Halifax Travel Guide Paphos

Paphos Introduction

Ancient Odeon, Paphos. Photo courtesy of www.kypros.org

Cyprus' wild southwest coast is all ancient ruins, cool pine forests and secret coves

Escape: To craggy clifftops on Cape Aspro and the Akamas Peninsula, shady pines in Paphos Forest and the calm of Polis' citrus and olive groves.

Discover: Roman ruins at the Archaeological Park and crescent-shaped bays studding Cyprus' southwest coast. Amble winding streets in hilltop Ktima (Paphos Old Town) and climb Byzantine Kato Castle for marina views.

Take Home: Cypriot honey from the Akamas Peninsula, Commandaria dessert wine, pistachio-flavoured loukoumi sweets and virgin olive oil from the covered market in Paphos' Old Town, Ktima.

Paphos Lowdowntop

Highlights

Enjoy Cyprus celebrations like Larnaca's Procession of St Lazarus (Apr), Paphos' Anthestiria Flower Festival (May), the Medieval Festival of Ayia Napa (Jun), Paphos Aphrodite Festival (Sep), Limassol Wine Festival (Sep) and the Reenactment of Christ's Birth (Dec).

Electricity

240 volts

International Dialling Code

+357

Money (currency)

Local currency is the Cyprus Pound (CYP)

Time

GMT: precisely, GMT plus 3 hours in summer

British Consulate

Address: Alexander Pallis Street (PO Box 21978)
1587 Nicosia
Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 861100

Cyprus Tourist Information

Address: Gladstonos 3
CY 8046 Paphos
Cyprus
Tel: +357 26 93 28 41
Web: Visit Cyprus

Halifax Travel Insurance

Tel: 0800 032 1751

Web: Halifax Travel Insurance

Halifax Travel Money

Tel: 0845 246 0006

Paphos Experiencestop

Best Attractions

Marvel at the marble-and-stone Roman Mosaics of Dionysus, Orpheus and Aion at Paphos Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Doric columns frame central courtyards at the 2000-year-old Tombs of the Kings, carved out of smooth sandstone. Kids in tow? Take them to smile at the crocodiles at eco-friendly Paphos Aquarium.

Best Hidden Gems

Peer through binoculars at the eerie ghost town of Famagusta, abandoned during the 1974 Turkish invasion. Visit Ayia Kyriaki (Ancient Basilica), one of the world's oldest Christian churches and take a torch to explore the subterranean Agia Solomoni Catacombs. Venture south on your Paphos holiday to the ancient remains of the Temple of Aphrodite (birthplace of the Greek goddess of love).

Best Beaches

Paphos has a string of Blue Flag beaches. Choose crescent-shaped Coral Bay and gently-shelving Geroskipou Beach for sugar-fine sands and translucent water. Relax on Pissouri's wide, peaceful bay and swim 20 laps around nearby Aphrodite's Rock at sunset to look 20 years younger!

Best Buys

Pick up flavoursome halloumi (hard cheese), Lefkara lace and Pafitika embroidery from Paphos. Seek out pottery and woodwork from local villages on your Paphos holiday, plus original art works from Lemba's quirky galleries.

Best Scenery

North of Paphos, discover steep gorges, grottos and sleepy bays along the Akamas Peninsula. Glimpse the wild orchids, silvery waterfalls and tall cedars in the Troodos Mountains that rise dramatically out of Cyprus' centre.

Paphos Adventuretop

Don walking boots on your to hike Paphos' shady pine forests, the Troodos Mountains' terraced vineyards and the Akamas Peninsula's precipitous coastal paths. Come in winter to ski the slopes of 1951-metre Mount Olympus, Cyprus' highest peak.

Scuba dive in Paphos' clear waters to spy brightly-coloured fish, corals and green turtles, or get active above the water with windsurfing, waterskiing and canoeing.

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