The charming west coast town of Paphos focuses around an attractive little harbor whose picturesque open air fish restaurants line a quayside of bright fishing boats and pleasure craft. The town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world's heritage.
With a population of just 28.000 Paphos nestles in the lee of the Western Troodos Mountains, which add another dimension to this area of scenic beauty. The recent addition of its own international airport nearby has opened up the Paphos area, and the resort is graced with some luxury hotels along the coastline.
Paphos has an air of holiday charm combined with history, and olden-day elegance is lent to the town by its classical style buildings in the upper part of town which leads to the shopping area. The lower part of the town - known as Kato Paphos 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 important archaeological sites around them.
Paphos, which has been, during certain times in antiquity, the capital of Cyprus, has a history which goes back literally thousands of years, and has always attracted visitors from the rest of the island and abroad.
From the modern town centre to the picturesque harbor and, stretching across the coastline, lie innumerable ancient sites which not surprisingly have now been included in UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage sites. After all, this is the birthplace and centre of worship of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty and the whole area retains some of this magic.
Paphos is entwined with Greek mythology, and the legendary birth of Aphrodite on her shores brought fame and worshippers there to follow the cult of the Goddess. Landmarks associated with Aphrodite are the chunky, rugged rocks of her beautiful birth shore known as the Aphrodite Rocks or " Petra tou Romiou " , the evocative sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia Village, one-time shrine and scene of pagan festivals for thousands, the Baths of Aphrodite at Polis, supposed source of fertility and the Fountain of Love, or Fontana Amorosa , a few miles further into the Akamas Peninsula.
Even the town's name is linked to the Goddess, for Paphos was the name of the mythological daughter of Venus and Pygmalion.
Bordered by a lovely coastline, the Paphos area has charming villages in its mountains, here life has gone unchanged over the years, where the customs and traditions of the country have been kept alive because that is how it has always been and in the heartland, are famous monasteries such as Ayios Neophytos and Chrysoroyiatissa with modern day pilgrims.
Paphos became the capital of Cyprus under the successors of Alexander the Great - the Ptolemies and in those days its harbour was a busy, thriving port. It continued as the island's first city for more than seven centuries, retaining its importance under Roman rule. Its most famous Governor, Sergius Paulus, was converted to Christianity by St Paul in 45 AD. Paphos history dates back a great deal further. In fact the whole area abounds in historical and archaeological treasures.
LIMASSOL
Limassol is the second biggest town of Cyprus and its biggest Municipality. It has experienced great development after the Turkish invasion in 1974, becoming the biggest port in the Mediterranean transit trade. Limassol has since then become one of the most important tourism, trade and service-providing centre in the area. Limassol is renowned for its long cultural tradition. A wide spectrum of activities and a great number of museums and archaeological sites are available for the interested visitor. A unique combination of ancient, Frankish, Byzantine and other modern influences are observed.
During the Crusades, Richard the Lion-Heart, leader of the Third Crusade landed in Limassol to free his betrothed, Berengaria of Navarre, who was held captive by the Byzantine sovereign. They married in the town and afterwards had the most extravagant party the island had ever seen.
Today, the tradition of celebration and hospitality continues in this vibrant seaside town. In February before Lent, masked revellers invade the street with music, parades, and dancing for Carnival. In September, the Wine Festival explodes in the town for a week. And every night people in restaurants, cafes, and nightclubs celebrate events momentous and trivial, from a soccer win to a sudden romance to yet another stunning sunset at day's end.
Limassol now is commonly recognised as the wine-making town of Cyprus. In 1987 the International Office of the Vine and Wine (O.I.V.) made a suggestion to declare Limassol as the "City of Vine and Wine".
