The promontory behind the harbor area was originally within the city walls of ancient Nea Paphos and, like many places in Cyprus, was a parcel of land where successive rulers and invaders built on the remains of ancient settlements.
The main attraction here is the Paphos Archaeological Park, a vast site dotted with excavated Roman villas and their magnificent mosaic floors, many as bright and colorful as the day they were laid. In the House of Dionysus (God of Wine), no less than 34 different mosaics have been unearthed. Arrive early in the summer for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds, and head out before the lunch heat.
Do you remember that picnic lunch? While others queue for a table at a harborside restaurant, you can relax in the shade of the trees behind the city beach and eat that picnic. If the kids want to take a dip, Paphos Beach is clean and also has Blue Flag status.
After lunch, stroll among those still waiting for theirs in the harbor restaurants and explore Paphos Fort, a sturdy miniature castle that protected the harbor entrance against Ottoman invaders, then compare it to the ruins of Saranda Kolones , a Byzantine castle reduced to rubble. by an earthquake.
If the kids are interested in more history, it’s just a quick trip to the Tombs of the Nobles, a series of elaborate chambers and columns carved from solid rock. Built as the final resting places for the wealthy Greeks and Romans of Paphos, the tombs are also cool when the rest of the countryside bakes in the afternoon sun. If history has dimmed even the desperate need for ice cream or some retail therapy, downtown is just down the street from the parking lot, if you can get past the rows of jewelry stores that shimmer and shine with golden treasures. .
Just at a time when other families’ tempers are fraying, you can leave the crowds behind and drive back to your rental villa, safe in the knowledge that you won’t have to fight for a spot by the pool, or worry about paying for another round of drinks at the bar. With a private villa for rent in Paphos, you can relax by your own pool, drink cold beers straight from your own fridge, and perhaps cook up a delicious barbecue under the stars. No set eating times, no sky-high bar bills, and best of all, no crowds.
No wonder the Romans loved their villas in Paphos too…