Paphos Archaeological Park is a large area that includes different ancient sites, ruins and mosaics; e.g., Houses of Dionysus, Theseus, Orpheus, the Four Seasons; the Asklepieion, the Papos Castle ruins, as well the Tombs of the Kings.
Probably, it’s a must-see for everyone visiting Cyprus.
Paphos (or Pafos) is a town with many attractions; it’s also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Paphos used to be a capital of Cyprus.
Amathus or Amathous is an ancient city; a nice place with ruins nearby Limassol.
Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou or Rock of the Roman) is a rock formation on the sea.
It’s a tourist attraction because it’s a lovely area and in mythology it’s a birthplace of Aphrodite. 🙂
I used to think, that the name of the country of Cyprus comes from the Mediterranean cypress tree. However, it’s only one of the options (the others is henna plant or copper).
In Cyprus, you’ll find nice mountains, that can be even covered by snow in winter!
The majority of Greek Cypriots are Greek Orthodox, and the religion of Turkish Cypriots is mostly Sunni Islam.
The Holy Monastery of the Virgin of Kykkos (Orthodox) lies at 1318 m above sea level, in a nice mountain scenery.
The monastery was founded in about 11th century.
Cyprus is a home of a delicious cheese called Halloumi.
Try it while being in Cyprus!
In general, the Cypriot cuisine offers many tasty dishes.
On today’s picture, you can see a unique road we found while driving through the mountains in Cyprus – with a tree in the middle of the road! 😀
Cyprus is an island, so it’s surrounded by water. However, because of its location, it actually suffers from a chronic shortage of water.
Well, not enough rain; too many people; not so easy…
Well, Cyprus is a very interesting and nice island, so you don’t really need a reason. 😉
But two main things that probably drive people to go to Cyprus are coast and history.
You can enjoy the weather, relax by the sea and explore the ancient sites (well, dating from the New Stone Age through to the Roman Empire).
Learn more from visitcyprus.com.
As they write: “Cyprus is an open-air museum of prehistoric settlements, classical Greek temples, Roman theaters and villas, Early Christian basilicas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader castles, Gothic cathedrals, Venetian fortifications, Moslem mosques, and British colonial-style buildings.” 🙂
Spring and autumn are the best periods to visit Cyprus.
It’s still nicely warm, but not extremely hot; and it’s usually not so crowded as in summer.
In winter, some places may be closed, so check details before planning your holidays.
I was in Cyprus in May and it was perfect. 🙂
Nicosia has an International Airport, however it’s been closed since 1974.
It’s located inside the UN Buffer Zone.
Currently, Larnaca serves the main airport of the Republic of Cyprus.
Nicosia (Lefkosia) is a nice city and worth visiting from both sides.
It should be easy and not problematic to cross “the boarder” on foot; but you should start from the Republic of Cyprus.
Enjoy small streets, old buildings and nice cafes.
Nicosia (Lefkosia) is a divided capital of Cyprus.
The city is “cut” in two, i.e., its northern part is a capital of Northern Cyprus and the southern part is a capital of the Republic of Cyprus.
The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus is kind of border line between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It was established in 1964. It covers about 4% of the island’s area.
Cyprus is divided between two countries and cultures of Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
The situation is complicated and affects travelers, that’s why I mention about it.
Otherwise, it’s a travel blog, so I avoid to talk about politics.
And also while being in Cyprus, it’s better to avoid discussions about it…
The official languages of Cyprus are Greek and Turkish.
English is also widely spoken, that is very convenient for tourists.
Sanctuary of Apollo is another Archeological Site in Akrotiri, Cyprus. It’s located about 2 km from Kourion. So don’t forget to visit is, while being in Kourion.
Sanctuary of Apollo is a relatively small place, and I had the impression that not so many people visit it; at least it felt quite calm. 🙂
Kourion is a world heritage Archeological Site located in Akrotiri, Cyprus.
It’s one of the most famous tourist attraction of Cyprus, with many mosaics.
Definitely, it’s worth visiting!