Archaeological park in Paphos map. Paphos Archaeological Park: description. Archaeological open-air museum. Latest news from the Archaeological Park

The first attraction of Paphos is a huge archaeological zone on a wide cape jutting into the sea. On this convenient location, surrounded on three sides by the sea, next to a convenient bay, a city could not help but arise.

Archaeological zone of Paphos on the map

The archaeological zone is fenced with a chain-link mesh. There are two entrances to the territory and several exits around the perimeter (in the form of a one-way turntable). The main entrance to the archaeological park is located near the harbor, behind the parking lot. If you are standing at the Harbor city bus station, then you need to cross the parking lot and walk along the fence towards the sea.

Ticket costs 4-50. Archaeological Park open 7 days a week (we visited on Monday) until 17:00 (in summer - until 19-30).

Entrance to the archaeological park

The zone is huge. Monuments from various eras are scattered on its territory. Conglomerate of times: Ancient Greece, Rome, Byzantium, Middle Ages, Ottoman Empire– every civilization has left its mark on this piece of land. Much still remains underground and awaits archaeological researchers.

We spent three hours in the archaeological park. Be sure to take a plan when purchasing your ticket, because some sites without a plan can be missed. A large field overgrown with grass spreads out before your eyes, and only a couple of meters away you can, for example, see the descent into an early Christian church or catacombs.

Roman villas with mosaics

The most valuable exhibits of the museum are four Roman villas from the 3rd to 5th centuries. AD All that remains of the villas themselves are foundations, fragments of walls, columns, remains of baths, fountains and - most importantly - mosaic floors. It is thanks to these unique mosaics that ancient Paphos is included in the UNESCO list. And the villas themselves received their names from the characters depicted in the mosaics: the villas of Aeon, Theseus, Orpheus and Dionysus.

The villas of Aeon, Theseus, and Orpheus are located together, one after the other, and the villa of Dionysus stands apart.

Immediately after the entrance to the archaeological zone, the road forks: straight and to the right. Go straight to the sea, and this path will lead you to Villa Eona.

Villa Eona

It was excavated by Polish archaeologists from the University of Warsaw, and what we see now is only a small part of the luxurious ancient villa. This hall was called the Reception Hall.

Mosaic panel with geometric pattern

A pavilion was built around her priceless mosaics. In one section there are mosaics with geometric patterns,

in another section, six scenes are depicted with great skill, from small mosaics, with elaboration of details and shadows.

On the left is the triumphal procession of Dionysus. On the right is a musical competition between Marsyas and Apollo.

Queen of Sparta Leda and Zeus

The walls of the villa were covered with frescoes depicting Apollo and the Muses. Some of them are on display in the Paphos Museum.

Next - Villa of Theseus. There are walkways over the remains of the villa.

Villa of Theseus

Right underneath open air lies a magnificent mosaic depicting the battle of Theseus with the Minotaur.

In the center are the characters in this story: Theseus, who grabbed the Minotaur by the horn, and Ariadne is a little to the side. Around the medallion there is a labyrinth of the Minotaur.

Remains of the fountain

A ribbon of mosaic floors stretches into the distance. Imagine the size of the villa.

And this is presumably the central hall of Theseus’s villa with a fresco depicting the preparation of the newborn Achilles for his first bath. His mother, the goddess Thetis, dipped the child into the waters of the Styx to make him immortal. Only the heel, by which the child was held during bathing, remained vulnerable.

located near the sea. Its largest surviving mosaic depicts Orpheus playing the lyre, surrounded by animals. Another panel depicts Hercules in combat with the Nemean lion, which is why the villa is sometimes called the Villa of Hercules.

Columns from Orpheus's villa have even been preserved

It feels like the winds here are serious.

Plants unknown to me:

And we are heading to villa of Dionysus– a large covered building containing a large fragment of well-preserved mosaic floors.

There are walkways over the mosaics.

