DESTINATIONS PAPHOS | GREECE & CYPRUS


Paphos s


trolling along Paphos’s winding seafront, with the Mediterranean shimmering in the afternoon sunshine and the scent of pine


trees in the warm air, it’s tough to imagine I’d waved goodbye to a frosty British winter just hours earlier. It feels likely that destinations closer to home, such as Cyprus, will benefit in 2022 from an increase in consumer appetite – among both holidaymakers hungry to make up for lost time and those wanting to ease back in gently by rediscovering old favourites. Having visited as a child, the island felt familiar – with plenty of reminders of home, even down to driving on the left. But Cyprus attracted visitors long before it was associated with Britain. The island’s rich history, as a crossroads in the Med, is very much on show in the centre of Paphos, which as a former capital felt like a vast historic site with a bustling town attached. I paid a visit to the World Heritage Archaeological Site, just off the harbour, and found its incredibly well-preserved mosaics gave a fascinating glimpse of how previous civilisations lived. And farther along the coast, the Tombs of the Kings were at one time the seafront resting place of ancient Cypriot nobility rather than royalty,


travelweekly.co.uk 13 JANUARY 2022


but felt no less impressive for the fact, being carved from solid rock. Clambering down those steep, sturdy steps and peering round the tombs felt like walking onto the set of an Indiana Jones film.


OLD MEETS NEW While Paphos’s ancient delights are easily accessible, those venturing a little farther out will be richly rewarded too. An hour’s drive east is the Kourion Archaeological site: home to a huge amphitheatre, originally built in 2BC with space for 3,500 people, but more recently restored for open-air performances. A climb up the stone blocks offers a great view of the coastline, but that’s not their only benefit – these hefty steps create impressive acoustics, with many visitors choosing to test them out by belting out a few tunes on the stage. After my cultural exploits, a cool beer felt like the obvious choice. Aphrodite’s Rock Microbrewery, in the Tsada Hills just outside Paphos, is named after the local spot where, according to legend, the Greek goddess of love and beauty emerged from the sea. Billing itself as one of a kind on the island, the tree-lined²


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PICTURE: Shutterstock/Leoks


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