Basic HTML Version
This page and opposite
Dating from the
Hellenistic and Roman
periods, the Tombs of the
King site has more than
100 tombs, all hand-
carved from the rock
FEATURES
|
CYPRUS
WHILE A BREAK
to Cyprus promises all the treats of
your usual top-notch Mediterranean destination – you
can relax around a pool, chill in a harbourside taverna
or revitalise at a luxurious spa – it also provides the
chance for something more unique: visitors can play at
being a real-life Indiana Jones.
The Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Ottomans and
even the British have all had periods of rule here over
the past 10,000 years, and that legacy is still in evidence
at world-famous archaeological sites around the island.
Paphos is a UNESCO site in its entirety, famed for its
Tombs of the Kings, mosaics that dominate the harbour
area, and the tiny Agia Kyriaki church, where St Paul is
said to have been lashed for preaching Christianity.
The coastline east towards Limassol and Larnaca
is awash with historical treasures too: Palaipafos at
Kouklia is meant to be where the ancient goddess
Aphrodite held court, while Petra tou Romiou is,
famously, her birthplace. It doesn’t stop there: you
can visit the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Kourion’s
mighty clifftop theatre and the enchanting Kolossi
Castle and plenty more besides. It all adds up to one
thing: a seaside holiday where you might actually
learn something.
74
|
TRAVELLER