In addition to descriptions in Greek and English, there are signs for the blind in Braille. To be honest, we were surprised.

Description of mosaics for the blind

Along the perimeter of the villa there is a ribbon with hunting scenes.

The interior space of the villa is occupied by drawings with plots and geometric patterns.

Amazing variety of patterns and inclusions. In the picture below we even found a traffic light.

Some of the mosaics on the territory of the archaeological park are covered with film and sprinkled with sand.

We decided that it was planned to build a canopy or pavilion over them.

These sprinkled mosaics were guarded by an attentive mustachioed guard:

Castle of the Forty Columns (Saranda Kolones)

From the Villa of Dionysus we went to the Castle of the Forty Columns, or Saranta Colones. It is a square, massive structure with double walls, surrounded by a moat.

The outer fortress had 8 towers. Behind the wall there was a courtyard and the castle itself, already with 4 towers. The design is reminiscent of (the so-called “Donjon”) in Norman Caen.

In both cases, little remains of the castles. Paphos Castle Forty Columns was originally built by the Byzantines. The Arabs captured it and destroyed it. Subsequently, it was restored and strengthened several times, but after devastating earthquake 1222 gave up and built a port fortress on a narrow cape closing the bay.

Among the ruins of the castle, gray granite columns stand out - it is because of them that the Byzantine castle received the name Forty Columns. These sturdy, representative columns were presumably borrowed from the agora.

Granite columns

Agora and Odeon

Meanwhile, we are moving closer to the agora - the former shopping center ancient Paphos.

The Agora is an absolute square and, apart from clearly traceable outlines, nothing has been preserved here. Use your imagination and imagine retail space with benches around the perimeter. We fill the square with ancient Greeks, and in the center, say, we put a fountain.

Agora, Odeon and lighthouse

Immediately behind the agora a steep slope rises. It would be a shame not to use it as an amphitheater. True, the theater turned out to be quite small, in other words – the Maly Theater, or Odeon. It has been renovated and is used for concerts.

Behind the Odeon you can see the youngest, but most visible structure of the archaeological park - the Paphos Lighthouse. The lighthouse was installed by the British in 1888. From any place in the park, the lighthouse attracts the eye and serves as a landmark.

View from the lighthouse towards the sea

View from the lighthouse towards the city

Quarries and basilicas

And we walk along the sea and discover that the grassy slope ends in a rocky wall towards the sea. The rocks are dotted with caves, and, apparently, were used both for stone mining and as temporary dwellings.

Blooming cyclomena

Quarries

Paphos consists of two parts: the upper and lower town. The lower town, or Kato Paphos as it is called, is located along the coast and all the main attractions are concentrated here. This part of the city is a tourist area. Tourists roam here day and night, cafes, bars and restaurants operate here. There are souvenir shops, stalls with cigarettes, ice cream and all other tourist stuff everywhere. Lower Paphos is noisy, multifaceted and colorful.

New Paphos is a modern urban center and its other name is Pano Paphos. It is not as noisy and fussy as the one below. Most of the shops, banks and administrative buildings of Paphos are located in this part of the city. But there are also many interesting sights that you can explore on your own, without excursions - streets and buildings, both ancient and modern. Let's take a walk in both parts of the city of Paphos and enjoy its spirit, history, architecture. The guide will consist of two parts; the map will help you navigate yourself. So let's start the walk.

Kato Paphos. Walking around the sights

Kato Paphos. Temple of Agia Kyriaki

We will begin our independent sightseeing of Kato Paphos with the Temple of Agia Kyriaki. It is located at the intersection of the streets of St. Kyriakis (od. Agias Kyriakis) with the street of Aphrodite (od. Pafias Afroditis). This is the oldest Christian basilica in Cyprus. In the first centuries AD, this place was Cathedral Pathos. During excavations of the basilica, archaeologists found fragments of columns and slabs covered with colored stone mosaics. In the 18th century, the Lisignan era, the Catholic Church of St. Paul was built in the northeastern part of the basilica. Two centuries later, a Franciscan monastery was built next to it.

