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A
popular holiday resort, this once sleepy fishing village with a
charming harbour at its centre by Pafos Fort, is also the location
of the island's second international airport. It is home to
spectacular beach front hotels, gives way to fabulous countryside
and is a must for history and archaeology buffs since, in
Hellenistic and Roman times, it was the capital of Cyprus. Is it any
wonder that UNESCO added the whole town to its World Heritage list.
Nearby Lempa village is the site of a faithfully reconstructed
chalcolithic settlement. While the famous Enclosure at Ayios
Neophytos Monastery, carved out the mountain by the hermit himself,
has some of the finest Byzantine frescoes of the 12th and 15th
centuries. If you've got a sweet tooth don't miss the 'loukoumi' of
Yeroskipou, 4km from Paphos.
Dramatic coastline and banana plantations are characteristic of
the picturesque area surrounding Paphos which eventually gives way
to the nature trails of the unspoilt Akamas Peninsula. The Akamas
area is a natural wilderness packed with diverse features in
vegetation, wildlife, geology, landscapes and coasts, and with a
rich historical and cultural heritage. It's also a safe haven for
the endangered Greenback sea turtle.
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