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The area around Paphos in the south of Cyprus has changed during the last 25 years on the back of better provisions for tourists and an increasing popularity of the area for second-home investors. Control of development is still a concern with conservationists but at least the authorities can see the issues created when developers are given too much of a free rein. What Paphos has to offer, apart from its own cultural attractions, is its proximity to two areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Firstly the Akamas Peninsula to the north of the town is a wonderful area of volcanic peaks and narrow ravines, and remains one of the most sparsely populated parts of the island. Many of the villages in the area are quiet and largely unaltered by modern building. Before you reach the Peninsula itself, Coral Bay, 7 miles to the north of Paphos, is a wonderful sandy beach protected by two headlands and largely untouched by developers. A further 5 miles along the coast and Agios Georgios is probably the last town from which visitors can base themselves in order to explore the Peninsula itself. From here the road north becomes more of a track.

Travelling north from here there are at least 10 miles of the best gorges and beaches on the west of the island. One of them is Cape Lara which is just under a mile in length and has only a handful of cafes and restaurants. The beaches are closed during the evenings of the summer months to protect nesting turtles.

Moving inland from Paphos and the foothills of the Troodhus Mountains can be reached within an hour or so. The mountain range covers a third of the island and reach a height of 1952 metres on Mount Olympus. There are many mountain villages to explore with several like Omodhos holding their own local celebrations. In late August you may be lucky to sample the wine festival in Omodhos or the annual festival in Phini, another mountain village with a tradition of pottery and chair making. If you visit the mountains during winter you can even ski at the Troodhos resort which has 4 ski lifts that operate when snow is lying.