In the footsteps of APHRODITE

Facing west across the Mediterranean, the legendary birthplace of the Greek goddess of love is Cyprus' most varied region.

- IAN PACKHAM

Rugged and remote in parts, Paphos is also rich in heritage - dotted with historic sites, it's a former European Capital of Culture.

The Old Town is small enough that walking from one side to the other takes very little time - yet you could easily lose a couple of days here. The boutiques of Archbishop Makarios Avenue and Kennedy Square are one distraction; the small cafes serving up Cypriot coffee amid neoclassical architecture are another.

Direct flights from the UK make travel a doddle. Add a climate that allows banana growing, with some of the warmest average temperatures in the EU, and you have a perfect late-winter destination.

World heritage

A couple of miles from Paphos Harbour, the Tomb of the Kings is a must-visit. Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this large necropolis features a series of rock-cut mausoleums of various styles. Despite its name, it's not thought that anyone of royal blood was interred here - simply Roman and Greek nobles who paid for the honour.

A short distance south lies the Nea Paphos Archaeological Site, which dates to the third and fourth centuries CE and spans a million square metres.