5 star resorts in the land of Aphrodite

Paphos represents the region located in the west of the island of Cyprus, a region where Greek legends and mythology state that the goddess Aphrodite was born from the foam of the sea. On the way to Paphos tourists, who choose to stay first in the hotels or resorts near the cities of Larnaca and Limassol, can visit several tourist attractions.

The first of these, located near the city of Limassol, is the medieval Kolossi castle, built by the French knights who ruled the island of Cyprus during the Crusades. Inside this objective, tourists can observe the place where the famous local wine - Commandaria - was produced since that time, which was also served at the wedding of King Richard the Lionheart with Berengaria from Navarre, an event that took place in Limassol, in the century the twelfth. On that occasion, King Richard labeled Commandaria "the wine of kings and the king of wines".

The name of the wine comes from the fortress of Kolossi, owned by the French knight Guy de Lusignan, a family that ruled the island of Cyprus for a while. More precisely, the citadel housed "La Grande Commanderie" - the military headquarters, which also had under its command the two command posts in Paphos and Kyrenia, areas that were under the control of the Knights Templar and, later, under the control of the Knights of Ioannina. When the knights began to produce large quantities of wine for export to the royal courts of Europe and to supply pilgrims on their way to the holy lands, the wine took its name from the region - Commandaria, being today the oldest named wine in the world still in production .

Before or after visiting the castle, travelers can stop for an hour or more at a nearby orchard, where they can experience the picking of several types of fruit: oranges, grapefruit, lemons, pomello, mespillo, pomegranates, etc. -, which the hosts generously give to tourists, and they can taste and purchase different liqueurs made from the respective fruits.

Later, on the Commandaria wine road, towards the Troodos mountains, tourists arrive at the traditional villages of Vounis and Omodos, where they can admire the products of the artisans in the area, who masterfully process silver, lace, and several types of fabrics.

In the town of Omodos, there is almost no street without a wine cellar, inside which tourists are explained how Commandaria wine is produced, but they can also taste other varieties of wine, from dry wine to sweet wine, passing through semi-sweet and semi-sweet. Varieties grown in Omodos include Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat.

In addition to Bacchus liqueurs, with inviting aromas, the Cypriots of the area also produce a taria, an alcoholic drink made from grapes (a kind of grappa), with an alcohol content between 45 degrees and 60 degrees, of which they usually drink a glass before of lunch.

Also in Omodos is the church of the Holy Cross, where part of the rope with which Jesus Christ would have been tied on the way to Golgotha and some of the stones with which the Son of God would have been hit are kept.

• Paphos and Aphrodite's Rock

From Omodos, tourists can head, on the highway, to Paphos, a locality near which is the rock - Petra tou Romiou - on which the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, was born from the foam of the Mediterranean Sea. Legend has it that she was the daughter of Uranus and that she had blond hair. In the Pahos region there is also a place called the Baths of Aphrodite, where the local tradition says that the goddess of beauty often bathed, who would have walked through those places with her lover, Adonis. In fact, one of the paths in the area is called the Path of Aphrodite and Adonis. On the nearby promontory, after emerging from the rich, tropical vegetation, tourists can admire the entire western area of the Troodos Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.

But before arriving in Paphos, tourists can also stop at the archaeological site of Kourion, which was one of the most important city-kingdoms of the island of Cyprus in ancient times. Archaeological discoveries have revealed evidence that Kourion was associated with the Greek legend of Argos in the Peloponnese, as its inhabitants believed themselves to be descendants of Argean immigrants. The once flourishing kingdom was finally destroyed in a powerful earthquake in AD 365.

Within the archaeological site is an imposing Greco-Roman theater, which was built in the 2nd century BC. and expanded in the 2nd century AD. The theater has been restored and is now used for outdoor musical and theatrical performances - mainly in the summer months - making it one of the most popular settings for high-profile cultural events. To the east of the theater are the remains of a prominent building, the "House of Eustolios", which was originally a private villa that was converted into a public recreation center in the early Christian faith. Within the ancient house are four mosaic floors dating from the 5th century AD, as well as several bathrooms. In that ancient villa there are three types of baths: some that opened in the central room to the north and east - the cold baths (frigidarium), some warm in the middle room (tepidarium) in the west of the building and some hot located in the caldarium room. All the rooms were heated with water, the warm air being carried through hypocausts, up through the walls and under the floors.

