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Tala village is a 5 minute walk from the house. Tala Square offers a supermarket, traditional bars, restaurants, and in particular a fine english bistro/restaurant with wonderful views of the Paphos coastline (see useful links). This restaurant also caters for wedding receptions. Several restaurants offering Western style cuisine are a 5 minute drive away in the village of Kissonerga.
Paphos
Paphos was the capital of the island in Roman times, and dates from 1400 BC. Legend has it that the city is built on the spot where the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, was born. The city also has many connections to and relics from early Christianity. Today, Paphos has become a popular seaside resort with a population of 39,500. The Ktima section of the city is the main residential area, while Kato Paphos is the playground of holidaymakers, built around the medieval port with its numerous luxury hotels, tavernas and entertainment venues. A more hectic night life with a large abundance of bars and clubs is offered in Paphos. Coral Bay also offers many bars which is a 10 minute drive away and is renowned to have the best sandy beach in the Paphos area.
Tombs of the Kings
There are actually no kings buried here. Rather the site known as the Tombs of the Kings, one mile (two km) northwest of Paphos harbour towards Coral Bay, was the final resting place of about 100 Ptolemaic aristocrats who lived and died in the city between 3 BC and 3 AD. The tombs are impressive, carved out of solid rock, some featuring Doric pillars and frescoed walls. Archaeological excavations are ongoing at the site, which also features a church known as Paleoekklisia, which sports traces of Byzantine frescoes.
The Mosaics of Paphos
The striking mosaic floors in a series of ancient Roman noblemen’s villas, dating from the third to fifth century AD, are a must-see for visitors to Paphos. The site where the villas are still being excavated can be found about 300 metres from the Paphos harbour. The mosaics featuring mythological scenes are visible in the houses of Dionysus, Orpheus and Aion, and the Villa of Theseus. All were made of small cubes of marble and stone, called tesserae, with glass paste added to widen the range of colour. In the House of Dionysus, for example, 5,985 square feet (556 sq metres) of floor space in 14 rooms are covered with the gorgeous mosaics.
Baths of Aphrodite
A romantic side trip from Paphos is a visit to the natural grotto on the Akamas Peninsula near Polis (30 miles/48km north of Pahpos) where legend has it that the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, used to take her baths. The serene pool, shaded by a fig tree and surrounded by beautiful examples of maindenhair fern, can be reached by nature trails from Akamas.
Golf
Aphrodite Hills Course
Secret Valley Course
Tsada Course
Cyprus offers an all year round enjoyable golfing experience with the peak season of late autumn & early spring.
There are 3 courses all within easy reach of Tala. Tsada Golf Course which is approximatley 20 minutes from Paphos has 18 holes set in the grounds of a 12th century monastery in a gentle valley. It plays to a par 72 and measures 6060 metres and has an altitude of 550 metres above sea level ensuring cool breezes in the summer months.
Aphrodite Hills Golf Course which is approximately 18kms east of Paphos is an award winning 5 star course. It has 18 holes which offer a test of golf from start to finish - a championship standard course. Secret Valley Golf Club is 18 holesset in spectacular scenery 18km east of Paphos. It plays to a par 72 and measures 6158 metres.
Further Afield...
Troodos Mountains
While most tourism is concentrated around the coastal resorts, the interior of the island offers a charm of its own. The undulating hillsides of the Troodos and Makheras mountains are spotted with hundreds of tiny villages which, especially in summer, offer a cool retreat from the hustle and bustle of the beaches. In winter the same mountains offer the option of alpine-style holiday.
The highest point of the Troodos range is Mount Olympus, (1,952 metres). A little below it stands Troodos village. The summer seat of government during British rule, it now has a few hotels and restaurants, and an expanding ski area resort with four pistes - two beginners' slopes and intermediate and advanced runs on the north face. The skiing season lasts a couple of months a year, peaking in February.
