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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 Nicos...

Excavations in the archaeological area of Paphos, carried out since 1962, lead to the discovery of a group of large houses, mainly revealing large and almost intact mosaics, dating from the 3rd to the 5th century. The houses were named after the subjects depicted in the mosaics, which illustrate scenes from Greek mythology. In order to preserve the mosaics, these were removed from their original sites and housed in a modern building specifically built for that purpose. Opening hours : 8 a.m to 5 p.m., to 6 p.m. (Spring and Autumn) and to 7.30 p.m (Summer). Entrance fee : €4.50 (includes all the sites in the archaeological park).

Despite their designation, these tombs were actually for aristocrats and high officials from Paphos. This necropolis dates back to the 4th century BC. Some of the tombs feature Doric columns and frescoed walls and in some cases imitate the houses of the living.  Although the tombs have been known for centuries, excavations on the site only begun, in a systematic way, in the 1970s. The tombs are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. Opening hours : Mon.- Sun. 8.30 a.m. to 5 pm. (7.30 16th Apr. to 15th Sep.) Entrance fee : €2.50 How to go: Moving around Cyprus Back to Paphos