Paphos, pathos, Polis and perfection

        

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. (See a readers story of finding a mosaic Minor finds Mosaic) 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  Cyprus adventure 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 and more feedback on your discoveries would be welcome.

 E-m write and send.gif (26251 bytes)    Contact us here 

Villa's and apartments in the Paphos area and the Polis, Latchi and Akamas areas can be found here  and hotel information is here

  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!

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.

Paphos Harbour

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.

Tombs of the kings

 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

Tomb map2.gif (37396 bytes) 
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.

 Ivory chair 700bc.GIF (43800 bytes)  
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.

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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.

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  Zeus_Ammon_325bc   
                 
Visit Myths and Legends

 

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.

 

 pafos_aphroditesrockb.GIF (40543 bytes)  
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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.

 

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Aphrodite  
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.

 Ledra & swan mosaic.GIF (98877 bytes)  
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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

 Dionysus mosaic sm.gif (46911 bytes)
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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.          

Akamas sea small.gif (45586 bytes)   
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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.

 The forty theives pots used by Ali Baba
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.

 St Neophytos painting - a Byzantine treasure housed in Paphos
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....

Three baby turtles just hatched at Lara Bay near Paphos 
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.

 

Head coin 150 bc.

Photo's of the Polis area


The road from Kathikas with its panoramic view of the coast        A street in Polis
The view over Paphos                A street in Polis 
click to enlarge
    

Eating al fresco in Polis        The harbout at Latchi looking towards the campsite on the beach in Polis.
    Eating Al Fresco in Polis      Latchi Harbour towards Polis
click to enlarge
 

         Maps of Paphos (Pafos)

  Kato Paphos - Lower paphos Cyprus map kato Paphos - lower Pafos again
Click on them to enlarge

.The view from Latchi near the baths of Aphrodite towards Polis and Pomos in Cyprus
click to enlarge

The view from Latchi in the Baths of Aphrodite area towards Polis and Pomos. The Baths of Aphrodite is a particularly pleasant spot, and we think it is a must visit, especially for the ladies. Legend has it that if you bathe in the baths you will remain beautiful and youthful.

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