13.00
Private collection of objects from the Neolithic Age to the present day.
click to
enlarge
The pot in the picture below is a typical ' Ali Baba and
the forty thieves pot, big enough to hide a man, storage jars for all
kinds of dry goods, cools water, has a myriad of uses.
click to enlarge
BYZANTINE MUSEUM
(26) 630169
Ayios Ioannou, 7,
Monday - Friday: 09.00-12.30 14.00-17.00
(June - September: 16.00-19.00)
Saturday:
09.00-12.30
A collection of objects from the Byzantine period, Byzantine icons from the 12th to 18th centuries. Icons are very important in Cypriot culture as you will discover when you visit a Greek Orthodox church. The saints act as intermediaries for people. If you need
something or need to ask for a favour, you ask a saint to ask for you.
click to
enlarge
Place to please please not visit.
If anyone tells you that they can take you to
where
the turtles are, please do not go.. The turtles of Cyprus need all the help they can
get and mainly due to the growth of tourism they are having a very hard time of it. We are
including some pics here so that you can see but not disturb. We know that you are nice
people so thank you....
click to enlarge
POLIS
37 km north of Pafos
Polis tis Chrysochou lies where there once stood the ancient
city-kingdom of Marion, an important commercial centre in Classical and Hellenistic times.
A lovely place to visit.
PAFOS MEDIAEVAL FORT
Kato Paphos harbour
Monday - Friday: 07.30-14.30 Thursday 15.00-18.00
Saturday - Sunday: 09.00-17.00
Originally built to protect the harbour, was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th Century, dismantled by the Venetians in 1570 and rebuilt by the Ottomans after they
captured the island in the 16th Century.
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Photo's of the Polis area
The view over Paphos
A street in Polis
click
to enlarge
Eating Al Fresco in Polis
Latchi Harbour towards Polis
click
to enlarge
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Maps
of Paphos (Pafos)
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