Neither the church nor the monastery have survived to this day. Now in Paphos only a few medieval tombstones remain from them. For example, the Danish King Eric (1905-1103) rests here. He once went to Palestine, but died on the way in Paphos. The Orthodox Church of St. Kyriaki, which you see now, appeared on the site of a monastery in the Middle Ages. There are many beautiful icons in the church, the icon is especially revered Holy Mother of God. Nearby there is a low column made of gray marble. This is St. Paul's Column. According to legend, the proconsul Paul Sergius chained the Apostle Paul to this column and ordered him to be flogged, and after that he convinced him to accept Christianity.

Church of Panagia Theoskepasti and Basilica of Panagia Limeniotissa

Walk a little to the southeast and you can see another attraction of Cyprus and Kato Paphos - Theoskepasti Church. Another name for it is the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God. It stands on a small hill. This is a new church, built in 1923. It was built on the site of a medieval church that burned down in a fire.

Then return again to Apostolou Pavlou Avenue and cross to the other side of the road, to Nicolaou Nikolaou Street. Walk down to the harbor along this street. Very close to the harbor, behind the restaurants, you can see the ruins of the ancient basilica of Panagia Limeniotissa, which means “Patroness of the Harbor”. This basilica was built in the 5th century AD and was considered the most beautiful in Paphos. Once upon a time, the floors of its beautiful halls were completely covered with mosaics, and there were rows of marble columns. Unfortunately, an earthquake in 1159 destroyed the basilica, and we can only see the ruins.

Catacombs of Saint Solomonia in Paphos

Kato Paphos has many catacombs that were created as a result of quarrying. Houses and temples were built from rocks, and burials were made in the depressions formed in the rocks. The Catacombs of Saint Solomonia are located at the intersection of Apostle Paul Avenue and Plutarch Street (od. Ploutarhou). The unique Church of St. Solomoni (Agia Solomoni) has been preserved in the catacombs.

You can easily find the entrance to the catacombs on your own using a small tree. It is over 500 years old. Cypriots believe that if you leave an offering on its branches and make a wish, it will definitely come true. Here is a tree hung with scraps, rags, ropes and bells. The catacombs themselves are several halls around an open area. Steep steps lead to the underground halls. The catacombs are not at all gloomy, as sunlight penetrates through the holes in the rock. In the catacombs there flows a spring with the purest water. Residents of Paphos believe that this water helps with eye diseases.

Catacombs of Saint Lambrianos

From the catacombs of St. Solomonia, you need to turn right onto Apostle Paul Avenue and walk up from the sea, about 10 minutes. And there you can independently explore the next attraction of Paphos - the catacombs of St. Lambrianos. They consist of several huge halls, on the walls of which in some places you can see half-erased frescoes. The catacombs contain underground tombs from the Ptolemaic era. Entrance to the catacombs of Agios Solomonia and Agios Lambrianos is free. There are also small and very gloomy catacombs near the northwestern gate of Paphos.

Attractions of the Paphos Archaeological Park

In the western part of Kato Paphos is Neo Paphos. It was once ancient capital Paphos, founded in the 4th century BC. At that time, Cyprus was ruled by the Ptolemies, Greco-Roman rulers. The city flourished for 7 centuries. In 58 BC. AD the city was surrendered to the Romans. Under Roman rule the city continued to remain cultural capital. In the 3rd AD, luxurious villas were built, the floors of which were decorated with mosaics. But an earthquake in the 4th century AD destroyed most of the buildings, and the city fell into decay.

Today's attractions Archaeological Park were built before the earthquake and most of the buildings we see today date back to the Roman period. The entrance to the Archaeological Park is located from the west of the port car park. To get to the excavations on your own, you need to climb the wide stone steps. Let's take a walk through these historical sights.
And there is something to see here.

