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Paphos Holidays
Paphos holidays offer a rich and vivid history along with some of the most beautiful Cyprus beaches. The city is located on the southwestern coast and was the capital of Cyprus in Roman times and dates back to 1400 BC. Legend has it that the city is built on the spot where the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, was born. The city also has many connections to and relics from early Christianity. Over the centuries it has survived numerous foreign incursions and raids, and even a devastating earthquake in the 4th century AD. It lost out to Larnaca as a major port in the Middle Ages and experienced a decline during the British colonial period when development of this part of the island came to a standstill. Today, however, Paphos is reviving on the strength of tourism and government investment in infrastructure such as dams, roads and airport. Private initiatives have also resulted in a boom in the construction of hotels, apartments and villas. The city has become a popular Cyprus resort with a population of 39,500. The Ktima section of the city is the main residential area, while Kato Paphos is the playground of holidaymakers, built around the medieval port with its numerous luxury hotels, tavernas and entertainment venues.
Tombs of the Kings
Situated near Coral Bay and north of Paphos, the site known as the Tombs of the Kings doesn't actually contain any remains of kings, but instead is the final resting place for around a hundred Ptolemaic aristocrats, who inhabited the city from 3 BC to 3AD. The tombs are impressive, carved out of solid rock, some featuring Doric pillars and frescoed walls. Archaeological excavations are ongoing at the site, which also features a church known as Paleoekklisia, which sports traces of Byzantine frescoes.
Telephone: (26) 306 295; Opening time: Daily 8am to 5pm (November to March), 8am to 6pm (April to May and September to October), 8am to 7.30pm (June to August); Admission: C£0.75
The Mosaics of Paphos
Paphos is home to a series of ancient Roman villas dating from the 3rd to 5th century AD, which contain some intricate and striking mosaics for visitors to explore while enjoying their Paphos holidays. The site where the villas are still being excavated can be found about 300 metres from the Paphos harbour. The mosaics featuring mythological scenes are visible in the houses of Dionysus, Orpheus and Aion, and the Villa of Theseus. All were made of small cubes of marble and stone, called tesserae, with glass paste added to widen the range of colour. In the House of Dionysus, for example, 5,985 square feet (556 sq metres) of floor space in 14 rooms are covered with the gorgeous mosaics.
Address: Kyriakou Nikolaou Street; Telephone: (26) 306 217; Opening time: Daily 8am to 5pm (September to May), 8am to 7.30pm (June to August); Admission: C£1.50
Catacombs
In Kato Paphos the entrance to the underground catacombs of Agia Solomoni are marked by a large pistachio tree. The tree is a strange sight, festooned as it usually is with pieces of cloth tied onto it by the faithful as offerings, in the hope that this sacred tree will cure various ailments. The catacombs themselves were carved into Fabrica hill, below the ancient Roman city wall, in the 4th century BC, and later became chapels for the early Christians. The underground chapels feature some interesting frescoes and graffiti left by 13th-century Crusaders, and there are numerous legends and stories attached to the patron saint Ayia Solomoni. Visitors are advised to take a torch along to explore the catacombs.
Address: Agio Pavlou Street
Acropolis
A fascinating complex of ancient buildings, including a Roman Odeon make up the Acropolis, which is now home to some spectacular summer orchestral performances and theatre, but was originally built in the second century AD. The Odeon was the focus of the ancient city centre, of which some ruins still remain in the area. South of the Odeon are the remnants of the Roman Temple of Asclepius, the God of Medicine, and north of the lighthouse are the ruins of the ancient town walls.
Baths of Aphrodite
A natural grotto on the Akamas Peninsula makes a romantic side trip for those on Cyprus holidays who wish to while away on a summers afternoon on a magical journey to the legendary baths in which the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite was said to take her baths. The serene pool, shaded by a fig tree and surrounded by beautiful examples of maindenhair fern, can be reached by nature trails from Akamas.
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