Pegeia
Pegeia is one of the most touristic towns in Cyprus, which is situated about 18 kilometers northwest of Paphos in the homonymous province, and can be found about 80 kilometers from Limassol and 160 kilometers southwest of Nicosia.
It is a newly established municipality in the province of Paphos since 1994 and is considered to be one of the largest municipalities in Cyprus, starting from Lara Bay (to the north) and reaching all the way to the dam of Mavrokolympos or Loutra Adonis (to the south).
The coexistence of mountain and sea have contributed to a mild climate in the area all year round, which was the main advantage of the particular town for its further development. Built on a hill at 200 meters above sea level, Pegeia looks out over the west coast of the island of Cyprus from above. It combines a long archaeological heritage and a complex natural scenery of golden beaches (Coral Bay beach, Laourou beach) and eroded caves (Pegasus Sea Caves, with the sunken Shipwreck EDRO III), a breath away from the vast Akamas peninsula, it has a dense pine forest, the forest of Pegeia, which is also the eastern entrance to the westernmost end of the island (Cape Arnaouti). Somewhere there also begins the famous Avakas Gorge, where the wild vegetation coexists with a plethora of endemic species, small and large inhabitants of the animal kingdom.
According to the historian Nearchos Clerides, the name of Pegeia is foreign and reveals that the community was founded under the Venetian rule. The Venetians who lived in the area called the neighboring port B(a)egia with the little cape, which looked like a horn, so from the words “Baia Cheratidi” (meaning Keratidi bay) prevailed today’s name of this townof Paphos. Regarding the founding of the settlement, it is said that it was originally situated at the location of Zalazia, until the small community of shepherds settled next to the cave, near the well-known attraction sight of Vrisi of Pegeiotisses, at the site where the modern settlement of Pegeia is found today.
It is said to be located on one of the oldest places in Cyprus, the old Akamantida, and that from this region began the Hellenization of Cyprus. The west coast of Pegeia has been inhabited since the Chalcolithic period (4000 BC) and without any interruption in its history until today, as well as on the beaches of this community landed once upon a time the ships of the Achaeans, who founded one of their colonies at the site where today is the Maas Paleokastrou Museum. Excavations in the area showed that during the Middle Hellenistic period there was a strong influence from the Ptolemies, while the most important archaeological finds of this time are found in the Meletis Forest.
In addition, in Agios Georgios of Pegeia (the most important site of Early Byzantine findings) there used to be a large port serving the Constantinople ships for refuelling. Three paleochristian basilica churches with beautiful mosaic floors are the last remains of that era, when a local settlement was abandoned after the Arab raids (7th-10th centuries). The holy island of Apollo, Geronisos, on the other side, emerges as an exotic background opposite Agios Georgios Pegeias beach.
In the wider area, bananas are cultivated in an area that is considered to be one of the largest in Cyprus, citrus trees, vineyards, almonds, carobs (which is why the Pegeia Carob festival takes place here), olives, as well as various kinds of vegetables such as potatoes, watermelons, tomatoes, cucumbers and artichokes. In recent years Pegeia has been growing rapidly, and as a result today it numbers around 10000 permanent residents, who are mainly engaged in tourism, but also in agriculture and livestock farming, while naturally, the center of the tourist industry in the region is none other than the Coral Bay.
The cosmopolitan area of Pegeia is overwhelmed by British tourists who have given incredible impetus to the creation of a multitude of restaurants, taverns, luxury hotel establishments, and have also spurred residential development in the area. The community is constantly being modernized, and it is anticipated that in the future there will be a special settlement with zero energy consumption, and there are two green areas (the pavilion in the forest of Pikni and the Paliomonastiro Municipal Park in Agia Paraskevi) that are suitable for the recreation of young and old alike. In addition, a bicycle route linking the Coral Bay area with Agios Georgios Pegeias has been built, while those wishing to enjoy their walk in the nature, north of the Coral Bay, there is a long hiking trail.
Being an ideal starting point for excursions to the west, after Pegeia the road crosses hundreds of banana plantations just before the village of Lemba and reaches all the way to the Paphos Zoo.