Shore Excursions
Enjoy 340 Days of sunshine, meet the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite and taste the world’s older wine
From Limassol or Larnaca Port
PAFOS
The Pafos Mosaics are considered among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean and form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980.
The Houses of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus are the villas of four Roman noblemen that date from the 2nd to the 5th centuries AD. Their intricate floor mosaics depict various scenes from Greek Mythology.
The famous ‘Tombs of the Kings’ form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos (Paphos) - one of the most important archaeological sites of Cyprus that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980.
The monumental underground tombs are carved out of solid rock and date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Aphrodite’s mythical birthplace ‘Petra tou Romiou’ located on the southwest coast of the Pafos district.
According to the legend, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty - Aphrodite - was born of the sea foam here. Legend tells that she rose from the waves and was escorted on a shell to this particular beach.
The giant rock formations, which are seen at the same location are linked with another - more recent - legend which tells that the Byzantine hero Digenis Akritas heaved them there to keep the Saracens Arabs (7th-10th centuries) at bay. The name of Petra tou Romiou (‘rock of the Greek’ in Greek) comes from the hero.
It is said that in certain weather conditions, the waves rise, break and form a column of water that dissolves into a pillar of foam. With imagination, this momentarily looks like an ephemeral, evanescent human shape. Other popular myths tell that swimming around the rock three times will bring various blessings, including eternal youth and beauty, good luck, fertility and true love.
LIMASSOL
Kourion was an important city-kingdom in antiquity and stands as one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Cyprus. Its theatre - located on the southern end of the abrupt hill on which the city is built - is of great significance.
The Kourion theatre was constructed at the end of the 2nd century BC, but took its current dimensions during the 2nd century AD. Consisting of a semicircular orchestra that is surrounded by seats of the cavea The theatre could seat up to 3,500 spectators.
Lemesos (Limassol) Medieval Castle is situated in the heart of the old town, just above the old harbour. According to tradition, this is where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre and crowned her Queen of England in 1191. The fortified walls are of considerable archaeological interest and thought to be fragments of a much larger castle.
Today, the fort houses the Medieval Museum of Cyprus.
Take a trip back in time and discover the secrets of the island’s most ancient and famous wine - the sweet dessert wine of Commandaria - that has been praised and world-renowned for centuries.
The route through 14 Commandaria villages goes back to 1192 AD when the knights of St. John were perfecting the production of the world’s first named wine. The sweet wine took its identity from the place it was mainly produced - ‘La Grande Commanderie’ - which is the area now known as Kolossi. So famed was Commandaria that it even won in the first recorded wine tasting competition - the ‘Battle of the Wines’ - which took place in the 13th century and was held by the French king Philip Augustus.
Indigenous Mavro (red) and Xynisteri (white) grapes are picked late in the season and dried in the sun to intensify their natural sweet flavors, giving the drink its distinctive taste. The dried grapes are then pressed, with the run-off collected and fermented in tanks or huge earthenware jars – much like those used in bygone times.
NICOSIA
The Cyprus Museum is the island’s main and largest archaeological museum and charts the development of Cyprus’ civilization from the Neolithic Age to the Early Byzantine period (7th century).
The museum’s collections are comprised of finds from extensive excavations from all over the island that have helped the development of Cyprus’ archaeology, as well as its research into the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean.
LARNACA
Located in its own square in the town center, the magnificent stone church of Agios Lazaros is one of the most remarkable examples of Byzantine architecture in Cyprus and lies over the tomb of the saint. Built by Byzantine Emperor Leo VI in the 9th century, the church was restored in the 17th century.
Although the three domes and original bell tower of the church were destroyed in the first years during Ottoman rule, the gold-covered iconostasis has survived today and is a superb example of baroque woodcarving.
The archaeological site of Choirokoitia is a remarkably well-preserved settlement from the Neolithic Age that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Remains from all phases of the Neolithic Age are evident in the settlement and provide an insight of living conditions in the region during prehistoric times, as well as how the Neolithic culture was spread throughout the region.
