Life & Style | Travel
Notes from Paphos
This Mediterranean island has a bit of everything - luxury resorts, great views, golf and 10,000 years of rich history.
- By Maey El Shoush, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:30 November 21, 2008
- A monastery at Omodhos. Cyprus offers visitors an insight into the fascinating world of Greek mythology.
- Image Credit: Supplied photo
If you swim around Aphrodite's Rock seven times at the stroke of midnight, you will be blessed with eternal youth — or so the legend goes. Unfortunately for me, it was 10am when I arrived at the site where the Greek goddess of love, beauty and desire is said to have risen from the sea.
Aphrodite's Rock, or Petra Tou Romiou, peeks out above the dazzling blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea in Paphos, Cyprus. It all felt quite mystical during a clear, sunny October day as I stood at the cliff observing the area.
The rays of the Sun hit the waters, giving it a silvery shimmer, as a cool light breeze welcomed tourists who stopped their cars to gaze out at this wondrous location.
I had flown in the previous day on Emirates direct to Larnaca International Airport from Dubai and was staying at the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort — a 90-minute drive from the airport. Spread across 586 acres, Aphrodite Hills has a nature trail, a tennis academy and an 18-hole golf course.
The Emirates Golf Tournament, in its sixth year, was on in full swing that weekend. The island has about three golf courses and though it should have an average of five to be called a ‘golfing destination', it still attracts both local and international enthusiasts.
The resort also has properties for sale, many of which have stunning views of the sea. Though these are quite pricey, payment includes access to resort facilities for two years, including the award winning spa The Retreat, which to me was the highlight.
However, transportation around Paphos is limited, shuttle buses from the hotel run only twice a week and taxis are expensive so the best option is to rent a vehicle. A small car will set you back about 89 euros (Dh416) for just 24 hours but it's worth the money if you are planning numerous stops.
Looking back
With at least 10,000 years of history, Cyprus offers visitors an insight into the fascinating world of Greek mythology. Paphos, which became the thriving capital of Cyprus under the successors of Alexander the Great, is said to have remained the island's first city for seven centuries under Roman rule.
Today, its harbour has become an area inundated with tourists. A landmark of the rich history is the House of Dionysus close by, a Roman villa which dates back to the 2nd century AD.
This 40-room restored archaeological site covers 2,000 square metres and has a wealth of mosaic decorations, each telling a story from Greek mythology.
The owner of the house remains unconfirmed but due to its close proximity to the previous residence of the Roman Governor at the time and to the water, it must have belonged to either a very wealthy citizen or member of the Roman class.
Once inside, it is easy to lose yourself in the mythical tales depicted in the mosaics. Though these were created thousands of years ago, they still remain quite intact.
Back at the harbour, a guy called Tony asked with the strongest of cockney accents: “Would ya like to 'ave a glass-bottom boat ride to check out the shipwreck?''
It sounded interesting, so we asked for more details and Tony enthusiastically went on to describe all the “amazing, beautiful and unique sea life''. With that we were sold, so we got tickets and headed off in the direction of a row of yachts and about 20 glass bottom boats.
As we exited the harbour, we passed Paphos Castle, an ancient monument built as a Byzantine fort to protect the area. We gained speed and I turned expectantly towards the bottom of the boat but was disappointed — there wasn't much “amazing sea life''.
However, disappointment soon gave way to awe as the shipwreck came into view. We could partly make out the shape of the ship and as we maneuvered to the front, for a moment it felt like we were on a surreal journey of underwater discovery.
The view of Paphos from the boat is of a boulevard lined with hotels and souvenir shops, with mountains in the background and a clear blue sky above.
Enjoying the fresh air as we sailed back to the harbour, I was already thinking of where to have dinner. We were spoilt for choice — restaurants and cafés with outdoor seating lined the streets.
Sounds strange
We ended up in one perched a little higher than the rest. Our table was right at the edge, slightly above the pavement so we sat watching passersby while waiting for our meal.
The restaurant had no washroom, so the waiter directed me to an adjacent hotel. As I walked through the side door and across a dark courtyard, I had a feeling I had taken a wrong turn. But I noticed a man exiting the hotel, so I knew I was on the right track and stepped in after him into a surprisingly deserted lobby.
Not a soul could be seen and the place felt eerie. As I hurriedly walked back towards the exit, I thought I heard strange sounds but couldn't see anything. And right next to the exit, the sounds were coming from a huge flat-screen TV showing a horror movie in which a woman was being attacked.
Very fitting, I thought, for a place that could easily have come straight out of Steven King's The Shining.
After a rejuvenating spa treatment the next morning, we got into the little car we had rented and drove out towards another city called Lemosos, 45 minutes from the hotel.
Local flavours
Getting off the beaten track and experiencing local culture was exactly what I was looking for. As we approached the old port, we parked the car and headed towards the pier.
We watched as local fishermen gathered their rods and expertly slung them over their shoulders. It was a breathtaking view as the sky changed colours and the Sun set over the ships docked at the port.
We then stumbled across an open-air Water exhibition along the promenade, where we saw gripping photographic images of underwater life, shipwrecks, fishing and farming from around the globe. There was also a free documentary, with a two-sided flat-screen TV and chairs for those interested.
Flavour of the past: After asking for directions to the Castle of Emesis from a Cypriot, we made our way towards the Old Town, just a few minutes' walk away.
The medieval castle was the site of the royal wedding between Richard the Lionheart and Berengaria of Navarre.
Today it is home to the Cyprus Medieval Museum and is surrounded by cafés and restaurants. It was late in the evening and most of the shops in the old market had closed for the day.
We wandered around for a while and explored a traditional Turkish bath on a dark street. A little later we went back to the castle and managed to grab a table at trendy Artima, where the crowd consisted mostly of Cypriots. The traditional live music in the background mixed with Greek language being spoken at the tables made it a complete evening.
Golfing opportunities
As you drive through Cyprus highways, you will notice a number of posters of golf courses.
The island has been trying to establish itself as one of the ideal locations for the sport. The Emirates Golf Tournament held there has proved quite useful in promoting the popularity of the destination with golf enthusiasts.
I happened to have a chat with Emirates manager for Malta and Cyprus, Paul Fleri Soler, about the development of the tournament. Soler said: “The tournament is a local initiative and is held at the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort, as it is the best location for the event. In Cyprus, golf is not just a game, it's a lifestyle.''
About 80 per cent of the participants are expats but an increasing number of Cypriots are also taking to the sport.
“Last year's winner was a Cypriot and this year it is a Dutch participant,'' Soler said. And the prize? A trophy and two tickets to Dubai!
Omodhos
The journey from Paphos to Omodhos took about 90 minutes. It was a scenic route through narrow, winding mountain roads and we had to be careful of cars while turning each bend. But the view was fantastic — houses were scattered along mountain edges and lush landscape provided the perfect backdrop.
Omodhos village, one of the most visited places in Cyprus, is said to have been founded in the latter part of the Byzantine era. Our first stop was a small family-owned restaurant called Omodhos Taverna, where the food was so good it could easily have been the best meal I experienced throughout the whole trip.
We headed next towards the Monastery of the Holy Cross, one of the oldest and most respected in Cyprus. The area around this was packed with tourists and souvenir shops.
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