Paphos, Cyprus, Greece
Even if you gods, and all the goddesses too, should be looking on, yet would I be glad to sleep with the golden Aphrodite.
—Homer (800–700 B.C.), The Iliad, Greek epic poet
Just north of Paphos is a site sacred to the ancient Greeks—the Baths of Aphrodite, where the Olympian goddess of love and sexual rapture bathed in a pool of a natural grotto under a fig tree. Today, the Aphrodite and Adonis walking trails along the Akamas Peninsula merge between the Baths of Aphrodite and Pyrgos tis Rigenas (Tower of the Queen), offering spectacular views.
If you desire to awaken or reawaken intimacy in your relationship, grab your partner and head for the Baths of Aphrodite. Winter, spring, and autumn are the best times to go, as Cyprus is hot in summer. No bathing is allowed in the pool, but there are great swimming beaches and coves just beyond the fountain. Fly into Paphos Airport and drive north along the coast about 29 miles, 2 miles past Latchi. Daily buses also link Paphos and Latchi.
Walk the sacred lovers’ trail hand in hand with your beloved. Sit on one of the benches overlooking the sea, wrapped in each other’s arms, mindful to keep the passion of Aphrodite/Adonis alive in your relationship.
Adonis and Aphrodite’s complicated love story is told in Ovid’s Metamorphoses.