The vegetation around the dwellings consists of native plants and trees that have grown in Cyprus since Neolithic times.
https://www.visitcyprus.com
From Limassol or Larnaca Port
PAFOS
The Pafos Mosaics are considered among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean and form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980.
The Houses of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus are the villas of four Roman noblemen that date from the 2nd to the 5th centuries AD. Their intricate floor mosaics depict various scenes from Greek Mythology.
The famous ‘Tombs of the Kings’ form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos (Paphos) - one of the most important archaeological sites of Cyprus that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980.
The monumental underground tombs are carved out of solid rock and date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Aphrodite’s mythical birthplace ‘Petra tou Romiou’ located on the southwest coast of the Pafos district.
According to the legend, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty - Aphrodite - was born of the sea foam here. Legend tells that she rose from the waves and was escorted on a shell to this particular beach.
The giant rock formations, which are seen at the same location are linked with another - more recent - legend which tells that the Byzantine hero Digenis Akritas heaved them there to keep the Saracens Arabs (7th-10th centuries) at bay. The name of Petra tou Romiou (‘rock of the Greek’ in Greek) comes from the hero.
It is said that in certain weather conditions, the waves rise, break and form a column of water that dissolves into a pillar of foam. With imagination, this momentarily looks like an ephemeral, evanescent human shape. Other popular myths tell that swimming around the rock three times will bring various blessings, including eternal youth and beauty, good luck, fertility and true love.
LIMASSOL
Kourion was an important city-kingdom in antiquity and stands as one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Cyprus. Its theatre - located on the southern end of the abrupt hill on which the city is built - is of great significance.
The Kourion theatre was constructed at the end of the 2nd century BC, but took its current dimensions during the 2nd century AD. Consisting of a semicircular orchestra that is surrounded by seats of the cavea The theatre could seat up to 3,500 spectators.
Lemesos (Limassol) Medieval Castle is situated in the heart of the old town, just above the old harbour. According to tradition, this is where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre and crowned her Queen of England in 1191. The fortified walls are of considerable archaeological interest and thought to be fragments of a much larger castle.
Today, the fort houses the Medieval Museum of Cyprus.
Take a trip back in time and discover the secrets of the island’s most ancient and famous wine - the sweet dessert wine of Commandaria - that has been praised and world-renowned for centuries.
The route through 14 Commandaria villages goes back to 1192 AD when the knights of St. John were perfecting the production of the world’s first named wine. The sweet wine took its identity from the place it was mainly produced - ‘La Grande Commanderie’ - which is the area now known as Kolossi. So famed was Commandaria that it even won in the first recorded wine tasting competition - the ‘Battle of the Wines’ - which took place in the 13th century and was held by the French king Philip Augustus.
Indigenous Mavro (red) and Xynisteri (white) grapes are picked late in the season and dried in the sun to intensify their natural sweet flavors, giving the drink its distinctive taste. The dried grapes are then pressed, with the run-off collected and fermented in tanks or huge earthenware jars – much like those used in bygone times.
NICOSIA
The Cyprus Museum is the island’s main and largest archaeological museum and charts the development of Cyprus’ civilization from the Neolithic Age to the Early Byzantine period (7th century).
The museum’s collections are comprised of finds from extensive excavations from all over the island that have helped the development of Cyprus’ archaeology, as well as its research into the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean.
LARNACA
Located in its own square in the town center, the magnificent stone church of Agios Lazaros is one of the most remarkable examples of Byzantine architecture in Cyprus and lies over the tomb of the saint. Built by Byzantine Emperor Leo VI in the 9th century, the church was restored in the 17th century.
Although the three domes and original bell tower of the church were destroyed in the first years during Ottoman rule, the gold-covered iconostasis has survived today and is a superb example of baroque woodcarving.
The archaeological site of Choirokoitia is a remarkably well-preserved settlement from the Neolithic Age that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Remains from all phases of the Neolithic Age are evident in the settlement and provide an insight of living conditions in the region during prehistoric times, as well as how the Neolithic culture was spread throughout the region.
The vegetation around the dwellings consists of native plants and trees that have grown in Cyprus since Neolithic times.
https://www.visitcyprus.com
