Things To Do in Aphrodite Hills

Anoi comes with wonderful views of the Mediterranean and the surrounding mountains thanks to its first-floor position on the village square. The wooden pub-style furniture gives the place a relaxed feel, and there’s a good choice of beers – including the Cyprus-brewed ales Leon and Keo. They do food here, too, if you fancy a steak or homemade burger.

Relaxation is the name of the game at Aphrodite Hills, and never more so than in the evenings. Most holidaymakers here linger over dinner, or pop into one of the hotel bars for a nightcap. At the nearby village of Pissouri, there’s a weekly Cypriot night with music and dancing in the square. And there’s always Paphos, about half an hour's walk away, with its buzzing harbour and the even livelier Bar Street.

There’s a nice little selection of dining places at the traditional-style village square, with its Mediterranean views and lemon and olive trees dotted around. You can eat sushi at the Asian restaurant, enjoy fresh pizza straight from a wood-fired oven or tuck into lots of meze dishes accompanied by live Greek music. Out of Aphrodite Hills, about 10 minutes’ drive away, is the village of Kouklia where tavernas hold weekly Greek nights.

This traditional taverna is in the village of Kouklia, about 10 minutes’ drive away. Inside, the walls are decorated with Cypriot farming equipment, while outside tables fill the shady, plant-filled terrace. As for the menus, you’ve got locally-caught sea bream, lamb kleftiko and beef stifado. If you’re here on a Friday night, you’ll be entertained with Cypriot dancing and live music.

This annual festival in Paphos – about 30 minutes’ drive away – is hugely popular with opera fans. Not only do you get a lavishly costumed performance of a classic like Verdi’s La Traviata or Puccini’s Turandot, you also get to see it performed at the Medieval castle right on the waterfront.

The multi-purpose shopping gallery on the square's home to shops selling bags, jewellery, perfume and swimwear. If you’re in Paphos, about 30 minutes’ drive away, the shops around Makarios III Avenue have locally made Lefkara lace. Speaking of which, you can actually see it being handmade outside the little shops in Omodos village, half-an-hour away on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains.

Just over half an hour away is the award-winning Watermania Water Park in Fasouri. It’s got favourites like the Kamikaze and Black Hole, along with a Tarzan Swing, a sort of wet wall climb and an It’s a Knockout-style water course with orange floats. There are equally fun slides for children and a Lazy River that takes you on a raft along a 400-metre stretch around the park.