Capital of the west and positively teeming with history is Paphos, site of the island's second international airport. The resort town's focal point is a charming fishing harbour at Paphos Fort, lined with open-air cafés and taverns that serve a tempting menu with the day's catch.

It was on the Paphos shoreline that the mythological Goddess Aphrodite was born, a legend that spawned a massive wave of cult worship from neighbouring countries, that lasted several centuries. Landmarks associated with Aphrodite are the chunky, rugged rocks of her beautiful birth shore known as the Aphrodite Rocks or "Petra Tou Romiou", the evocative sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia Village. It was once a shrine and scene of pagan festivals for thousands. The Baths of Aphrodite at Polis, supposed source of fertility and the Fountain of Love, or Fontana Amorosa are a few miles further into the Akamas Peninsula. Even the town's name is linked to the Goddess, for Paphos was the name of the mythological daughter of Venus and Pygmalion.

Another 'first' for Paphos is its early recognition of Christianity. While under Roman rule in 45 AD, it was here that Saint Paul converted the first ruler to the faith. The legacy from its remarkable history adds up to nothing less than an open museum, so much so that UNESCO simply added the whole town to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures unearthed, are the remarkable mosaics in the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil. Then there are the mysterious vaults and caves, the Tombs of the Kings, the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly tied and whipped, the ancient Odeon Theatre and other places of interest including the Byzantine Museum and the District Archaeological Museum. Geroskipou with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Ayia Paraskevi, and its Folk Art Museum is a village known for many years now for its special delight `loukoumi'.

The low-lying scenery around Paphos, with its banana plantations and backed by the foothills of the western Troodos range, has an attractively open quality to it. This is the gateway to the Peninsula of Akamas, a natural wilderness of incredible beauty with breathtaking gorges, spectacular coastlines and enjoyable nature trails. The charming west coast town of Paphos focuses around an attractive little harbour with picturesque open-air fish restaurants lining a quayside of bright fishing boats and pleasure craft.

With a population of just 38.000, Paphos nestles in the lee of the Western Troodos Mountains, adding another dimension to this area of scenic beauty. The recent addition of its own international airport nearby has opened up the Paphos area, and the resort is graced with some luxury hotels along the coastline. Paphos has an air of holiday charm combined with history. Older-day elegance is lent to the town by its classical style buildings in the upper part of town leading to the shopping area. The lower part of the town, known as Kato Paphos, has a life of its own. Down near the sea, home of the harbour, are the fish taverns, souvenir shops and several beautiful hotels with important archaeological sites around them.