Historically Limassol was the centre of the wine trade and wine making in Cyprus. From the beginning almost all exports of wine and spirits were made from the port of Limassol. Also in there is the region of Commandaria, which is a de Facto wine with an appellation of origin. The method of making Commandaria is basically the same today as it used to be many centuries ago. Also in the Limassol district are the two well known vine areas for the production of the quality table wines which are Krasohoria and Pitsilia. Every house in the wine village of Limassol was also a small winery where owner and the vine grower had all the apparatus for the making, storage, aging and transportation of the wine to the places of consumption. The small vine-grower felt joy and pride when he could invite guests to his dining table and offer his own "zivania" which is an appetizer and then his own wine which had been aging for more than a year.
Limassol provides a flashback into the history of Cyprus as it is steeped in Greek mythology and the conquests by Franks, Romans, Venetians, Ottomans, British and more recently part of it in 1974 by the Turks.
For those interested in cultural and eco-tourism, there are plenty of other attractions. Mention should be made of its rich forest cover that includes oak, Cyprus, black pine and other types of vegetation. Mountains. The fauna comprises mainly some small mammals, such as the mouflon (deer-like goat), fox, hare, hedgehog, seal, dolphins and 61 species of birds, besides snakes and lizards.
The nearby Troodos Mountains are a tourists' delight. Cypriots would say, they may be described as the fruit basket of Europe. Apples, apricots, grapes, strawberries, cherries, bananas, oranges, melons, pistachio and almonds are among the other fresh and dried fruits that grow in the rich, fertile soil of the Troodos Mountains. You don't have to go to a supermarket to buy fruits. You can shop them right off the trees lining the mountainous route.
Limassol is a bustling cosmopolitan resort with plenty to do by day and night. It is the island's largest seaside resort. The beaches are a mixture of sand and pebbles with the favourite ones being Curium, Lady's Mile, Governors Beach and Dasoudi. In the old town of Limassol shopping opportunities are excellent.
All water sports are widely available, including scuba diving, water skiing, water sailing, windsurfing, Para-sailing and boating.
There are numerous restaurants and tavernas to suit everyone’s taste including Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, typical Cypriot tavernas, pizzerias, kebab bars but seafood lovers should head for the fish tavernas dotted all along the coast.
The nightlife can be quiet or lively as there are plenty of discos, nightclubs and bars to choose from.
NICOSIA
Nicosia the capital of Cyprus is one of the oldest cities in this part of the world today is a sophisticated and cosmopolitan place in the Eastern Mediterranean, rich in history and culture and combines its historic past with the amenities of a modern city. It lies roughly in the centre of the island in the Mesaoria Plain, flanked by the beautiful northern range of Kyrenia mountains with its distinctive 'Pentadaktylos" - the five finger mountain. There are various suggestions as to the origin of the name Nicosia - or 'Lefkosia' In Greek - but the most likely one is linked to the popular tree, the tall 'Lefki ' which once adorned the city. It remains the last divided city of Europe. I t is divided into Turkish and Greek sectors by a boundary known as the `green line' which runs in an east-west direction. The people of Nicosia hope that one day the city will be reunited.
Huge, thick ramparts, built by the Venetians in 1570, encircle the city; the walls are three and a half miles long and have eleven towers and three gates. Within these walls are numerous remains from the middle ages and later periods. Outside, there is no trace of the medieval settlement that once existed as materials from those buildings were used at various points in time to restore and maintain the walls. To walk through the old city is to step backwards in time. Narrow streets and old houses with ornate balconies jut from weather beaten sandstone walls, and craftsmen in small workshops practice trades unchanged for centuries.
The heart of the city, within the 16th century Venetian walls has a number of interesting Museums and art galleries, Byzantine churches and a number of medieval and neo-classical buildings and the narrow streets retain the romantic atmosphere of the past. Much of the charm and beauty of Nicosia is to be found in the old city with its labyrinthine alleyways and elegant courtyard houses. Outside the walls the new city with its modern facilities is a cosmopolitan centre of a modern European capital.
During the British domination (1878 - 1960) the city started to spread beyond the walls. The British first built administrative premises outside the walls but since then residential regions developed beyond the fortifications and joined with the surrounding villages, resulting in a change of the city's housing network.
