Larnaca – Paphos (with lunch)

The sightseeing tour starts via Larnaca town and over the motor way we reach at Petra tou Romiou, the symbol of Pafos city. Legend tells us that here, the goddess of Cyprus, Aphrodite, was born from the foam of the sea and was carried by the sea waves on the coasts of Cyprus, to Paphos, which has become the sacred place where Aphrodite was venerated. The religion of Cyprus in antiquity was that of ancient Greece. Most of the Olympian gods were worshipped in Cyprus but the most important cult was indisputably that of Aphrodite, the Cypriot goddess. She is the embodiment of the fertilising dynamism of Love, fertilising the whole nature and spreading happiness. Archaeological evidence and inscriptions bear witness of the existence of numerous sanctuaries and temples dedicated to the goddess throughout Cyprus.

The route continues to Paphos, for an opportunity to discover one of the most beautiful places of the island. Today it is a small harbour town and a popular holiday resort, but in Hellenistic and Roman times it was the capital of Cyprus. Home of the colourful Dionysos mosaics renowned throughout the Mediterranean, picturesque churches, medieval monasteries, museums, countless antiquities and a pretty harbour guarded by a small castle. The whole town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of culture and natural treasure of the world heritage.

The drive takes us to the north – west to visit the underground Tombs of the Kings, the necropolis (cemetery) of Paphos, dated back to the 3rd century BC, with open peristyle courts surrounded by burial chambers.

After a short ride we rich the House of Dionyssos, to see the famous site of breathtaking mosaics unearthed during the excavation of a Roman nobleman’s villa from the third century AD. An extensive complex of buildings fitted with beautiful mosaic floors showing Roman legends and characters, but mostly representing scenes from Greek mythology, are considered to be the finest mosaics in all the Mediterranean.

On our way back to Larnaca after our lunch at Paphos harbour area, we drive through Geroskipou village to see its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Agia Paraskevi, built in cruciform style and dating back to the 10th century. The visitors should spend some time to examine the frescoes of Byzantine art.