The whole town of Pafos, the ancient capital of Cyprus, is included in the official UNESCO's list of cultural and natural treasures of the world heritage. Wherever one treads in Pafos comes across its glorious history which dates back thousands of years, when the cult of goddess Aphrodite who emerged from its seas, flourished in this beautiful part of the world attracting many visitors from inland and abroad and then for the spread of Christianity.  Pafos was the islands capital for six centuries.
Paphos is the perfect place to combine first class holidays with a walk through history.  Immerse yourself in the archaeology, history and culture of Pafos and experience at first hand one of the oldest civisations of the world.
Archaeological Sites  Pafos the capital of Cyprus during the Roman and Hellenistic times. It is the passage of time, it is history.

Medieval Castle of Pafos
 
The Pafos castle was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbour. It was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, dismantled by the Venetians in 1570 during the Ottoman invasion and rebuilt by the Ottomans after they captured the island in the 16th century. Originally, this role was served by the Saranta Kolones fort, ruins of which lie a few hundred meters to the north.

During its long history, the Pafos Castle was used, in addition to protection, as prison cells, or even as a storage area for salt when the island was a British colony.
Since 1935 it was declared as an ancient monument and today is considered as one of the hallmarks of the Pafos region.
 
On the square just infront of the castle a lot of cultural events take place, while during September each year the Paphos Aphrodite Festival which presents a different opera every year performed by world famous artists is taking place just infront of the castle, whose building usually acts as part of the scenery.
 
Pafos Mosaics

The mosaics of Pafos are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology and are dating from the 2nd to the 5th century AD. It ‘s a “must” visit for every visitor to Pafos.

House of Dionysus

The mosaic decorations and the mythological compositions are the main characteristics of this restored Roman villa, dated back to second century A.D. The name “House of Dionysus” is mainly due to the many representations of Dionysus, the god of wine. The house most probably belonged to a member of the ruling Roman class or to a wealthy citizen of Pafos.

The House of Theseus

The mosaics of the villa of Theseus lie close to the House of Dionysus and date back to the second century A.D. A visitor can see the very interesting geometrical decorations as well as mythological representations. Worth seeing are the “Theseus killing the Minotaur” mosaic and the “Achilles’ birth”.
 
The House of Aion

The mosaics of the House of Aion date back to the fourth century A.D and lie close to the mosaics of Dionysus and Theseus. Five mythological scenes worth seeing are: The bath of Dionysus, Leda and the Swan, Beauty contest between Cassiopia and the Nereids, Apollo and Marsyas, Triumphant procession of Dionysus.

 
The House of Orpheus

The mosaics of this villa belong to the third century A.D and lie to the west of the House of Theseus. There are three mythological representations worth seeing are the “ Orpheus and his Lyre”, the “ Hercules and the Lion of Nemea” and “the  Amazon”.

The House of Four Seasons

The house lies north of the House of the House of Orpheus. This house took its name from the mosaic that represents the personification  of the four seasons. The mosaics belong to the first half of the third century A.D.

 
Tombs of the Kings

Spread over a vast area, these impressive underground tombs date back to the 4th century BC. They are carved out of solid rock with some being decorated with Doric pillars. High officials rather than Kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the locality its name.

Ancient Odeon

Pafos Odeon lies at Kato Pafos, the heart of the Pafos tourist area.
It is a small 2nd century Odeon built entirely of well-hewn limestone blocks, it is now used in the summer for musical and theatrical performances. Nearby are the remains of the ancient city walls, the Roman Agora and a building dedicated to Asklipeios, god of medicine.

Aphrodite Temple

SANCTUARY OF APHRODITE is located at Kouklia village, 14 km east of Pafos, off the Lemesos - Pafos road. Palaipafos, which means Old Pafos, was one of the most celebrated pilgrimage centres of the ancient Greek world, and once city-kingdom of Cyprus. Here stood the famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite, the most ancient remains of which date back to the 12th century BC. The glorious days of the sanctuary lasted till the 3rd - ­4th century. The museum, housed in the Lusignan Manor, contains many interesting finds from the area, and excavations continue on the site of the sanctuary, the city and the necropolis.