Pomos, the quiet village on the north-west coast

Pomos is the village you come to by following the Polis coast north-east. The Pafos tourism board sells it on its peace, its beaches and its clean air, and for me that’s exactly the appeal. Here’s what there is, from the beach to the forest behind it. The north-west coast as a whole is in Paphos district.

The village and its beach

Pomos had 450 residents in the 2021 census, and the coast road runs on from here towards Pachyammos, the end of the bus line. The tourism board presents it as a quiet village, away from the bustle of the big resorts, known for its coastal views, sandy beaches and clean air. After three years of work Pomos beach has been turned into a comfortable, environmentally friendly beach, reachable by bus, car or motorbike.

In the centre stands the church of Agios Efpsichios, whose feast is on 9 April. It was first built in the mid-20th century at the suggestion of a confessor in the Holy Land to a villager, extended twice, and owes its present form to a renovation in 1986; it was consecrated in November 1988.

The Dragon’s Cave

Beneath a cliff on the Pomos coast, a rocky cave opens to the sea with a natural passage through which fresh water runs. Legend says a dragon lived there, protecting the area from pirates and thieves. Another version tells of a dragon and his mate who guarded the water as a treasure and rested on two large pillow-shaped rocks that still sit outside.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Polis on Expedia and filter by area before price.

Chrysopateritissa monastery

About 5 km from the village, in the Paphos forest near Pomos dam, stands the monastery of Panagia Chrysopateritissa, built in 1520. The name comes from the fathers, the priests, who once lived there. In recent years it was extended 20 m to the west, on higher ground than the old church, which you reach down a few steps. It’s built of stone, with icons and wall paintings and a newly carved iconostasis, and it opens only eight times a year and on the feast of the Virgin.

Getting there and around

Pafos Buses route 643a links Pachyammos, Pomos, Agia Marina, Argaka and Polis Chrysochous every day except public holidays, and the 643b does the same via Pano Argaka. Along the forest track from Pomos to Stavros tis Psokas, 12 km from the village, is the Gefiri tou Livadiou picnic site. For cyclists, the tourism board suggests an easy route through Argaka, Pomos and Gialia, and a very tough one of 91.9 km that passes Pomos and climbs to Stavros tis Psokas. For somewhere to stay, the bigger choice is in hotels in Latchi.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Polis and pick one that fits your day.

Where the bus does not go, a car does: compare car hire in Polis before you arrive rather than at the desk.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Polis on Booking.com and filter by area before price.