Walking Tour of Kato Paphos

The island's capital for six centuries, Paphos is like an open-air museum and the whole town has been put on Unesco's world heritage list.

Starting from the Tourist Information Office in Kato Paphos take a walk through the main resort part of the town.

Stroll along the coastal promenade to the little harbour of Paphos with its medieval fort which will give you a taste of Cyprus' chequered history. Originally a Byzantine defensive construction, it was rebuilt by the Franks, destroyed by the Venetians and rebuilt again by the Ottomans. Nowadays an opera festival is held here in the summer.

Enter the archaeological park and admire the exquisite floor mosaics of the villas dating back to the Roman Period. They depicit scenes from Greek mythology, considered to be among the best in the Eastern Mediterranean. See depictions of the god of wine, in the House of Dionysus, and many other superb panels in the house of Aion. The House of Thyseus is named after a mosaic showing the Ancient Greek hero brandishing a club against the Minotaur.

Within the archeological park lies the agora and the odeon where cultural events are held in the summer. The fortress of Saranta Kolones, meaning "forty columns", are the ruins of a Byzantine structure consisting mainly of numerous fallen columns. Cross the busy St. Paul's avanue to the area known as St. Paul's Pillar where the Apostle is believed to have been tied and flogged before converting the Roman Governor to Christianity. The Byzantine church of Agia Kyriaki or Chrysopolitissa is build on the vast foundations of an earlier seven-aisled basilica, the largest on the island. Due to its association with St. Paul, this place has always been a place of worship, first a basilica, then a Frankish Church and later a Byzantine Church. Nowadays it is also used for Roman Catholic and Anglican Services.

Up the road lies the Agia Solomoni Catacomb Church believed to have once been the Synagogue of Roman Paphos and its huge terebinth tree outside covered with knotted handkerchiefs as flags of prayer.

The area known as Fabrika is situated where the walled ancient city of Paphos ended. Stone was quarried from here to build the town in antiquity, hence the name. It also contains the ruins of Hellenistic Theatre. A short distance away are the impressive underground Tombs of the Kings, carved out of solid rock and decorated with Doric pillars. Return with a relaxing visit to the aquarium next to the remarkable Theoskepasti Church.

Paphos Museums

Scratch the soil anywhere in the Paphos area and you are bound to find remnants of the island's past. Many superb artefacts that have been unearthed over the years can be seen gathered together in the Paphos Archaeological Museum including a unique collection of medical and surgical instruments and a spendid warrior Aphrodite. The Archeological Museum of Polis has interesting finds from the Ancient Cities of Marion and Arsinoe.

The Archaeological Museum at Palaipaphos about 15 km east of Paphos has finds from the ancient city kingdom of Palaipaphos and Aphrodite's sanctuary including one of the island's most important objects, namely a conical stone symbolising the goddess of fertility, which used to be situated in the holy part of the altar of the sanctuary and was later depicted on coins from the Roman period. The collection is housed in what used to be a manor house build for a feudal lord who lived during the Frankish period.

The Paphos Byzantine Museum, situated in the premises of the bishopric in the centre of Paphos, consists of a collection of mainly 16th century Icons but also includes one of the oldest Icons in Cyprus, that of Agia Marina, dating to the 8th or 9th century.

The Museum of the Mycenaean Colonisation of Cyprus at Maa-Palaiokastro near Coral Bay depicts the arrival of the first Greek settlers, Myceneans, on the island. It exhibits finds from the prehistoric settlement nearby and was designed by renowned Italin architect, Andrea Bruno, to look like the beehive architecture of the Mycenaean tholos tombs, blending in beautifully with the scenery.

The Eliades Ethnographic Museum in the centre of Paphos occupies two floors of the Eliades family mansion and exhibits priceless antiques as well as examples of traditional ware such as basketry, straw trays, sieves and irons, a bedroom displaying lace and clothing, another room showing 19th century island pottery and a typical wood-fired oven in the garden.

The Geroskipou Folk Art Museum, situated in a beautiful 19th century house, exhibits domestic implements, local costumes and decorated gourds. Check out the Basket Museum in Inia and the Museum of weaving at Droushia and Fyti in the northern Paphos district. Akourdalia also has a small Folk Art Museum.

The two largest Monasteries of Paphos, Agio Neofytos and Chrysorrogiatissa, also have their own Byzantine Museums. The former especially is a Museum in itself with its superb series of frescoes and icons, while its most precious artefacts and relics are exhibited in a special museum. The Monastery of Chrysorrogiatissa has a collection of important Byzantine utensils.

Paphos Area

Let the past come to life in the land where the mythological goddess Aphrodite once roamed. Admire the breathtaking view at the Petra tou Romiou where legent has it she rose from the sea.

Her sanctuary once stood at the top of a hill near the Ancient City of Palaipaphos, near the village of Kouklia, one of the most celebrated places in the Ancient Greek world. Together with the town of Paphos, it is on UNESCO's world heritage list. Nearby lies Geroskipou, meaning Sacred Garden, dedicated to the goddess, nowadays better known for handicrafts such as basketry and pottery and the "loukoumia" sweets sold at many roadside stalls. An impressive five-domed Byzantine Church here is one of only two such on the island. The Folk Art Museum offers a striking representation of traditional Cypriot life.

Modern Paphos is a town with every amenity, as well as a romantic harbour with a medieval castle where you can enjoy culture under the stars, such as the annual opera performance. For six centuries during the Hellenistic and Roman periods this western town was the island's capital. Because of its importance, the whole town of Paphos has been included in UNESCO's world heritage list. Remnants of exquisite floor mosaics depicting scenes from Greek Mythology are considered to be some of the best in the eastern Mediterranean as are the underground Tombs of the Kings, carved out of solid rock and decorated with Doric pillars. See the stone column where, legent has it, St. Paul was flogged when visited the island together with St. Barnabas, the founder of the Church of Cyprus, in AD 45 before converting the Roman Governor to Christianity.

Visit Maa-Palaiokastro, the site on a peninsula near the beautiful sandy beach of Coral Bay, where the Mycenaean Greeks first landed in Cyprus 3,000 year ago, or the prehistoric site of Lemba with its reconstructed Chalkolithic dwellings, or the boat of Agios Georgios by the beach connected with Cyprus' recent history.

A distant outpost of the Byzantine Empire, Byzantine art survived and flourished in Cyprus. Marvellous wall paintings decorate many Byzantine Churches and priceless artefacts can be seen gathered together at the Byzantine Museum in Paphos. Of special interest are the wall paintings in a hermit's cave at the Monastery of Agios Neofytos. Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery, known for its excellent winery, has a collection of important Byzantine Icons, some of them believed to work miracles. The charming 12th century Church of Panagia Chryseleousa at the centre of Emba, north of Paphos has an interesting series of frescoes. Further inland lies the picturesque village of Panagia, birthplace of Archibishop Makarios.

The are surrounding Pafos is known for its natural beauty. Pegeia, perched on a hillside overlooking the sea, is known for the fountains in its picturesque square. At Agios Georgios you can both admire the scenery of the fishing shelter with the view of the Akamas peninsula beyond and expore the many sea caves in the cliffs below, or take in some history by visiting the 6th century basilicas with rare animal floor mosaics. Nearby you can enjoy the magic of nature in the Birth Park in a beautiful environment of lakes, ponds and gardens surrounded by the magical sounds of birds and waterfalls. The peaceful hillsides around Paphos are also home to three top class golf courses situated amidst landscaped hills with spectacular views. If fun and excitement is what you are after, then the waterpark in Paphos offers a great day out for the whole family.