Paphos, Cyprus

According to myth, goddess Aphrodite was born in Paphos, giving rise to the cult that lasted for centuries. The Myceneans were the first to build a temple in honour of Aphrodite in the 12th century BC. In Roman times the town moved to New Paphos, located 10 km from the old site. The Romans contributed to the prosperity of Paphos, making it culturally and architecturally rich.
Saint Paul visited Paphos in 46AD, converting it to Christianism. After being attacked by the Arabs, the island was conquered and ruled by the Byzantines for about 700 years until it was taken over by King Richard Lion Heart during the 3rd crusade. King Richard eventually sold the island to the Lusignan dynasty. It was conquered by the Venetians in the 16th century and by the Ottoman Empire in 1571.
The importance of Paphos eventually declined and it was only with tourism that development once again took off.

How to go: You can take an intercity bus from other cities, namely Nicosia (Route Nicosia Paphos)

What to see:

Archaeological Park
Tombs of the Kings




Local: Paphos, Chipre

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