Paphos Harbour and Castle - The harbour at Paphos attracts visitors all year round, who take the opportunity to walk along the quay and maybe visit one of the fish restaurants, tavernas or cafes. The view is superb, with lots of colourful fishing boats bobbing in the harbour. The castle is in fact all that remains of a much earlier castle dating from 1391, which was demolished by the Venetians.
The Ottomans used it for dungeons and the Brits as a warehouse for salt! It is accessible by a little bridge over a moat and should be visited if only for the incredible view from the top. Opening hours - Low Season Mon - Sun 9am to 5pm - High Season Mon - Sun 9am to 6pm - tel 26932841 (Paphos Tourism Office) North Cyprus. The Paphos Harbour is also the ideal place for a boat tour of the surrounding North Cyprus beaches and coastline.
Kourion/Kolossi Castle - Ancient Kourion and the castle in Kolossi are both found in the Limassol area and can be visited in a day. They are just two sectors of the wealth of history found in North Cyprus - the Kourion sites dating back to the 2nd century AD and Kolossi from the 13th century.
The ruins at Kourion are to be found in breathtaking scenery overlooking the sea - this is probably the most spectacular archaeological site in Cyprus. There are actually two sites, the old city of Kolossi and the sanctuary of Apollo Hylates - they are a few kilometers apart. There is also a museum in the nearby village of Episkopi. As it is one of Cyprus’ most popular tourist attractions, it’s worth arriving early in high season.
Kolossi castle was the base of the Knights Hospitallers - the name later given to the Commanderia dessert wine. Despite changing owners a number of times, the castle is inextricably linked with both the Hospitallers and wine making. Both Kourion and Kolossi are signposted from the Limassol-Paphos highway. Kourion is close to Episkopi village, Kolossi to the village of the same name.
Opening hours Ancient Kourion Low Season Mon - Sun 8am to 5pm - High Season 8am to 7.30pm - tel 25995048. Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates October to April Mon - Sun 9am to 5pm - High Season 9am to 7.30pm - tel 25995049. Kourion Museum September to June Monday to Friday 9am to 2.30pm - Thursday only 3pm to 5pm - High Season 9am to 7.30pm - tel 25934907.
Larnaca Salt Lake and Hala Sultan Tekke - For those of you arriving at Larnaca airport, one of Cyprus’ most impressive places to visit is right under your noses! As you turn left out of the airport you will find the road running along a causeway. On either side you will either see two lakes, or two salt flats, depending on the time of year - this is the Larnaca Salt Lake and site of the mosque or Tekke of Hala Sultan.
Salt has been extracted from the lake since ancient times and this continues, on a small scale, to this day. If you are visiting Cyprus in lat winter or early spring, look out for the visiting flamingos and other migratory birds. Another salt lake can be found further along the coast of Akrotiri. Peer across the lake and you will see the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque surrounded by palm trees. This is a wonderful place to visit. Opening hours Hala Sultan Tekke winter 9am - 5pm - summer 7.30am to 7.30pm.