The signing of the Zurich and London Agreements in February 1959 inaugurated a period of transition. On 1 March 1959, Archbishop Makarios returned to the island after three years of exile. Two hundred thousand people, nearly half the population of the island, lined the road from the airport to the archbishopric in the old city of Nicosia to greet him. From its balcony he addressed the huge crowd saying “Let us hold out the hand of friendship and cooperation… We are called upon to transform our island into a golden bridge that will unite and not divide the opposing powers”. During the following months, Nicosia was at the heart of the administrative and constitutional preparations for Independence. On 13 December 1959, Makarios was elected President of the Republic of Cyprus and Nicosia officially became capital of the Republic of Cyprus.
The city of Nicosia has a great variety of sights, tourist attractions and places of interest. The Lefkosia jewellery Museum, the Museum of the History of the Cypriot Coinage and the Municipal Arts Centre, are all worth a visit. The Leventis Municipal Museum of Lefkosia, with an imaginative presentation of the capital's history, was awarded the title "1991 European Museum of the Year". There is also the Cyprus Museum, housing the island's most important collection of Cypriot antiquities and treasures from the Neolithic Age to the Roman.
Modern Nicosia offers all the facilities you would expect - excellent hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and shops. In Platres and the surrounding villages you could find no greater contrast to a conventional beach holiday! These villages are situated high in the Troodos mountain range famous for its refreshing mountain air, magnificent pine, cedar and oak forests, orchids, lavender and mineral springs. It is ideal for walking and horse riding, while the August festivals of arts, crafts, folk singing and dancing also provide fascinating entertainment.
LARNACA
Larnaca is the 3rd largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia & Limassol with a population of around 100,000 people. The local economy is largely geared towards tourism. Larnaca is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; it is the modern gateway to Cyprus and known for lovely sights such as the Palm Tree Promenade. It is the home of the island's main international airport. Larnaca offers many visitors their first taste of Cyprus.
Kition in Larnaca was also home to the philosopher Zeno who founded the School of Stoicism in Athens and also Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead. Lazarus later became Bishop of Larnaca and his empty tomb can be seen in the crypt in the Church of St. Lazarus.
One of the first sights is the beautiful salt lake, home in the cooler months to colonies of graceful flamingos and other migratory birds. Over 10,000 flamingos arrive during the months of January & February. The salt lake quickly dries out once the water seeping into them evaporates. By July both have a thick glistening salt crust nearly 10cm thick. Larnaca Salt Lake has always been the important commercially, and is still referred to as Aliki- the Greek word for salt. A local legend tells how the area used to be filled with luscious vines and one day, Saint Lazarus {Patron Saint of Larnaca} was so thirsty he stopped and asked for some grapes. The owner told him that there were no grapes and the saint was so incensed he changed the vineyard into a salt lake!
Beside the lake, in a tranquil setting crowned by lush palms, is the Hala Sultan Tekesi which was built to honour the aunt of the Prophet Mohammed who accompanied the Arab invaders of Cyprus in 694AD but died after falling from a mule near Larnaca. Her shrine, the third holiest in the Moslem world after Mecca and Medina is today this wonderfully peaceful sanctuary.
There is a causeway between the main Larnaca Salt Lake and smaller pools which leads to the village of Kiti with its famous church - the Panagia Angeloktisti (meaning ‘built by the angels) which is famous for its mosaics. One of Larnaca's most distinctive features is the mid-town seaside promenade lined with tall palm trees. A project to improve the area around the promenade - known as the Finikoudhes - and turn it into a large precinct bordered by tavernas and a sandy beach was recently completed. Nearby is the Larnaca marina, one of the few shelters for yachts on the island (though several new ones are currently under construction in other towns). Palm trees and minarets which dot the horizon also give Larnaca a Middle Eastern ambience, particularly in the old, inner city.
