Description

Paphos, which used to be the capital of the island during the roman times not only has a vast and colorful history but also has many sacred associations. Aphrodite, the legendary goddess of love was supposedly born in Paphos. The city also has a lot of connections to early Christianity and many relics from the period can be found here. The city also survived a gigantic earthquake in 4th century AD. Today Paphos has become a major tourist hub with scores of holiday makers visiting the city every day. This not so densely populated city has many lavish restaurants and amusement places.

Shopping

The main shopping area is located in the Paphos town and the wares sold here range from handmade crafts to more sophisticated department store wares. Leather, handicrafts, pottery, silver, gold and embroidered things are the most purchased goods and a good bargain can be struck while buying these. Makariou 3rd Avenue, in Ktima houses majority of the shops and there is an open market at the north end of the street. On Wednesdays and Saturdays many shops remain closed during lunch hour.

Restaurants

Paphos mostly offers traditional fare but there are a few restaurants offering Chinese, Russian, Indian and many more international cuisines. There are a few pizzerias and burger joints as well. Numerous restaurants, cafes and snack bars are found towards Polis. Most of the seafood on offer are moderately priced.

Night Life

Bar Street in Paphos is exclusively meant for bars and clubs, which support active nightlife. Bubbles, Woodyz and Divas and California Beach are some of the popular bars. To move beyond drinking alcohol a visit to Boogies, the karaoke club, is must. Numerous lively bars, tavernas, British pubs, discos, a cinema, a bouzouki club and nightclubs are there to make the nightlife more pleasant. Many hotels have their own nightclubs with live bands.

Activities

There are many things to be done at Paphos. Coral bay, which is a vast beach with blue tinted water, is ideal for water sports. Water sports on offer include jet skiing, parasailing, pedalloes, snorkeling, diving and fishing. Visitors can also pay a visit to the Water Park, archaeological museum, Byzantine museum, mosaics of Paphos at house of Dionysos, tombs of the kings and the many other attractions that are spread throughout Paphos.

Communications

The international access code for Cyprus is +357. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country. Mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have tie-ups with most international operators, thus offering roaming access to subscribers. However Americans need to check with their operators, as roaming agreements between local operators and American ones are rare. Phone cards can be used and is made available in shops, banks and post offices. Internet is accessible at internet cafes that are extensively present in most towns and resorts.

Contacts

Cyprus Tourist Organisation, Nicosia: +357 2269 1100 or www.visitcyprus.org.cy
Cyprus Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 462 5772
Cyprus High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7499 8272
Cyprus Consulate General, Toronto, Canada: +1 416 944 0998
Cyprus High Commission, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6281 0832
Cyprus High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 5258
Cyprus Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 676 3060
United States Embassy, Nicosia: +357 2239 3939
British High Commission, Nicosia: +357 2286 1100
Consulate of Canada, Nicosia: +357 2277 5508
Australian High Commission, Nicosia: +357 2275 3001
South African Embassy, Athens, Greece (also responsible for Cyprus): +30 210 610 6645
Irish Embassy, Nicosia: +357 2281 8183
New Zealand Consulate, Nicosia: +357 2281 8884
Emergencies: 199 or 112

Currency

CYP

Attractions

The Tombs of the Kings:
Though no body is buried under the tomb, it is assumed to be the ultimate resting place of
many Ptolemaic upper class people who lived and died in the city between 3BC and 3AD. The tomb features Doric pillars, carved out of hard rock. It also features a church called Paleoekklisia, which features Byzantine frescoes. The tombs are located to the northwest of Paphos harbor.

The Mosaics of Paphos:
These are villas of ancient Roman noblemen and most importantly all villas have mosaic floors, and dates back to third to fifth century AD and a visit to this place is must. The mosaic floors feature legendary scenes in the villas of Dionysus, Orpheus, Aion and Theseus. The villas are built using marbles, stones and glass. These also can be easily accessed from Paphos harbor.

Baths of Aphrodite:
Situated at the Akamas peninsula are these romantic natural caves. It is said that Aphrodite, the Greek deity of love took her bath, in this cave. The tranquil pool is surrounded by fig trees and maidenhair fern and can be reached by nature trails from Akamas.

Catacombs:
A pistachio tree marks entrance to the underground catacombs of Agia Solomon. The tree is considered quite sacred and offerings are made to this tree in the form of clothes, as it is said have powers to cure some diseases. The Catacombs were carved into the Fabrica hill in the 4th century BC and had served as chapels for the early Christians. Exciting wall paintings and writings are found in these chapels, and these are believed to be the work of 13th century crusaders. Tourists should carry a torch with themselves to see the sights of the catacombs.

Acropolis:
This old building dates back to 2nd century AD and is now used to stage summer ensemble and concerts. The building embraces a Roman Odeon, which used to be the main focus of the old city center. South of the Odeon contains the leftovers of the roman temple of Ascelpius, the god of medicine and to the north are the ruins of the old town walls.

Some additional attractions:
Paphos district archaeological museum
Byzantine Museum
Ethnographical Museum
Paphos Mediaeval Fort

Language

Language Description

Though a small percentage of Cypriots speak Turkish, the major language of Cyprus is Greek. The Cypriot dialect of Greek is quite different from that of mainland Greece. English, German and French are also spoken by a lot of people, but only in the tourist areas.

Tipping

Porters and Taxi drivers generally expect a small tip and there are no percentages predefined for such services. In Hotels and restaurants a 10% service charge is added onto the bill, so customers are not obligated to tip, nevertheless a small tip is still expected at such places.