Budget car hire in Ayia Napa, Protaras, Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol.

Paphos

Paphos, during the Roman period (2nd century AD) became the first capital of Cyprus and one of the most significant city kingdoms. The rich Roman governors were living in Paphos transforming it in to one of the richest and most important cities of their Eastern Mediterranean colonies. Ruins of that great city remain until today reviling to locals and visitors its ancient glory. This city was known then and is still being refer to as Nea (new) Paphos which was distinguished from Palea (old) Paphos where the ancient kingdom used to be (12th century - 3rd century BC). The area of the Paphos  kingdom, it is known today as Kouklia Village (approx 20Km from Paphos) or some still refer to it as Palepaphos (old Paphos). The city was transferred from its old location to the new by the last king of Paphos Nikokles 3rd century BC, as he believed relocating his kingdom was necessary in order to be close to a natural harbor for trade and to the forests for timber and he was proved right as the New Paphos by the harbor grew economically and culturally very fast. Paphos areas old and new have been always very popular due to the ancient Greek legends of Aphrodite (Venus) the goddess of Love & Beauty that rose from the foams of the sea near the old kingdom. These are the same legends today that make Paphos world wide known.

Paphos at the western shores of Cyprus has a population of 50.000 people and growing by the year especially after Cyprus's entrance to the EU as a full member, a lot of Europeans decide to invest to these areas, by buying properties and building houses. Paphos has also become a popular summer destination once the airport to the western areas of the island was delivered (1984)  just outside of paphos town. Modern Paphos is divided in to two parts. around the harbor is called Kato Paphos (lower paphos) and the upper town Ktima. These used to be clearly separated but now so much development has taken place that the division is no longer clear, it is however a long walk between the two centers. Ktima contains most of the shops, the municipal market the town of the 19th & 20th century, schools, police departments and fire departments hospitals and clinics ,the houses of the locals and the cheaper hotels. Kato Paphos has the luxury hotels along the coast and near the harbor all the main tourist facilities can be found such as the restaurants, (fish restaurants of excellent quality) cafes, snack bars, pubs and discos mini & super markets, banks, car hire agencies (Car Hire Cyprus is recommended) the Paphos aquarium, souvenir shops and a picturesque very well organized promenade along the harbor.

Most visitors will start their exploration of Paphos on the sea front. At the far eastern side, at Yeroskipou areas are the large luxury hotels on the beach. Away from the beach into the centre of Yeroskipou  one of the most important churches of the orthodox world can be found: the church of St. Paraskevi of the 9th century AD that is still being used today as a normal church, where most of its frescos (wall paintings) are saved of the 13th & 15th century AD and have been restored recently. In Yeroskipou people can also visit the Cyprus delights family run factories and taste the different flavors (rose, lemon, orange etc)  and other products of the area such as the sugar almonds, coconut sweets, and pastellaki (mixture of nuts honey and carob syrup). Pottery is also one of the important products of Yeroskipou and can be found all over Yeroskipou where people are free to enter the factories and watch the way of producing some of the most beautiful examples of Cypriot pottery.

At the western side of the sea front, where the harbor is located it is the area which can be easily characterized as the archaeologists paradise. You may visit here the medieval castle of Paphos where concerts and Operas take place usually in September, the archaeological park of Nea Paphos with ruins of the Roman villas and their beautiful mosaics (3rd century BC - 5th century AD), House of Dionysos (3rd century AD) house of Theseas (3rd/4/5th century AD) and house of Aion (4th/5th century AD) these are Roman villas with some of the most spectacular Mosaics. In this site people can also visit the Odeion the old Agora (market place) ruins of an early Christian Basilica of the 5th century AD, Panayia Limeniotissa (our Lady of the harbor) and the remaining of a Byzantine castle known as Saranda Kolones (forty pillars). Near the harbor area another archaeological site which includes the pillar where St. Paul was tight on to and lashed 39 times by the Romans 45AD as well as ruins of early Christian churches and Turkish baths. Further the catacombs of St Solomone are worth visiting (2nd century AD) and on the road that leads from Kato Paphos to Coral Bay there's an ancient graveyard known as the Tombs of Kings (3rd century BC- 5th century AD) included in the Unesco list as a world site just as the whole lower Paphos. Outside the areas of Paphos it is worth visiting the Kouklia village where the ruins of the ancient kingdom with Aphrodite's sanctuary lies, the birth place of Aphrodite to Petra tou Romiou, north from Paphos the baths of the goddess of love and beauty where she used to bathe with her many lovers are up in Polis and Latchi summer resorts. Akamas peninsula is offered also for nature lovers.