Paphos: Top 15 sights of the popular resort

Aphrodite's Rock

The majestic and rugged rock near Paphos is one of the main tourist attractions of the city. According to legend, this is the place where Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, emerged from the sea.

In fact, the rock is called Petra-tou-Romiou, which means "the rock of the Greek", Aphrodite's name was given to it by the locals. After all, this area in Greek mythology is considered the birthplace of the goddess, which additionally attracts travelers.

Despite its popularity with tourists, the sea in the vicinity of Petra tou Romiu is dangerous for swimming, and it is forbidden to climb the rock itself by the local authorities. However, there is a restaurant, a tourist pavilion and the Aphrodite Hills resort nearby.

You can book a hotel in Paphos with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Kato Paphos Archaeological Park

The Archaeological Park of Paphos is the "antique face" of the city. On its territory are located the House of Dionysus, the House of the Four Winds, the House of Aeon, the House of Theseus, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Visitors have a unique opportunity to wander through the ancient streets, visit ancient villas and look into the catacombs of St. Solomonia, from which comes a healing stream. According to legend, its water can restore sight.

Tombs of the Kings

The Tombs of the Kings is another archaeological treasure of Paphos. It is an underground necropolis where you can see several preserved tombs from the Hellenic and Roman period, whose roots go back to the 4th century BC.

The tombs were not actually buried here, as one might think, judging by the eloquent name, they were so named because of their monumental appearance, carved into the rocks. Some tombs have Doric columns and frescoed walls.

It is best to visit the tombs in the morning, as the underground necropolis can get hot later in the day.

Ayia Kyriaki Church

The Church of Ayia Kyriaki was built on the ruins of an early Christian basilica from the 5th century, during the Christianization of the island and eventually became the first cathedral in Paphos.

Almost the entire monument is covered with mosaic flooring and decorated with geometric motifs. It also preserves the Column of St. Peter, where he received 39 strokes of the whip. The church is open to the public every day and services are still held under its vaults.

Paphos seafront

Like any self-respecting seaside town, Paphos has a promenade. It stretches along the entire coastline. Walking along this promenade, on your way there will be noisy, built up with cozy restaurants and pubs, and quiet, calm, full of only natural beauty sections.

The Paphos promenade is not only for leisurely strolls, looking at the surrounding nature, but also, for example, to try the local cuisine in one of the many fish restaurants.

Paphos Castle

At first glance, a completely unremarkable building, in reality has great historical value. Paphos Castle is located on the edge of the harbor in Paphos, built to protect it.

During its long history, the castle has undergone numerous destructions and restorations, serving as a fortress, a prison and even a salt storehouse during the British occupation of the island. In 1935 the castle was declared one of the main attractions of Paphos and is now the site of the annual festival held here in September.

Archaeological Museum

This place is sure to appeal to lovers of old history. After all, the Paphos Archaeological Museum has a collection of ancient finds of Cyprus, from the Neolithic era to 1700 AD.

The five halls of the museum display unique exhibits from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Here you will examine old coins, tools, clothes and household utensils. Of special value are the marble statue of Asclepius, the bust of Aphrodite, medical vessels made in the shape of different parts of the human body, to which hot water paddles were applied, items from the Byzantine period and the Middle Ages.

Catacombs of St. Solomonia

Another well-known attraction of Paphos is the Catacombs of St. Solomonia. In ancient times lime was mined here, later human dwellings were spread here, and now the caves are a sacred object of pilgrimage for believers.

These unique catacombs are half created by nature and half by man. According to legend, Solomonia lived in these catacombs with her sons after fleeing from Palestine. This happened around the 2nd century AD. However, even in such a secluded and private place they could not hide from the king's wrath: King Antiochus learned of the whereabouts of the fugitives, ordered them to be seized and executed.

The woman was left alive. The unhappy mother spent days and nights in this place praying over the bodies of her sons, and finally died of grief. Her relics still lie in one of the grottoes of the catacombs, which makes this place especially attractive among pilgrims.

Monastery of St. Neophyte

The Monastery of St. Neophytos is a special attraction of Paphos, because many tourists call it the best monastery of Cyprus. It is located in the village of Tala, about 10 kilometers north of Paphos.

In the XII century, the Cypriot hermit Neophytus cut a cave in the rock. Subsequently, a male monastery was established near it, where only a few monks live now. The monastery has a museum where you can see many interesting exhibits such as a collection of pottery, monks' clothes, religious objects, as well as ancient books, manuscripts and icons.

Byzantine Museum

The very interesting Byzantine Museum is located on the outskirts of Paphos. It displays an extensive collection of Byzantine icons, mostly from the 12th to 19th centuries, gathered from churches and monasteries in the region. These icons reflect the religiosity of the inhabitants of Paphos during the Byzantine era, and modern visitors will be impressed by the quality of artistic execution of those times.

The oldest icon in the museum, the icon of the Mother of God of Eleousa from the church of the Monastery of St. Sava of Karon, dates back to around 1200 A.D. Liturgical books, decrees, manuscripts, wood carvings, crosses, silverware and priestly vestments are also on display.

Municipal Baths

Despite its name, this place has very little in common with the baths we are used to. In fact, it is a picturesque beach that stretches for 100 meters along the coastline of Paphos.

The beach is unique in that there is neither sand nor pebbles — the beach area is concreted and has an extensive wooden covering running along the shore. There is no usual entrance to the water, but there are piers with stairs descending from them.

Coral Bay

Coral Bay is a separate beach neighborhood on the southwestern end of the city, known for its clean sandy beaches, calm sea, lack of seaweed, and smooth descent into the sea. It is this area that will suit travelers who want to spend a lot of time in the embrace of the sea.

Coral Bay includes Laura Beach and Coral Bay Beach — in Paphos they are recognized as the most comfortable for family vacations with children and are marked by the Blue Flag.

Aphrodite Water Park

Even the water park in Paphos is named after Aphrodite. On the territory, however, nothing reminds of ancient Greece. This is a classic water park with colorful spirals of slides and bright blue pools.

There are high rides for real extremists and artificial rivers for quiet swimming. Kids water park "Aphrodite" offers to amuse themselves on a real pirate ship, roll down low slides and run along the fountains. And for adults there are numerous jacuzzis, fish peeling, cafes and, of course, extreme attractions.

Botanical Garden

Not far from Paphos, in the village of Anarita, there is a luxurious botanical garden with more than 50 thousand different plants on its territory. The name of the park comes from the numerous olive groves growing in the vicinity. If you are a lover of any beautiful plants and a botanist at heart, you should definitely go to this park.

Plants have been brought here from all over the world, each plantation is equipped with a sign in three languages, which not only tells you the name of the plant, but also its origin, gastronomic and medicinal properties. You can enjoy the fragrance of rare flowers, walk along the picturesque paths and relax on the numerous benches.

There is also a miniature museum of Cypriot life on the territory of the park. It represents a house with furniture, dishes and utensils as they were two hundred years ago. Here you can also see traditional Cypriot attire — both everyday costumes and festive, wedding attire.

Akamas Peninsula

The last attraction of our selection is located a little farther away — 40 kilometers from Paphos. However, the effort spent getting here will be justified once you see the surrounding beauty of the peninsula.

Akamas is one of the paradisiacal corners of Cyprus, where civilization has not yet penetrated too much. There are no paved roads, supermarkets or fancy hotels, but you can find giant tortoises, rare species of butterflies, unique plants and much more, as well as enjoy the beauty of wildlife and deserted coves and beaches, or go trekking, which is quite common here. The entire island has recently been protected by UNESCO and is an important eco-tourism destination.