The advantages of Larnaca as a tourist resort are numerous. The town is large enough to give everything one may need but still is not overcrowded especially at its beautiful beaches which extend for 25kms. The archaeological sites and its six museums are in the centre of the city within walking distance. Summer sports, sea activities and cruises are readily available. The shops are well stocked, medical care is excellent, the cinemas are screening films simultaneously with the cinemas of Europe and the USA. The variety of restaurants, tavernas, cafeterias and bars is very great. The Cyprus "meze" is the food specialty of the town. Night life is interesting and security in the streets unsurpassed. Cultural life is rich and many events are organized by the town's Municipality almost daily.
East Coast Cyprus
Famagusta is a town in eastern Cyprus, administrative centre of Famagusta District, near the capital city of Nicosia. A seaport, Famagusta is a centre for the export of citrus fruits and other agricultural products and livestock; other major economic activities include cotton spinning, the distillation of brandy, and fishing. Near the town are the ruins of the ancient city of Salamis, destroyed in AD647. Famagusta was a haven for Christian refugees in 1291 after the fall of Acre (' Akko, in what is now Israel) to the Ottoman Turks. The Genoese seized the town in 1376 and controlled it until 1464, when it became a part of the kingdom of Cyprus. In 1489 Famagusta passed into the hands of the Venetians, under whose control it became a rich and flourishing seaport with 30,000 inhabitants. In 1571, after a long siege, it fell to the Turks. Over a period of several decades it began to diminish in importance, and in 1735 an earthquake brought about its ruin. The town came under British administration in 1878. Its harbour, once choked with silt, has been dredged. During the Cypriot fighting in 1974, the town was occupied by Turkish forces and its residents were displaced.
Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa was once a small fishing village in the south-eastern corner of Cyprus but it is now a hotspot for holidaymakers looking for a lively vacation over 250,000 clubbers swarm into this party capital each summer and the phenomenal atmosphere in its scores of bars and nightclubs is nothing short of explosive. Located in the centre of the market garden area of the island, Ayia Napa also boasts a string of superb golden sandy beaches and vestiges of its cultural heritage - there is a Venetian decorated monastery fronted by a 600-year-old Sycamore tree, and a quaint harbour filled with colourful fishing vessels.
Over the last few years, Ayia Napa (Ayia Napa) has topped the list of the worlds 'in' destinations as THE place to be, surpassing even Ibiza for nightlife and club culture. It has everything you could want from a holiday, especially if you're young, with beautiful white sandy beaches, lots and lots of sunshine, at least 20 nightclubs and over 100 bars to choose from. The present-day resort may not be everybody's cup of tea, but if lying in the sun and then partying until dawn is your thing. Ayia Napa is heaven!
The area around the monastery of Ayia Napa was not inhabited until 1790 when (according to local tradition) there arrived from Thessaloniki a group of people who left their homeland fleeing an outbreak of cholera (the plaque). Finally, only two of them survived the deadly disease, a man by the name of Nicholaos Kemitzis and his son. Later the son married a Cypriot girl from a small village called Panayia, which was found, on the hills north of the monastery where the water of Ayia Napa comes from. The young couple did not settle in Panayia because of a bitter conflict between the inhabitants of Panayia and Turkish authorities of Famagusta concerning the supply of water. Instead, they sought to establish a safer home outside the monastery thus beginning the village, which was to also be named "Ayia Napa" after the shrine. The popular holiday resorts of Ayia Napa and Paralimni have been called a veritable paradise for anyone who loves the sea and water sports. The charming scenery includes the tiny fishing harbour of Ayia Napa, the mediaeval monastery at the heart of the village and the windmills and small churches in the surrounding villages which spread around the areas of Paralimni and
Protaras
Protaras is just a few miles away from Ayia Napa and is more restrained and is much more suited to family life. This resort also has excellent beaches, the most famous being Fig Tree Bay. Other popular beaches include Nissi Beach and Nissi Bay, two miles (three km) west of Ayia Napa; Cape Greco to the east, where the challenge is to leap from the rocks into the sea; and Konnos Bay, just past Cape Greco, where there is a beach cafe and speedboats for hire.
