The popularity of Cyprus as a holiday destination is something we can expect to grow over the coming years. Many European holiday makers who would have previously chosen an island like Tenerife or Majorca as their preference for a summer break are now considering Cyprus and with an increasing number of flight providers flying to one of the two main airports on the Island, it is now relatively easy to get there from most places in Europe.
Situated on the coast in the southwest of the Greek Cypriot part of the island, Paphos boosts many interesting historical attractions combined with the convenience of a modern tourist destination. Paphos airport, located 10 kilometeres to the south of the town and one of two airports on the island ( the other is at Larnaca in the east of the island) makes it easy to reach by air. The airport at Paphos is experiencing plenty of growth at the moment and to accommodate the 1.7 million travellers that passed through it last year, a new terminal is being built. Whilst the opening of the new A6 motorway makes internal travel from Paphos much easier, you can still experience traffic delays as I did when attempting to return to the airport for my flight home. There are plans for a new airport link road apparently, but things move at a slow pace in Cyprus and it may be a few years yet before that particularly traffic issue is resolved. However the town still retains the charm of once having been a traffic-free centre, so although it will sometimes be difficult to drive through the town, its old-world charm is something to be admired.
Being located on the coast, Paphos makes the most of its connection with the sea without suffering from any overdone commercialism or industrialisation. The larger port of Limossal, just 40 miles up the coast, takes most of the commercial shipping leaving Paphos to retain is small marina to play host to a wonderful collection of restaurants and cafes. I spent many a pleasant evening whiling away the remaining hours of daylight and early evening watching the world go by.
History plays a large part in the attraction of Paphos as a destination. Checking through travel guides before you go will reveal a past immersed in various religious cultures going back to several centuries BC. Perhaps one of the most famous periods is that when the worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was at its peak. All that remains from those times are the foundations of a huge temple erected for Aphrodite. However still intact is the imposing Paphos castle which overlooks the harbour, which it was originally built to protect over 700 years ago.
After a few days soaking up the ancient culture and architecture that surrounds this part of Cyprus, I then spent a few days experiencing more modern attractions. A speed boat trip from Paphos harbour was a real highlight. The weather was fantastic for the time of year and seeing the coastline and beaches from the sea gave a whole new perspective.
Later in the week I chose to take a more sedate cruise on a traditional sailing schooner that took me up the coast to Coral Bay and Manijin Island. Again the weather was kind, especially on the return trip when a beautiful sunset welcomed our return to Paphos harbour.
To find such beautiful scenery and year round pleasant climate all wrapped up with a intriguing dose of history and culture just a short six hour flight from the UK makes Paphos a must visit destination for UK travelers looking for something more than the traditional beach holiday in southern Spain. Flights to Paphos operate most days from the UK.
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