Visit Paphos

Why visit Paphos

Paphos is where Cyprus gets serious about its mythology and its archaeology — the whole western end of the island is UNESCO-listed for sites associated with the cult of Aphrodite, who, according to Greek myth, rose from the sea foam at Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock) just down the coast. The compact harbour-front town centres on Kato Paphos Archaeological Park, where four sprawling Roman villas (House of Dionysus, House of Theseus, House of Aion, and House of Orpheus) preserve some of the finest Roman floor mosaics in the eastern Mediterranean — hundreds of square metres of intricate hunting scenes, mythological tableaux, and geometric patterns dating to the 3rd century AD. The medieval Paphos Castle at the harbour end and the strange underground Tombs of the Kings (Hellenistic and Roman royal burial chambers cut directly into the coastal rock) complete the set. Upper Paphos (Ktima) holds the lively markets, restaurants, and the Byzantine Museum. The Akamas Peninsula, a 30-minute drive north, offers the wildest coast and best hiking on the island; the Baths of Aphrodite and the turquoise Blue Lagoon are the obvious payoffs.