Interesting too

In Paphos, five villas of the 2nd-3rd centuries AD were discovered during excavations. The discovery happened by accident. In 1962, a farmer was plowing land near the port, and a tractor plow suddenly hit a stone panel. This was the unique mosaic floor of the building. The buildings themselves, unfortunately, have not survived. The mosaics depict ancient heroes. Scientists named the villas by their names: “Dionysus”, “Theseus”, “House of Orpheus”, “House of Aeon”. The most beautiful mosaics in the “Villa of Dionysus”. They tell different stories, and most of course are about love. In 1977, archaeologists discovered another image under the top layer of the mosaic of the Villa of Dionysus - Scylla. Today it is the oldest mosaic in Cyprus and the most beautiful landmark of Kato Paphos.

Mosaics in Paphos Archaeological Park

The first mosaic you will see upon entering the Villa of Dionysus in Paphos Archaeological Park is Scylla. In Hall No. 2 you can see a mosaic telling the story of Narcissus. Narcissus was so beautiful that he spent days admiring his reflection in the lake. For this, the gods turned him into a yellow flower growing near the water. In room No. 3 the mosaic is called “Seasons”. On the mosaic, spring, summer and autumn are depicted as beautiful women, and winter is depicted as a gray-haired old man, reminiscent of our Santa Claus. The most original mosaic in room No. 6 is “Phaedra and Hippolytus.” The mosaic tells the story of tragic story the love of a stepmother for her adopted son.

A very beautiful attraction is located in room No. 8 - this is the mosaic “The Rape of Ganymede”. This is the mythical story of the young shepherd Ganymede. He was so beautiful and pure of soul that even the gods could not resist his charm. Zeus turned into an eagle, kidnapped the young man and took him to Olympus, where he became the cupbearer of the gods. In the eastern part of the villa there is a mosaic depicting the tragic love story of Pyramus and Thisbe. It served as the basis for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

It can be useful

Next to the “Villa of Dionysus” are the ruins of the “Villa of Theseus”. It was built in the 2nd century AD. It was once a huge palace with an area of 9600 m² and an area of mosaics of 1400 m². The most interesting mosaic is in room No. 36 with the image of Theseus defeating the Minotaur. Next, another attraction is a mosaic dedicated to the mythical hero Achilles.

In room No. 76 there is a magnificent mosaic depicting the great god of the seas, Poseidon. Next to the Villa of Theseus is the Villa of Aeon. It is named after the image of a pagan god found at this place. This villa has mosaics from the 4th century AD. All mosaics are colored and skillfully executed. It feels like they are not stone, but watercolor. You will be able to discern the shine of the eyes of the characters in the mosaics, the skillfully created play of light and shadow.

The Archaeological Museum ticket kiosk sells a guide to the Paphos mosaics at English language. Price 5 €. A thorough independent inspection of the mosaics will take approximately 2 hours.

Odeon Theater and Forty Columns Castle

The next attraction is located near the “Villa of Dionysus”. This is a semicircular Roman theater, the Odeon, built in the Hellenic era. Exactly this romantic place An archaeological park that is definitely worth exploring. If you climb its white steps, you will see vast expanses Mediterranean Sea. In summer, music concerts and performances take place here. Next to the Odeon are the ruins of Asklepion. This is a small temple built in honor of the god of healing, Asclepius.

To the east of the “Villa of Dionysus” there is a very colorful attraction of Kato Paphos - the ruins of the castle “Forty Columns” (Saranta Kolones).
The fortress was built by the Byzantines in the 7th century. There were once 40 columns at its base. Now there are many granite columns scattered picturesquely on the field near the ruins. In 1192, Richard the Lionheart captured the fortress. For half a century, the crusaders completed its construction and strengthened it. But their efforts were in vain. An earthquake in 1222 completely destroyed the castle, leaving only two graceful stone arches and underground structures.

The archaeological park is open: 8.00-19.30.
Ticket price: 3.5 €.

