Paphos    

It’s not every day that one is faced with a choice of what to do and where to go when you have arrived at your holiday destination. If you have chosen to go on sun and fun-filled holiday, then it’s to the beach or pool you go, or if you have chosen an historical city trip, then you simply point yourself to the nearest wonder and off you go.

But when it comes to Paphos, we are rather fortunate in that it offers so many different things to do and see that visitors are often left wondering where to start.

Those wishing to go to the beach and worship the omnipresent sun god who has taken up permanent residence here, head to Coral Bay, which is one of the most popular beaches. Once you have experienced one magnificent sunset at Coral Bay where the sun goes from yellow to burnt orange to a huge red fireball, you will not want to be anywhere else. But of course, as a city with thousands of years’ history, there are lots of other things to do, whether it’s taking a romantic walk around the harbour with its Medieval fort, or sipping a cocktail on a sunset cruise you’ll always find something to quench any desire.

Paphos itself is an ancient city, having been the capital of Cyprus during the Hellenistic and Roman times. If you like the historical and enjoy taking in monuments to the past, then the Archaeological Park next to the fort is the place for you, with its wondrous mosaics of the House of Dionysos and the adjoining Tombs of the Kings, both dating back thousands of years. But it’s not just the park that shows the glory of Paphos past; the whole town in fact has been declared an UNESCO Heritage Site. Wherever you walk, you’ll catch a glimpse of something somewhere that our ancestors left behind. You’ll even run across St. Paul’s Pillar, which is the post where Paul, the first Christian in Cyprus in Roman times was tied up and whipped for his belief.

But it’s not just about the past; Paphos is very much in the present too and just as much focused on the future. It has also very much built a reputation as a gourmet destination and no matter what your taste buds feel like, there will be a restaurant to satisfy any palate. Whether it’s Chinese, Italian, Brazilian, Japanese, Mexican or seafood, you will be spoilt for choice. But if you really want to walk a little in a Cypriot’s shoes, you have to indulge yourself in a traditional meze – this is a meal of meals, a plethora of little meals in fact. The best bet is to ask a Cypriot at your hotel or if you are lucky enough to make friends with the locals, to ask them to recommend a good taverna. Most of the villages just outside of the city itself will have a resident taverna and these are often the best places to visit, as it’s the places where the locals will go. Cypriots are rather picky eaters and it’s always a good idea to eat where they do as you will be guaranteed a good meal.

Paphos has been seducing those who come to its shores for thousands of years. Visiting Paphos is like meeting someone for the first time and experiencing an instant connection; you’ll feel an immediate sense of belonging and as your plane takes off, you’ll start making plans for your next visit.