The small town of Polis, known in ancient times as the city-kingdom Marion and later Arsinoe, lies at the northwestern tip of Cyprus in the Pafos district, on the edge of the Akamas Peninsula nature reserve. This region combines a unique Mediterranean landscape of narrow green plains and mountains, long beaches with warm, clear waters. Blessed with a very mild climate year-round, and home to some of the island’s most hospitable and welcoming people.
The pedestrian square in Polis, lined with taverns, bars and open-air cafés, is a lively meeting place for locals and visitors. Nearby, Latchi fishing harbour and marina offer a choice of fish restaurants.
Polis is an ideal base for exploring the region’s attractions, from the Polis Archaeological Museum to other smaller museums such as the Ethnographic Museum in Steni, the Byzantine Museum in Peristerona, and the Basket Museum in Inia.
Notable Byzantine churches in the area include the beautiful 15th-century Panayia Horteni in Pelathousa village, the 16th-century Agia Ekaterini not far from Kritou Terra village, and the Agios Andronikos and Agia Kyriaki chapels in Polis.
A 45-minute drive takes you to Stavros Forest and Cedar Valley, home to the Moufflon, the wild sheep of Cyprus. To the west are the wine villages of the Laona plateau; to the east the spectacular coastal cliffs of Pomos with its picturesque fishing harbour and St. Rafael pilgrimage church.
No visit to the area is complete without a day out at the well-known Baths of Aphrodite and the Akamas Peninsula, an unspoiled nature lover’s paradise of rich flora, walking trails and an impressive coastline.
For further information: www.polis-region.org
