Paphos TOP luxurious Villa above Coral BayN°001
Polis & Latchi, Cyprus
From $547 per night
Photo by KCyprus at its gentlest, on the wild edge of the Akamas
Polis Chrysochous and its little fishing harbour of Latchi sit on the north-west coast of Cyprus, where the island's development thins out and the wild Akamas Peninsula begins. A private-pool villa here trades resort crowds for taverna harbours, turtle beaches and mountain villages, with Paphos and its airport still under an hour away.
- Boat trips from Latchi harbour to the turquoise Blue Lagoon on the Akamas coast
- The Baths of Aphrodite and the peninsula's celebrated walking trails
- Turtle-nesting beaches at Lara Bay on the wild west coast
- Wine villages of the Laona plateau, including Kathikas, between Polis and Paphos
- Private-pool villas with sea and mountain views, far from the big resorts
Known forThe Akamas Peninsula, Blue Lagoon boat trips, the Baths of Aphrodite, Latchi harbour tavernas, unspoilt beaches
Best time to visitMay to October for reliable sunshine and warm seas; April and November for walking and gentle warmth
Nearest airportPaphos International (PFO), around 45 minutes by car
Ideal forCouples and families seeking authentic, uncrowded Cyprus with nature on the doorstep
Luna MareN°002
Polis & Latchi, Cyprus
Private poolGardenTerrace
From $413 per night
Villa Maria LatchiN°003
Polis & Latchi, Cyprus
Private poolGardenTerrace
From $306 per night
6homes available
3–5bedrooms
up to 14guests
5with a pool
Polis & Latchi in pictures
Events not to miss in Polis & Latchi
- Early September
Paphos Aphrodite Festival
A major open-air opera production staged against the walls of the mediaeval castle on Paphos harbour, under an hour from Polis. One of Cyprus's cultural highlights and worth planning an evening around.
- June, fifty days after Orthodox Easter
Kataklysmos, the Festival of the Flood
Cyprus's coastal towns celebrate this uniquely Cypriot water festival with fairs, music and playful water games by the sea, with festivities in the Paphos region easy to reach from the bay.
- May
Anthestiria Flower Festival
Paphos revives an ancient festival of flowers with a parade of blossom-covered floats along the seafront, a cheerful spring day out that pairs well with the Akamas in full bloom.
- September to October
Village wine festivities in the Laona region
Harvest time animates the wine villages between Polis and Paphos, with wineries pressing Xynisteri and Maratheftiko grapes and pouring the new vintage. Tastings are relaxed and family-run.
Polis & Latchi through the seasons
- Spring (March – May)
Wildflowers across the Akamas
Orchids, anemones and cyclamen carpet the peninsula, making this the finest season for the Aphrodite Trail and Avakas Gorge, with the sea already warming by May.
- Summer (June – September)
Blue Lagoon days and harbour evenings
Hot, dry and reliably sunny: mornings on boat trips to the Blue Lagoon, afternoons by the pool and long fish dinners on Latchi harbour. Turtles nest at Lara Bay through the summer.
- Autumn (October – November)
Warm seas and the grape harvest
The sea stays swimmable well into November while the Laona villages celebrate the vintage, an ideal season for combining beach, wine and walking.
- Winter (December – February)
Mild days for walking and touring
Short, gentle winters suit hikers and cyclists, with empty trails, green hills and easy day trips to Paphos's archaeological sites and the snow-dusted Troodos.
The Area and Where to Stay
Polis is a relaxed market town on Chrysochou Bay, a place of orange groves and slow evenings that feels a world away from the island's busier south coast. Two kilometres below it, Latchi's small harbour lines up fish tavernas beside the boats that supply them. Villas spread along the coast and into the hills: eastwards through Argaka along the bay's long beaches, westwards towards Neo Chorio and the edge of the Akamas, and up on the Laona plateau in stone-built wine villages such as Kathikas, where evenings are cooler and views run to the sea on both sides. Closer to Paphos, Peyia sits above Coral Bay for those who want livelier surroundings. Throughout, this is villa country in the truest sense, with private pools, terraces and genuine quiet, supported by our concierge for boats, tables and excursions.
Things to Do
The Akamas Peninsula is the great draw, a protected wilderness of juniper, sea cliffs and gorges at the island's north-western tip. Take a boat from Latchi harbour to swim in the Blue Lagoon's improbably clear water, or explore by jeep safari to Lara Bay, where green and loggerhead turtles nest in summer. Walkers have the Aphrodite Trail, a superb loop from the Baths of Aphrodite with views over Chrysochou Bay, and the Avakas Gorge's narrow marble walls further south. Divers and snorkellers find some of Cyprus's clearest water along this coast. Inland, the Laona wine villages reward a slow drive with family wineries and coffee under the plane trees, and day trips reach the Troodos mountains, painted Byzantine churches and the archaeological riches of Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Food and Local Flavour
Eating here revolves around the fish tavernas of Latchi harbour, where the day's catch, calamari and sea bream arrive metres from the boats, best taken slowly over a long lunch. Polis town adds traditional kafeneia and grill houses serving proper Cypriot meze: halloumi, kleftiko, souvla and village salads that make menus almost unnecessary. The hills supply the rest. Kathikas and the Laona villages are the heart of the Paphos wine region, producing crisp Xynisteri whites and robust reds from Maratheftiko, with small wineries open for tastings. Markets and roadside stalls sell citrus from the Chrysochou valley, olive oil, carob syrup and mountain honey, ideal for villa breakfasts, and a private chef can bring the full meze experience to your own terrace.
When to Visit
This coast enjoys some 300 days of sunshine a year. High summer, from June to September, is hot and dry, with sea temperatures ideal for long days between pool and beach; even then, the Akamas coast stays notably calmer than the island's southern resorts. May and October are superb, warm enough to swim yet gentle enough for walking the peninsula's trails. Spring brings an extraordinary flush of wildflowers and orchids across the Akamas, while autumn adds the grape harvest in the Laona villages. Winters are short and mild, suited to hiking, cycling and touring, though some seasonal tavernas in Latchi wind down between November and March.
Getting There
Paphos International Airport (PFO) is the natural gateway, around 45 minutes' drive from Polis and Latchi, with year-round flights from London and seasonal routes from many European cities including Geneva and Zurich. Larnaca (LCA) offers a wider network and lies roughly two hours away by motorway. The drive north from Paphos climbs through the Laona vineyards before dropping to Chrysochou Bay, a scenic introduction to the region. A hire car is strongly recommended, as the pleasures here are spread between harbour, beaches, gorges and hill villages; our concierge can arrange car hire, private transfers from either airport and boat charters out of Latchi.