Cyprus Tours - Paphos, steeped in Cyprus history - visit Paphos mosaics, ruins and museums with Cyprus Tours

Paphos Cyprus

With Cyprus Tours enter another world, steeped in Cypriot history , where idols, ruins and temples, graves and goddesses make up the fabric of everyday life. Paphos is where Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, is said to have risen from the waves that crash on its shores.

Aphrodite's Rock

Petra tou Romiou, or Aphrodite's Rock, is a massive chunk of stone that marks the spot. Her birthplace was a place of pilgrimage for the entire Hellenic world. Aphrodite's presence seems to have drawn other divinities and notable mortals as well. Excavations have unearthed the spectacular 3rd -5th century Paphos mosaics of the Houses of Dionysus, Orpheus, and Aion, and the Villa of Theseus - buried for sixteen centuries and yet remarkably intact. Their grace of line and subtlety of colour will surely inspire elevated feelings in those who see them. Also in this region is the Odeon Theatre, a stone structure still used as it was in ancient times for outdoor concerts, plays, and games. Small wonder then that the whole town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of world heritage.

Later periods of history have also left their traces. The Tombs of the Kings, in Kato Paphos, is a monumental honeycomb structure carved into sheer rock whose vaults held the tombs of Ptolemy period nobles. Nearby, the stone pillar where St. Paul, according to tradition, was bound and beaten for preaching Christianity thrusts heavenward. The Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery was founded in the 12th century A.D. and is dedicated to "Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate." The neighbouring monastery of Ayios Neofytos contains some of the world's finest Byzantine frescoes and icons as well as an interesting Byzantine museum.

Paphos Mosaics

Archaeological discoveries in the Paphos region are continual, making the Cyprus mosaics a highlight for those tracing civilization's roots in Cyprus. For a glimpse of the artefacts and masterworks found in the area, visit the District Archaeological Museum.

Return with Cyprus Tours to the 20th century, enjoy a cool drink, a steaming Cypriot coffee, or a meal of just-caught seafood in one of the tavernas that dot the scenic harbour in the town of Paphos.