Excursion to Paphos

Pick up by our guide at the port of Limassol, identified with the Shorexc sign.

Limassol is the second largest city in Cyprus, is located on the south coast of the country, in the bay of Akrotiri and was built between two ancient cities, Amatunte and Curio, so during the Byzantine Empire, it was known as Neapolis (New City). It is one of the most important ports for trade in the Mediterranean Sea and very famous for its numerous festivals, such as the Carnival, the Wine Festival during which visitors have the opportunity to taste some of the best Cypriot wines accompanied by traditional dances and choirs; the Flower Festival in May, the Flood Festival in June or the Ancient Greek Theater Festival.

Our excursion begins with a stop at the magnificent Rock of Aphrodite, from where we can take pictures of the birthplace of the Goddess of Beauty and Love. This amazing and famous rock formation is located along the road from Paphos to Limasol and is worth a stop to admire the beauty of nature that is on offer here. A proudly standing UNESCO listed rock, or Petra Tou Romiou (Rock of the Greeks), is one of the island's most famous monuments and the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, according to Greek mythology.

We head to Paphos. Of Phoenician origin, although the region was inhabited since Neolithic times, in Greek times it was considered to be the birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite, thus being an important place of her cult, as well as of other pre-Hellenic fertility deities. The present city of Paphos, together with Palepafo, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 due to the exceptional value, both historical and architectural, of the remains of villas, palaces, theaters, fortresses and tombs. Among the findings we can highlight: the sanctuary of Aphrodite, a necropolis of the eleventh century BC, the sanctuary of Apollo, catacombs, several mosaics of the fifth century, of great quality, baths of the Byzantine period and Middle Ages, etc.; we will visit the so-called "Tombs of the kings", a monumental complex of the Ptolemaic period of several tombs carved into the rock and decorated with columns dating from the fourth century BC, where high local officials were buried.

We continue our tour to admire the wonderful Roman Mosaics. In 1962, a Cypriot farmer made an accidental discovery that would forever change the history of the island of Cyprus, a small mosaic that was only the tip of the iceberg. Subsequent excavations revealed that the vast terrain contained one of the most spectacular examples of Roman mosaics ever discovered. Located among the ruins of four Roman villas, The House of Dionysos features mythological themes as a characteristic element of most of its mosaics. This house, dated to the 2nd century A.D., must have belonged to a wealthy figure in the city. We will examine the extraordinary representation of a battle with the Minotaur in the House of Theseus; the House of Aeon and the House of Orpheus complete the collection of Roman villas with incredibly well preserved mosaics.

At the end of the visit we will have free time in the tourist center of Paphos to stroll around, buy souvenirs or have a drink in one of the many bars of this small tourist port.

At the end of the excursion, return to port for the farewell.

SUPPLEMENTS ON SPOT:

• Tombs of the Kings: € 2.50 (approx. 3USD)
• Archaeological Park (mosaics): € 4.50 (approx. 5.50USD) (children up to 16 years FREE)

OBSERVATIONS

• Closed days: December 25, January 1 and Orthodox Easter Day.
• Easy / Panoramic / Cultural Level
• Comfortable shoes required.
• This excursion is not recommended for people with reduced mobility, people who require the use of wheelchairs or who travel with baby carriages, due to the irregular terrain of the Paphos necropolis.