For those who don't know, Paphos was named the European Capital of Culture of 2017 and I am about to blow your mind with 7 reasons why you should put Paphos on your bucket list today.
Before getting to the exciting part, I will present you some basic information that you need to know before boarding in a plane with Paphos as a final destination. Paphos is a city on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, related with the goddess Aphrodite. For those who don't know Aphrodite, she was the Greek goddess associated with love and beauty - the corespondent of Venus from the Roman gods list. It is said that she was more beautiful that anything world could see and her skin was more soft than silk and all the gods and men were spellbound by her beauty - the truth? We will never know.
Paphos has a population of approximately 35.000 people but during the summer, the narrow streets of the city are full of both tourists and locals who are looking for a charming place to drink a coffee or eat some seafood. Paphos is known for its blue waters, welcoming atmosphere and serene skies.
Now, that everyone has a little bit of information about Paphos let's start:
1. Paphos it's the European Capital of Culture this year which means all over the city are organized a lot of activities like exhibitions, screening events, dance performances or tours. For example, when I arrived in Paphos there were some exhibitions that one could visit for free on various themes and a cultural event consisting in placing 5 pianos in some points of the city where the people could come and play. I didn't try the piano but I was more than glad to admire some of the locals' performances.
2. Paphos has blue waters. I know I said it before, but trust me this blue is unbelievable. It's a deep calm blue that can bright up anyone's day. Even though I am not a big fan of "beachy" destinations, I enjoyed my time in Paphos watching the waves that were gently touching the shore exactly like in a dance performance.
3. Paphos's seafood it's the best. Actually, Cyprus's seafood is incredibly delicious. If you never tried mussels from Ocean Basket you should definitely go for a plate there.
4. Paphos is an interesting mix between Greek style and Turkish one. Even though Paphos is far away from the Turkish area, it still has some influences. There are a lot of souvenirs shops where one can find jewelry and other accessories that have Turkish influences.
5. Paphos is the city of Aphrodite. Remember that I told you that Paphos is related to Aphrodite - the goddess of love and beauty? The reason of that is the legend of Aphrodite that says she was born from the sea foam in a particular place from Cyprus called "Petra tou Romiou", which is in Paphos district. This place is beyond beautiful, it's - truly speaking - magical.
6. Paphos has a lot of archaeological sites close to the city center. This can be extremely helpful when you want to see a lot of places in a short time. Taking into consideration that a lot of tourists come in Paphos for 3-5 days, having almost all the touristic attractions close to the city is a blessing. One of the places you shouldn't miss is the Archaeological Park of Paphos that is close to the beach promenade and has a lot ruins from the first centuries. As a bonus, you get an extremely nice view of the city from here.
7. Paphos has its own airport. If you ever want to come to Paphos there is no need to take a bus from Larnaca or Nicosia, but you can definitely get here by plane. The Paphos Airport is super close to the city center and you can get here easily.
Still not convinced to go in Paphos? I asked some tourists which are the reasons for what they love Paphos. Look what they answered:
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