Cyprus is a country that has always intrigued me with its subtropical Mediterranean climate, gorgeous beaches, incredibly long and complex history

Acropolis & Odeon
The Odeon, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in Cyprus was built in the second century and shaped entirely from perfectly hewn limestone rocks. To the south of the Odeon are the remains of the Roman temple of Asclepius, God of Medicine and to the north are remains of ancient town walls. Next to the Odeon and near to the New Paphos Lighthouse is a rocky mound which is said to have been the Acropolis of the town.
Odeon, is not only a tourist attraction, but is one of the best amphitheatre's to stage live musical and theatrical performances. The Cypriot Department of Antiquities has partly restored the Odeon with 12 rows of seats, available for live events. Each year, the Paphos Choir festival and Rhythms of Light festival injects life into the Paphos Odeon with some of the best choirs and spectacular dance performances.
Location: Fabrica Hill, Ayiou Ayapitikou, Paphos

Adonis Baths
The history behind Adonis Baths relates to the love story of Aphrodite and Adonis. Both 'Aphrodite' the Goddess of Love and 'Persephone' the Goddess of Underworld loved Adonis. This led to a fight between Aphrodite and Persephone and the court ruled that Adonis should spend one third of the year with Aphrodite, one third with Persephone and the remaining by himself. But Adonis cheated on Persephone by spending the one-third time reserved for him with Aphrodite. Seething with anger, Persephone got him killed by a wild boar. After hearing the news, Aphrodite ran towards Adonis and while doing so, she bled from her feet. The route through which Aphrodite ran and where blood dripped from her feet, caused lilies to grow, so goes the saying.
The Adonis Baths are located close to the Coral Bay and can be accessed from Kili village or Mavrokolymbos Dam. According to Greek mythology, the couple spent much of their time together at the baths and it was here many of their children were born. Swimming in the baths located below the waterfall is supposed to preserve the woman's youth and strengthen the men.
Location: Two kilometers from Kili village / twelve kilometres from Paphos / seven kilometres from Mavrokolymbos Dam

Agia Solomoni Church / Catacombs of Agia Solomoni
Situated just 1 kilometre away from Kato Paphos port, the Agia Solomoni church is home to 12th century Christian catacombs, although some say that they are originally graves dating back to the Hellenistic period. At the entrance of the underground catacombs stands a large pistachio tree which is supposed to be sacred. It is believed that if you tie a piece of cloth to one of its branches with honest intentions then you will be cured of your ailments. In ancient times the catacombs were carved in the Fabrica Hill, which later became a church for the Christians. The chapel features some interesting frescoes and graffiti's inscribed by the Crusaders. As it is dark inside, visitors are advised to take a torch so that they can view the Chapel and the catacombs properly.
Location: Agio Pavlou Street, Kato Paphos, Paphos

Agios Georghios Basilica and Fountains of Pegeia
Located about 4 kilometres from the fishing village of Pegeia, the early Christian Basilicas of Agios Georgios belong to the Agios Georgios settlement. The ruins depicting early Christianity in Paphos have some nice mosaic floors portraying animal pictures. There are some rock-hewn tombs, dating back to the Roman period, above the sea. The Pegia village is also famous for its stone built fountains constructed in 1907.
Location: Cape Drepanon, Pegeia, Paphos

Ayios Neophytos Monastery
Ayios Neophytos Monastery is believed to have been founded by the Cypriot hermit and writer Neophytos in 1159. He carved his home out of the mountain rock, which has become a monastery in his name. Here you will find some beautiful frescoes dating back to Byzantine Empire. Today, only a few monks stay in the monastery which has a museum featuring many religious reminiscent like manuscripts, holy utensils, and old books, priestly garments, jewellery and a collection of Cypriot pottery and maps on display.
Every year in January the monastery holds a two-day religious fair where you can find Cypriot crafts, art pieces and monastic goods for sale.
Location: Tala Village

Baths of Aphrodite
Located in the Akamas Peninsula, near the little fishing village of Latchi, is the famous mythological site 'Baths of Aphrodite'. It is believed that on this romantic site, Aphrodite used to take her baths in the natural pool grotto, surrounded by fig trees, sweet smelling wild flowers and beautiful natural wildlife. Legends say that it is here where Aphrodite met her lover, the handsome Adonis, when he stopped at the pool for a drink. There are many myths about the pools and one of them says that bathing in the pool would bestow fertility. However, nowadays nobody is allowed to enter the pools. The site can be reached by the nature trails of Akamas.
Location: Akamas Peninsula, near Polis, North Paphos, near Latchi village

Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery
The Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery situated at an altitude of 610 metres above sea level, gives an outstanding view of the surrounding flora and fauna. It was founded in the 12th century, but the existing building dates back to the 18th century. The monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary or the Cypriot 'Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate'. Inside the monastery there is a variety of religious icons and treasures on display. One statue that attracts the most attention is of Virgin Mary, which is made of pure silver. On 15th August, a celebration is held in honour of 'Virgin Mary' as it is believed that on this day she did not wake up after she slept. The word death is not used as the 'Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate' is believed to be in deep sleep, but her other senses and organs, like her heart and brain are still working.
Location: Near Stroumpi village, Paphos

Saranta Kolones Castle
Saranta Kolones are ruins of an ancient castle located to the north of Paphos (or Pafos) harbour. 'Saranta Kolones' literally means Forty columns when translated into English. The name comes from the fact that the original castle was built on the base of 40 granite columns. These columns are said to be constructed by the Lusignans in 13th century on the previous site of the Byzantine castle. The castle itself is said to be constructed in 7th century to protect from Arab invaders and later the Lusignans remodelled it. Today, the castle is in ruins but there are some places to explore like the dungeons and towers.
Location: North of Paphos harbour, Kato Paphos, Paphos

Paphos Castle
The Paphos Castle is located at the Kato Paphos harbour. It was originally a Byzantine fort, but was modernized by the Lusignans. Though the Venetians destroyed it in 1570, the Ottoman's expanded, reinforced and restored the castle to its old glory. Built of strong and large stones, the castle is connected to the harbour via an arched bridge. There are very few windows but the view from the top of castle is superb. The fort is noted in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites and is fully protected.
Location: Edge of Paphos harbour, Kato Paphos, Paphos

Paphos Aquarium
Experience the mysterious underwater world at the Paphos aquarium situated just next to the Theoskepasti church. The place is perfect for a family day out where you can explore 72 large environment friendly tanks full of fish, and one of them is reserved just for the crocodiles. You can get to see various types of fresh water and seawater fish, both common and rare varieties. With specially designed lighting, you can view the fascinating markings and gorgeous colours of the diverse fish.
Location: Next to Theoskepasti Church, Paphos
Tel.: +357 26 953 920

Petra Tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock) 
Petra Tou Romiou or Aphrodite's Rock is not something to be missed. Supposed to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, Goddess of love, it is believed that she emerged from the sea at this bay. Aphrodite herself chose the famous rock to begin her life as a human. It is said that Aphrodite first travelled to the island of Cythera, but she found it too small and therefore reached Paphos and settled here. The name Petra Tou Romiou which means 'Rock of the Greek', comes from the story of the Byzantine frontier guard who used to throw these 'petras' in the sea to destroy Arab ships during a raid by the Saracens on Cyprus.

The Mosaics of Paphos
Situated near the Paphos harbour are some superbly preserved mosaic remains dating back to third to fifth century A.D. These mosaic floors seen in the Villa of Dionysos, Orpheus and Aion, and the Villa of Theseus depict compositions from Greek mythology. A farmer accidentally discovered these mosaics while he was ploughing his field. They are made from small cubes of marble and stone called tesserae. Additionally, glass paste was used to develop the range of colours. The wide variety of these beautiful designs can be seen in the Villa of Dionysos where nearly 5,985 sq.ft. area consisting of 14 rooms is decorated with the mosaics.
Location: Archaeological Park of Nea Paphos, Kyriakou Nikolaou Street, Kato Paphos, Paphos
Tel.: +357 26 306 217

Tombs of the Kings
Tombs of the Kings, located about two kilometres north-west of Paphos harbour, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a large necropolis comprising of underground tombs, many of which are the resting place of 100 Ptolemaic aristocrats who died in Paphos between 3 B.C. and 3 A.D. The name is suggestive of the splendour of the tombs and no actual kings are buried here. Found near the Coral bay, the structure consists of solid rock formations featuring Doric pillars and walls decorated with frescoes. Ongoing archaeological excavations have unearthed the Church of Paleoekklisia, which depict Byzantine frescoes.
Location: Tombs of the Kings / Villa of Dionysos, Kato Paphos, Paphos
Tel.: +357 26 306 295

Kouklia (Temple of Aphrodite)
The Temple of Aphrodite was officially established by its cult with the construction of a hilltop temple on the important pilgrimage site of Palea Paphos. Although, it is said that the temple was erected in 1500 BC, the idols and coins related to Aphrodite found here date back to 3800 BC. It stood on a knoll about 2 kilometres inland overlooking the sea. Soon, the town of Palea Paphos started forming around the temple.
The sanctuary of Aphrodite was first excavated by the Cyprus Exploration Fund in 1887. It was again explored by the British Kouklia Expedition in 1950-55 and has been dug up by a Swiss-German expedition since 1996.
Location: Kouklia village, 14 km (9 miles) east of Paphos