Polis, which in Greek means ‘town’, is situated on a beautiful sweep of bay, with the rugged Akamas peninsula to the west and the pine clad Troodos Mountains as its backdrop. Known as Marion in antiquity, the town was probably founded by an Athenian warrior called Akamas, the son of Theseus, who arrived here after the Trojan War. Rich in gold and copper ore, it attracted considerable trade, especially with Athens, which in turn exported many pots to the area. The town was destroyed in the battle between the successors of Alexander the Great until a new city was formed by Philadelphus, a member of the Ptolemy dynasty, who gave it the name of his wife, Arsinoe. From medieval times onwards the town was known as Polis and today it is the administrative centre of the region and a small town of much character with an old town centre of stone buildings with internal arches, decorated doorways and hanging balconies. The fishing shelter of Polis, Latchi, with its waterfront promenade and long sand and pebble beach offering all kinds of water sports, is now being expanded into a 200 berth marina. The Akamas peninsula, with its tabletop mountain, spectacular views between pines to turquoise waters down below and the famous Baths of Aphrodite, is an excellent place to admire nature on foot or by bike. The area is ideal for hiking, cycling, diving and swimming in crystal clear waters.
Main places of interest: Agios Andronikos church Agia Kyriaki church Polis Archaelogical Museum Marion/Arsinoe Byzantine Museum of Arsinoe (Peristerona village) Baths of Aphrodite Latchi Laona Region