Kato Paphos. Royal Tombs

2 kilometers north of Kato Paphos there is a large burial complex carved into the rock. This dark excursion to the “Tombs of the Kings” will be remembered for a long time. Half-erased stone steps lead from the surface of the rock to the tombs. You find yourself in an open courtyard, with empty burial chambers on four sides. The vaults support dilapidated columns. This is the only example of funerary architecture in Cyprus. Such tombs are more typical of Egypt. During the Ptolemaic era, this necropolis was the burial place of noble citizens; kings were not buried here. And the necropolis got its name because of its similarity with royal burials in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. All the tombs were plundered in ancient times. Most of the burials date back to the 1st-3rd centuries AD.

Opening hours: May-September: 8.30-19.30; October-April: 8.30-17.00.
Ticket price is about 2 €.

Fort (Fortress) Paphos

Walk from the entrance to the Paphos Archaeological Park down Apostle Paul Avenue towards the harbour. At this point the avenue turns into a pedestrian sidewalk. You will see a small ancient Fort. To get to the fortress yourself you need to cross the moat on a stone bridge. Back in the 7th century, the Byzantines built a fortress on this site for protection from the sea. In 1192 it was captured by Richard the Lionheart. In 1222, an earthquake turned the fortress into ruins.

In 1391, the Lusignans again erected a fort on this site, which was also destroyed during the war with the Turks. And that part of the fortress that we see now was built at the end of the 16th century on the ruins of former buildings. The ruins of the very first fortress can be seen at the very end of the western cape of Kato Paphos harbour. Climb up spiral staircase to the top platform of the fortress wall, and a magnificent panorama of Paphos and the harbor will open before you. There is a lot to see and spectacular pictures to take.

Opening hours: May-September: 9.00-18.00; October-April: 9.00-17.00.
Ticket price: about 2 €.

Have a fun walk! And in the next part of the guide we will take a walk around.

On one of the hot August days of our stay in Cyprus, we decided to explore Paphos.
The city is divided into upper (Pano Paphos) and lower (Kato Paphos) parts. In the upper part there are administrative buildings, schools, markets, and in the lower part, which stretches along the sea, all the main attractions are concentrated - the ruins of ancient castles, catacombs, a lighthouse and the central embankment of the city with shops, bars and other amenities for tourists.

If you believe the ancient Greeks, then Paphos was the birthplace of the goddess of love Aphrodite (Petra tou Romiou), the city has many ruins left over from the Roman era, the Apostle Paul preached on the island... Paphos was the cultural capital of ancient Cyprus.
After lying on the beach in the morning, we moved to cultural heritage Cyprus is in the thick of it! From our hotel it was a three-minute walk to the entrance to the Paphos Archaeological Park.

Of course, the first thing I especially wanted to see and photograph was the lighthouse, which had been attracting me all the previous two days.
We moved in the direction of this)

Along the way, we examined the Odeon, an amphitheater that was built by the Romans in the 2nd century. n. e. and in those days it was a more impressive structure than it is now: it had 25 rows of spectators, and not 12, as now, after reconstruction. Currently, the Odeon hosts festivals and theatrical performances during the summer months.

If you look into the auditorium of the amphitheater, then to the left are the ruins of Asklepion, where the inhabitants of ancient Paphos were treated and the god of medicine Asclepius was worshiped.

There weren't many wandering around the ruins...

It was mercilessly scorching, grasshoppers and cicadas were chirping, and nimble lizards were scattering everywhere.

After examining the ruins of Asklepion, sitting in the shade of one saving tree, we moved directly to the lighthouse..
Along the paths there were such brightnesses)

We inspected the buildings, apparently necessary for the lighthouse keeper... everything was closed and there was a lock on the door - it was not possible to get into the lighthouse itself.

This cactus grew there - it seems that an alcoholic drink is made from its fruits.

View of Paphos beach.

