Capital
of the west and positively teaming with history is Paphos, site
of the island's second international airport. The resort town has
as its focal point a charming fishing harbor by Paphos Fort, lined
with open-air cafés and taverns that serve a tempting menu of the
day's catch.
It
was on Paphos shoreline that the mythological Goddess Aphrodite
was born - a legend that spawned a massive wave of cult worship
from neighboring countries that lasted several centuries. 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. Another 'first'
for Paphos was its early recognition of Christianity. While under
Roman rule in 45 AD, it was here that Saint Paul converted the first
ruler to the faith.
The
legacy from its remarkable history adds up to nothing less than
an open museum, so much so that UNESCO simply added the whole town
to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures unearthed,
are the remarkable mosaics in the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and
Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil. Then
there are the mysterious vaults and caves, the Tombs of the Kings,
the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly tied and whipped, the
ancient Odeon Theatre and other places of interest including the
Byzantine Museum and the District Archaeological Museum.
Geroskipou
with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Ayia Paraskevi,
and its Folk Art Museum is a village known for many years now for
its special delight `loukoumi'.
Ayios
Neophytos Monastery, famous for its `Encleistra', Enclosure, carved
out of the mountain by the hermit himself, boasts some of the finest
Byzantine frescoes of the l2th and l5th centuries. Chrysorrogiatissa
Monastery makes its own range of wines using homegrown grapes. A
small museum dedicated to Archbishop Makarios, first president of
Cyprus, is found at Pano Panagia. From here it is a rewarding drive
to the majestic Cedar Valley, home of the indigenous Cyprus horned
sheep, the moufflon.
Lempa
village can be singled out as one with particular historic significance.
In its pretty setting near the sea, Lempa's link with prehistory
is the site of a chalcolithic settlement. Today the faithful reconstruction
of several dwellings, gives an insight into chalcolithic life on
the island.
Further
north lies a quiet resort, Polis, overlooking the beautiful Chrysochou
Bay with its charming fishing refuge of Latsi. 
The
low-lying scenery around Paphos, much of it cultivated with banana
plantations and backed by the foothills of the western Troodos range,
has an attractively open quality to it. This is the gateway to the
Peninsula of Akamas, a natural wilderness of incredible beauty with
breathtaking gorges, spectacular coastlines and enjoyable nature
trails.
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.
With a
population of just 38.000, Paphos nests 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.
