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The attractive town of Paphos sometimes referred to as Pafos focuses around an attractive little harbor whose charming open air fish restaurants line a dockside of bright fishing boats. With a population of just 28.000 Paphos, The harbor town 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. Visitors can come across evidence of its glorious history that dates back thousands of years wherever they tread in Paphos and in Roman times it was the capital of Cyprus. The resort is graced with some luxury hotels along the coastline and the recent addition of its own international airport nearby has opened up the Paphos area.

Many visitors from inland and abroad was attracted to the area with the cult of the goddess Aphrodite, who emerged from the seas, flourished in this beautiful part of the world . The area retaining its magic enchants the eye with its majestic coastline still under the spell of her Beauty-goddess, historical treasures, and delightful traditional villages. Mediaeval monasteries in this region are kept in harmony with nature and they lie peacefully in the Paphos heartland. The city has an air of holiday charm combined with history, and extraordinary grace is lent to the town by its classical style buildings in the upper part of town which leads to the shopping area. Kato Pafos, the lower part of the town has a life of its own albeit so close by, down near the sea -home of the harbor, the fish tavernas, souvenir shops and several beautiful hotels with significant archaeological sites around them.

Paphos History

Paphos history dates back a great deal further and the whole area abounds in historical and archaeological treasure. Under the successors of Alexander the Great – the Ptolemies, Paphos became the capital of Cyprus and in those days its harbor was a hectic, thriving port. The city continued as the important city in the country for more than seven centuries, retaining its importance under Roman rule it’s most famous Governor Sergius Paulus.

According to legend, Paphos shoreline is the birthplace of the mythological Goddess Aphrodite – a legend that spawned a massive wave of cult worship from neighboring countries. St. Paul brought came to Cyprus (45 AD) and he was lashed, imprisoned for his message of Christ in Paphos. New Paphos was founded in 4th century BC eight miles westwards of Old Paphos, which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 12th century BC. With the decline of Salamis, the small village of Paphos was transformed into the capital of western Cyprus. The city was shattered twice; first by a 1st century earthquake, and then in the 7th century by Arab raiders.

Paphos became a bishopric seat in the reign of the Lusignans (13th century), but this did not stop its people from leaving their town to seek more attractive dwellings in the neighbouring hills. However Ktima is practically incorporated into Paphos itself today and this is where the city administration is now located.

How to get to Paphos?

The Paphos International Airport serves mostly charter flights. The airport is rather small and can have 6 or 7 flights taking off around the same time. Flights to Paphos are widely available from charter flight companies from many of the UK’s regional airports and many tour operators including First Choice, Thomson and Monarch fly regularly. Flights to Paphos are also available using the scheduled services from British Airways and Cyprus Airways. A highway connects to Limassol (68 km) and from there onward to the rest of Cyprus, and shared taxis (€5-10) run reasonably often. There are infrequent buses to other cities but the closest visitors get without changing buses is Limassol.

Traveling around the region of Paphos will require motorized assistance however Paphos town is small enough to navigate on foot. Local bus services are available and hiring a vehicle is common thing which allows for going off the beaten track to find small villages in the hills.

Paphos Weather

Paphos enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate, with sun-drenched, warm summers and short mild winters when the weather is comparable to a pleasant European spring. The splendid golden sandy beaches of Paphos are the main reasons of its popularity, jointly with the fine weather and hot summer climate. Most tourists choose to visit Paphos during the summer months, mainly between late June and early September, when temperatures can fall anywhere between 25°C / 77°F and 34°C / 93°F, and rains are very scanty. The brief shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are good for a visit particularly April is an especially appealing time to arrive, with warm temperatures and not much in the way of rainfall.

Winter is the low season in Cyprus, when Paphos is at its most quiet and hotels are at their cheapest. December and January do experience the rainiest weather, but fine days are not rare at this time of the year, and the crowds are less. Snow falls in late January and February, on the nearby mountains and it is possible to make a ski-trip and take a dip in the blue sea all on the same day. Paphos guarantees more than 340 sunny days a year. With nearby Mount Olympus even presenting some winter skiing opportunities, a winter Paphos holiday can be quite pleasant, and is always something totally different to a summer vacation.

Nevertheless, the summer climate can be rather humid at times, make sure to dress suitably, drink plenty of fluids, and settle down by taking a swim in the beautiful surrounding Mediterranean Sea. Gentle coastal breezes cool things down slightly by the time that evening arrives at Paphos.

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