The Paphos region is known for its 5-star resorts, which offer impeccable services to tourists from all over the world and where, during their stay, citizens from 14 countries of the world can spend their holidays together, as we encountered at Coral Beach Hotel&Resort, which is located on a distance of 300 meters from the sandy beach and borders the Akamas peninsula, a UNESCO protected area.

Occupying a superb and stunning location overlooking the golden sandy beaches and sparkling waters of Coral Bay, the resort benefits from a unique architecture that combines traditional Cypriot decor (white walls and wood) with modern materials and colors. Its traditional rustic design and abundant gardens give Coral Beach Hotel&Resort the warmth that makes everyone feel at home, being a tourist facility that caters to everyone, from children to the elderly.

For those lucky enough to occupy the ground floor of the resort's 422 rooms, the view is impressive both from inside the hotel and from outside. Rooms enjoy stunning views that include panoramic sea and beach views or scenic mountain views towards Peyia village. The rooms are ideal for business and leisure travelers as they offer all the desired amenities.

The resort has eight restaurants, a spa, a club for children between the ages of 3 and 12, a nursery for children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, as well as nine pools with slides for children and grown ups.

In the area, there is also the village of Lethimbou, where tourists can spend a few hours at the household of Sofia and Andreas, a traditional house, where they can see things that are hundreds of years old and where they can observe how the traditional bread of Cyprus is made, but also the famous halloumi cheese with mint leaves that can be eaten as is or grilled without changing its shape.

• Cape St. Georges - a resort in permanent development based on the feedback received from tourists

The most modern resort near Peyia is Cap St. Georges Hotel&Resort, which is constantly being configured and expanded, according to Kyriakos Pirillos, the resort's director of development.

Mr. Kyriakos Pirillos told us: "18 architects from all over the world worked on the design of the resort, and hundreds of millions of euros have been invested so far. What you see is not the final form of the resort, which is in constant development and expansion, which will include several sports courts, in addition to the existing ones for tennis, soccer and paddle-ball, which will have, in addition to the four swimming pools, and a modern aquapark, and more recreational opportunities for tourists who come to us. The main concept of this resort is noise-free, that is, noise reduction of any kind, so that tourists can enjoy total relaxation in our resort. Moreover, everything we build, as well as the interior decorations and related furniture, are constantly changing or improving, through the lens of feedback received from our guests. When we find that they don't like something, we modify it to meet the requirements of the majority of tourists. We predict that until completion, several hundred million euros will be invested in this resort". Accommodation prices at the five-star resort, inaugurated a year and a half ago, start from 400 or 500 euros for a room/day (the room is 57 square meters) and reach 9,000 euros/day for the presidential villa. Cape St. Georges Hotel&Resort has 202 rooms and suites, most with sea views, which include modern, luxurious amenities. The resort includes, in addition to the hotel, several villas, restaurants, open-air cinema, four swimming pools of which one Olympic, one for children and one covered, games lounge for computer game enthusiasts (the rate is 7.5 euros per hour ), cafes, an underground nightclub - because the resort respects silence for the comfort of tourists, an Orthodox place of worship, a fitness center, 10 restaurants and bars - of which a Michelin-standard restaurant where he comes to cook for for a few days each a renowned chef at European level (between April 26-28 the renowned Portuguese chef Luis Brito was at the location), a luxury boutique, a store with Cypriot bio-organic products, a jewelry, an ice cream parlor, a 2,585 square meter spa, massage and aromatherapy center, a 130 meter long beach, tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, soccer, paddle-ball, and soon will have and a huge water park. For tourists who are passionate about horseback riding, there is the possibility in the resort to exercise this hobby, the most sought-after hours for riding being at sunset.

We mention that, according to the development director, Kyriakos Pirillos, around 1,500 olive trees were relocated to build the resort.