This part of Cyprus, where Aphrodite, goddess of love, is said to have risen from the seas, will leave you lovelorn and keen to book return flights to Paphos the minute you arrive home. The town boasts year-round good weather (Cyprus gets 340 sunny days per year), a rich culture and stirring history and superb food. It’s a perfect getaway at any time of the year, hugely popular with families, wedding parties and retirees. The town itself is on the south-west coast of Cyprus and is split into two: the commercial centre located on higher land, and lower Kato Paphos which contains the main archaeological areas. Once you’ve settled in and unpacked first on your list of stopping-off points should be Paphos Archaeological Park which houses a number of attractions, including the House of Dionysos and the House of Theseus, both ruins of large Roman villas famous for their mosaics.
Also noteworthy, once you’ve settled in after your Paphos flight, is the Tombs of the Kings where high officials and wealthy citizens, rather than royalty, were buried. You may also want to visit the famous Odeon. Not a chain of cinemas, the Paphos Odeon is a 2nd-century amphitheatre within the archaeological park. Time your return flights to Paphos for the summer months and you will come across plays and musical performances staged here. For fun-seekers, Paphos Aphrodite Water Park is a large water park where you can spend a whole day enjoying the wave machines and slides. Food in Paphos is exceptional; a strong recommendation is to travel out into one of the villages surrounding Paphos Town for not just authentic food, but great atmosphere too. And we haven’t even mentioned the excellent beaches and beautiful marina. Take direct flights to Paphos and you’ll soon be under Aphrodite’s spell.