Paphos or Paphos? Why do cities in Cyprus have different names?

Pafos or Paphos? Both spellings refer to the same city. The same applies to Nicosia, which is listed on Cypriot road signs as Lefkosia, and Limassol, also known as Lemesos. The different spellings don't mean you're going to a different place.

In Cyprus, Greek names written in the Latin alphabet, established English forms, and names used in other languages coexist. Therefore, a ticket, guidebook, and road sign can all point to the same destination in several ways. It's worth learning the most important equivalents before your trip.

Pafos or Paphos - which is correct?

The Greek name of the city is ΠάφοςIn the Romanization used in Cyprus, i.e. writing the Greek name in the Latin alphabet, we get Paphos.

Paphos is a fixed English form. The combination "ph" is an older way of rendering the Greek letter φ, pronounced today as "f."

Both versions are recognizable and function concurrently. The island's official tourism website often lists them together: Paphos (Paphos).

In Polish text we use the form PaphosRegardless of the spelling, the international airport code remains the same: PFO.

Lefkosia leads to Nicosia

The capital can be a bigger surprise. A tourist looks for Nicosia in a guidebook, but sees Lefkosia on a signpost.

The Greek name of the city is ΛευκωσίαIts Latin script is Lefkosia, whereas Nicosia is an established English name.

We write in Polish Nicosia.

So it's not just a matter of a single letter. Different languages have preserved different forms of the same city's name. We know a similar phenomenon from pairs like Warszawa and Warsaw, or Vienna and Wien.

Limassol and Lemesos are also the same place

Greek Λεμεσός is written in the Latin alphabet as Lemesos. In English it has become established Limassol — a form also used in Polish.

Both names can even be found on the city's public transport network. The official website of the municipality presents the history under the heading History of Limassol (Lemesos).

Therefore, the spelling "Lemesos" in an address or the name of an institution does not refer to a different town. Nor does it need to be changed from the Polish "Limassol" just because the Greek form appears on a signpost written in the Latin alphabet.

Larnaca or Larnaca? Agia Napa or Ayia Napa?

In the case of Larnaca, the difference is slight. Greek Λάρνακα gives a record Larnaca, while in English the popular form is Larnaca.

We write in Polish Larnaca.

Similarly recognizable variants are Ayia Napa and Ayia NapaThe first corresponds to the Romanization of Greek Αγία Νάπα, the second is very widespread in English-speaking tourism.

In the name Agia, the Greek "g" before the "i" sounds roughly like the Polish "j." Hence, the spelling Ayia may be an easier pronunciation guide for English-speaking tourists.

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Different name, same city

These equivalents will be useful when reading maps, signposts and booking confirmations.

Greek name in Latin script	Popular English form	In Polish
Lefkosia	Nicosia	Nicosia
Lemesos	Limassol	Limassol
Paphos	Paphos	Paphos
Larnaca	Larnaca	Larnaca
Ammochostos	Famagusta	Famagusta
Keryneia	Kyrenia	Kyrenia

Famagusta and Ammochostos are much more different

The Greek name for Famagusta is Ammochostos — Αμμόχωστος. English and Polish forms Famagusta comes from the Western European naming tradition.

In Turkish, names are used Gazimağusa or Mağusa.

A similar set can be found in the case of Kyrenia: Greek Keryneia, English Kyrenia, Polish Kyrenia and Turkish Girne refer to the same city.

In these cases, the language and administration whose materials we use also matter. We'll see different names on a map of the Republic of Cyprus than on markings in the occupied territory.

Why don't maps and guides use the same version?

Writing a Greek name in the Latin alphabet does not automatically erase names that have been preserved for centuries in other languages.

The institution may use the form resulting from the Cypriot standard, the guide may use the name most recognizable to the foreign recipient, and the Polish author may use the adopted Polish name.

Official tourist materials often solve this problem by using parentheses. Lefkosia (Nicosia) allows you to combine the name visible on the signpost with the one known from the English guide.

The language selected in the app settings may also be important. A difference in spelling alone does not indicate a localization error.

It is worth keeping the address provided by the host

In a Polish article, we'll naturally write Nicosia, Paphos, or Larnaca. For hotel, office, or apartment addresses, it's best to use the form provided by the owner or institution.

The building number, postal code, and pin are also helpful when searching for a location. The city name alone, even if spelled correctly, is not enough to point to a specific door.

However, the most important parallels quickly become memorable. After a few days on the island, Lefkosia ceases to seem like an unfamiliar destination, and Paphos and Paphos become simply two entries for the same destination.