Then, in small dashes, we moved towards the main beauties - the House of Dionysus and the House of Theseus.
These are two extensive villas from the 3rd century AD, notable for their beautiful mosaics with scenes from ancient mythology, geometric patterns, scenes of hunting and grape harvest. All mosaics and villa ruins are included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

“The mosaics of the highest class also include the floor paintings of the House of Theseus, which received its name from the mosaic depicting Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur, perfectly preserved to this day. On the mosaic in the center of the round labyrinth is Theseus, at his feet is the Minotaur, above which is raised a sharp sword , on the right is the island of Crete, on the left is Ariadne, below is a labyrinth, which, like Crete, is personified by the names of everyone. characters written in capital Greek letters. Today, this mosaic, in terms of execution and richness of colors, is considered the best of all those discovered so far in Cyprus."
Here she is.

My favorite columns!

In the 7th century, when Arab raids on Cyprus became more frequent, a powerful Byzantine fortress was built to protect Paphos, called Saranta Kolones - “Forty Columns”. It is located on an elevated site coastline, a few hundred meters east of the Villa of Dionysus, and was once connected to the port by a narrow road. It was destroyed during an earthquake and was not rebuilt after that.

This is the “Komodo dragon” we met there))

Subsequently, the much punished Paphos Castle, located in the Paphos harbor, began to play the role of a fort.
During the British occupation of the island, it served as a salt warehouse. In 1935 the castle was declared one of the main attractions of Paphos.
IN last years The castle hosts an annual festival held in September. This medieval fort is used as a stage in an ancient Greek theater - where actors change clothes before the performance. Theater stages and rows of seats for spectators were built on the shore. A real ancient fort and the sunset sky over the sea waves are a good backdrop for theatrical performances. When we were there, they were performing Puccini's La Bohème for three days.
In the center behind the rows it is almost invisible (from the embankment).

Parts of three mosaics have been preserved in the House of Orpheus. One depicts Hercules preparing to jump on a lion, the second shows an Amazon holding the reins of a horse and a double axe, the third shows Orpheus with a lyre in his hands, and around there are wild animals enchanted by the music of the ancient Greek hero.

Saranta Colones Castle suffered more than others. It is practically destroyed to the ground. Only the basements and openwork arches have survived. They can be used to judge the layout of the building. The walls were 3 meters thick, and there were massive towers in the corners. The main gate was in the shape of a horseshoe.

Inside the castle there are military and outbuildings: a bakery, a mill, swimming pools, barracks, a forge, a bathhouse, a stable, etc. There was even a chapel on the second floor.

Only columns and small fragments of walls remained from the Temple of Asclepius.

In the northwestern side of the park you can see the walls that surrounded the city.

Near the entrance is the Basilica of Panagia Limeniotissa, or rather its ruins. The temple was built in the 5th century and had three naves. The Arabs plundered it in 653 and turned it into a stable. In the 7th century, the church was restored, but earthquakes in 1159 and 1222 destroyed the structure. Currently, we can only see the remains of the foundation, columns, and floors laid out with mosaics with a geometric pattern.

In the rocks near the lighthouse (almost along the sea) there are caves used for housing or for quarrying stone. The quarries are impressive in their size and antiquity.

The path from the caves leads to the catacombs of Saint Lambrianos. These are corridors, rooms, and stairs carved into limestone.

What you should know when going to Paphos Archaeological Park

It is better to visit a park that is large enough in size either in the morning or in the afternoon.

You will have to walk under the open sky and the scorching sun (in summer), think about your shoes and clothes in advance. Don't forget to bring sunscreen: this is not a beach, but it is quite possible to get sunburned.

Without a guide or audio guide, an excursion to the park will be boring. Of course, there are descriptions and signs near each building, but you need to know Greek or English. And if you don’t remember the myths Ancient Greece, then even more so.

Bring water and a snack.

