Paphos

With its strategic location on the western tip of Cyprus and due to become a European Capital of Culture in 2017, the coastal town of Paphos (Pafos) is a worthy rival to the lively beach resorts of Limassol in the south. Hugely popular with British expats, modern Paphos is a town of two halves: the waterfront Káto Páfos, flanked by Blue Flag beaches and soaring limestone cliffs, and the inland commercial center of Ktima Paphos, set on an escarpment overlooking the coast.

The majority of Paphos’ historic sites can be found in Káto Páfos, where the waterfront Paphos Archaeological Park houses a number of Roman ruins including the House of Dionysos and the House of Theseus, celebrated for their elaborate floor mosaics. A short distance from town is the landmark Rock of Aphrodite, renowned as the birthplace of Greek Goddess Aphrodite, and the Tombs of the Kings, an ancient burial ground filled with impressive rock-cut tombs.