Tourist Area in Kato Paphos
Exploring The Tourist Area in Kato Paphos
Paphos is a destination that’s well known across the globe for being the perfect place to spend a holiday relaxing by the sea. While it may be famous for its many beautiful beaches, most visitors will find that there’s much more on offer here.
Another popular feature of this city is the many amazing historical attractions to discover. You’re likely to find several unique archaeological sites and artefacts in Kato Paphos, such as:
The House of Dionysus
One of Paphos’ most popular tourist attractions is the House of Dionysus. The mosaic pavements in the building are truly stunning and are considered to be some of the best in the Mediterranean. The artwork has been preserved very well, with vibrant natural limestone colours depicting scenes from Greek mythology.
The most well known mosaic here depicts the triumph of Dionysus, with the God in a chariot drawn by leopards with many of his followers trailing behind him.
Fun fact: this site was discovered accidently by a farmer who was ploughing his fields!
Tombs of the Kings
The impressive rock-cut chambers of the Tombs of the Kings are a must-visit for anyone staying in this part of Paphos. Dating back to the 4th century BC, these tombs are carved out of solid rock and were the burial grounds for high ranking officials during the Greek and Roman periods.
There are 7 tombs for visitors to explore, but if you’re short on time you may want to check out the third one, as this is often considered to be the most interesting. You may be surprised to hear that no royalty was actually buried here – but it was dubbed Tomb of the Kings many years ago because of how impressive the site is.
Agia Paraskevi
If you want to see some of the finest examples of fresco artworks, you may want to consider visiting Agia Paraskevi – a wonderful Byzantine church that dates back to the 10th century.
Here, there are beautiful 15th-century murals of Jesus’s life, all of which are well-preserved. The Last Supper is one of the best ones, although that’s not to say that the Betrayal fresco or the Washing of Feet fresco aren’t absolutely stunning.
All of them have vibrant colours and are just breathtaking, which is why so many people come to visit this beautiful church.
Sanctuary of Aphrodite
Dating back to the 12th century BC, the Sanctuary of Aphrodite was an important religious ritual centre. If you plan on stopping by, you’re going to want to learn more about the site’s very interesting history.
There are a number of chambers around the court, with a combination of early construction and roman additions. Overall, the best preserved part of the building is the south wing, so be sure to check it out if you visit.
There may have been a Phoenician temple inside the south wing in a small courtyard – but unfortunately, the Roman reconstruction confuses the original layout and makes it a little more difficult to determine to know for sure.