The Odeon (amphitheater) hosts theatrical and musical performances in the summer. You will have a unique opportunity to visit an ancient theater with modern productions (a tandem of past and present).

At the entrance to the park you can pick up a free map of the park in Russian. On it you will find the location of the catacombs and the Tombs of the Kings complex.

About a kilometer separates the park from Alykes Beach. You can stop by the beach after sightseeing in the park.

Cyprus' past is a bottomless well of discovery, surprise and delight. The island is strewn with unique antiquities, one of which we told you about.

Why go? If you have been to Pompeii or climbed the Acropolis, the Paphos Archaeological Park may seem simple to you. But on the scale of Cyprus, this is the most important attraction, demonstrating the close, centuries-old cultural ties of the island with mainland Greece. The buildings and mosaics of the ancient era invariably arouse great interest among tourists.

How to get there. Next to the park is the Paphos bus station, but this, unfortunately, is not the bus station where intercity flights arrive. That one, Paphos Caravella, is 3 kilometers to the northeast. Therefore, when arriving from Nicosia, Larnaca or Limassol, you need to transfer to bus routes 610 or 618. For those coming from the Coral Bay area, where Russian tourists like to relax, it’s easier: bus commuter service 615 will take them to the Paphos Kato bus station, from which it is very close to the entrance to the Archaeological Park.

If anyone didn’t know, in Cyprus you drive on the left. Those. If you rent a car, you need to be alert all the time and try not to habitually drive into the right lane, which is the oncoming lane on the island. If you still take the risk of renting a car, then for an excursion to the Paphos Archaeological Park, the parking lot, which occupies a vast space near the Kato bus station, is suitable.

How to get. Access is open year-round, with the exception of a few religious holidays. IN high season, from mid-April to mid-September, the museum is open from 8:30 to 19:30, otherwise the gates are locked by staff at 17:00. Admission is paid, the ticket costs 4.50 euros. There is an opportunity to save money if you buy a comprehensive ticket, which allows you to visit all the valuable attractions of the island within one, three or seven days without additional expenses. As we have seen, a weekly ticket is optimal. It costs 25 euros and if you visit only 6 museums, then all the next ones will be a pleasant bonus.

What to do. Take water, friends, a good mood and an umbrella with you (an umbrella is a must, during the day the Cypriot sun burns mercilessly, and there is nowhere to hide from it in the archaeological park), prepare for several hours of walking and start the excursion. From the very first steps, the Paphos Archaeological Park prepares people to encounter beauty: the walls of the ticket offices are decorated with mosaics with scenes typical of the ancient era.

Mosaic decorating the wall of the ticket office pavilion. The area of the park is about 80 hectares, which is approximately 100 football stadiums. Fortunately, it is not necessary to plow the entire vast space with your feet; it is enough to visit several of the most valuable sites, including the villas of Dionysus, Theseus and Aeon, where mosaics created two thousand years ago are preserved. Also of interest are the Roman forum, a small theater and former temple Asclepius.

The theater building is perfectly preserved. The excursion would have been more exciting if we had chosen the right time for it. In my opinion, in summer it is better to visit the Paphos Archaeological Park either in the morning or in the late afternoon. During the day the heat is simply murderous. I was especially indignant about this, since I was torn away from enjoying the beach, and tried to spoil the mood of others by comparing what I saw with Pompeii. Like, in Pompeii the amphitheater is much more spacious, in Pompeii the territory is larger, in Pompeii the mosaics are more beautiful. My friends then just started poking fun at me, and they were right: the mosaics in Paphos are pretty darn good, to be honest. Overall, I liked the park, but the terrible heat put pressure on my psyche. Don't repeat our mistake and don't go on an excursion at a time when the earth seems to be melting.

Nutrition. As I already said, before going to the park you need to stock up on water. It’s not necessary to eat; you don’t really want to eat in the heat. You can eat near the entrance to the park, on the embankment, where there are several restaurants specializing in Cypriot cuisine.

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