Mark Bibby Jackson visits Paphos Cyprus to discover a wonderful approach to conservation and great antiquity.
On the way to the turtle museum in the hills near Paphos Cyprus, we joked if this was a new form of animal. A mountainous turtle, the inverse of Monty Python’s underwater goats with snorkels and flippers. Or was it a scam? Within minutes of entering the Innia-Lara Turtle Museum all our doubts had vanished.
Innia-Lara Turtle Museum and Educational Center
Quite simply this is one of the most refreshing museums I have visited in years. Pambos, who seems to run the centre single-handed, explains the turtles come to the nearby Lara Beach each year to lay their eggs. There are some 3,500 nests on the sand, protected by Pambos and his volunteers. Lara beach is on the Akamas Peninsula, which is protected as part of Natura 2000, so no permanent structure can be built there, hence the hilltop museum – alas no Pythonesque conspiracy.
He then leads us to a side room where he plays an award-winning video. This explains there are two types of turtles that lay their eggs on the beach: the loggerhead and green turtle. It is the latter which is endangered with only 30,000 left in the world. Their plight is partially due to the successful conservation efforts for the omnivorous loggerhead turtles, who are eating the seaweed the vegetarian green turtles need. Anyone who has gone to a party to discover non-vegetarian diners eating the veggie option will recognise their plight.
They are also threatened by the act of man. Climate change is reducing and destroying the Posidonia the green turtles eat, while fishermen will chop off their heads when they get caught in their nets. Add to that the impact of plastic in the Mediterranean and the status of the green turtle is bleak.
Which is why the turtle museum was opened. To highlight the plight of the green turtle and to help fund conservation efforts. While it is banned to visit Lara Beach during the night to protect the turtles, during the day you can watch the hatchlings scurry towards the sea. Only one in a thousand of the baby turtles manage to make it to adulthood, the female turtles returning to the beach where they were born to give birth to their own hatchlings in August.
Community Tourism in Paphos Cyprus
The museum does not just benefit the turtles. Part of the reason for opening the museum was to support local inland communities traditionally neglected by the swathe of tourists who come to Cyprus each year hugging the beaches.
This is a pity because Cyprus’ interior has much to offer.
Innia itself is a sleepy village with one local café where I have a Cypriot coffee before popping into Lina Levin Art Gallery next door. Lina moved to Cyprus with her husband Avi from Israel and are now part of the community. She makes sustainable art from pebbles collected on the beach turning them into three-dimensional art.
In many respects it reminds me of The Place we visited the previous day in Paphos. Here Natalia, a former nursery school teacher, has made a creative space out of a former tool warehouse; a great example of how industrial spaces can be transformed into positive contributions to the community. The former workshop had been closed for several years before Natalia took it over.
The Place contains a ceramics and mosaic workshop where you can create your own fridge magnet, or you can buy local products and produce. Natalia says here you “can touch taste feel smell” Cyprus.
They also have wine tastings for groups, although unfortunately the weaving classes (it has a beautiful loom) have been cancelled.
A Hike in the Mountains of Cyprus
Innia is the halfway point on the drive to our hike in the mountains along the Smigies trail. We arrive to a large clearing which has lots of seating and some barbecue pits.
The walk itself is a pleasant hike along a clearly marked trail with a guide. Be warned it involves quite a steep incline that proved too much for one of our group although I would describe the walk as intermediate.
The highlight though was the amazing picnic which awaited us accompanied by a cold beer at the end of the hike. Lots of salad and fresh fruit and the ubiquitous haloumi cheese ensured that whatever calories I had burned on the walk were soon replaced.
Cyprus a Land of Legend
The previous day we had left our wonderful base in Paphos, the Asimina Suites Hotel, to travel back in time.
Cyprus is an island full of legend and antiquity.
Close to Paphos is the place where Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, is supposed to have been born. Legend has it that Cronos castrated his father Uranus, whose genitals were cast into the sea or Thalassa. She became pregnant giving birth to Aphrodite. The genitals have been transformed into glorious rocks.
Of more certain origin is the Tomb of the Kings in Paphos, although the title is a trite misleading as the UNESCO World Heritage site is more an ancient necropolis, rather than royal burial place.
The tombs date back to the 3rd century, but have been looted. First after the earthquake in the 4th century, and more recently in the 19th century towards the end of the Ottoman rule, when artefacts were transported to the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
The archaeological site itself is vast with some of the tombs restored. From our visit it would appear it has become a popular haunt for the followers of Aphrodite.
I would have longed to spend further time here exploring the remains, but our bus driver had other plans, so I would suggest you make your own way there.
Our final classical stop was to the House of Dionysius in the Archaeological Park. Here are some wonderfully preserved mosaics that give an insight both into the legend and lifestyle of ancient Cyprus.
Fly to Paphos Cyprus
Mark flew to Paphos Cyprus from London Stansted with Jet2. He used Holiday Extras to stay overnight at the airport and to park his car. Holiday Extras is the market leader in UK airport parking, hotels, lounges, and transfers – and in 2025 its customers saved an average of £200 per trip by booking their airport parking in advance. Booking an airport hotel with parking means you can enjoy more holiday with less hassle – and can actually cost less than booking airport parking alone. Plus with Flextras, if you need to cancel or amend you can without charge. One night in a double room at Novotel with seven days Meet & Greet parking at Stansted Airport is available for £294 based on arrival on 8 June 2026. Booking an airport lounge means you can enjoy more holiday with less hassle – and lower costs. In 2025, airport lounges were available for an average price of £35 per person, £1 cheaper than Brits spent, on average, in the airport terminal waiting for their flight. Plus with Flextras, if you need to cancel or amend you can without charge. Access for one person at Essence Lounge at Stansted Airport is available for £32.99 based on arrival on 8 June 2026. For more information and to book, HolidayExtras.com or call 0800 316 5678.
*All costs supplied are the cheapest available rates for the product specified and therefore availability may be limited at this price. Prices are correct as at 5.5.2026.
Weather on Paphos Cyprus
To discover the current weather in Paphos Cyprus, click here.
Hotels in Paphos Cyprus
Mark stayed at the Asimina Suites Hotel, Paphos Cyprus. This beautiful beach-fronted hotel had excellent dining and beautiful rooms with the most amazing sunset (not guaranteed).
