OPTION 2
ROUTE
- KOUKLIA – Visit the birthplace of Aphrodite, the beloved goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and fertility, born from the foam (aphros) of the sea and worshiped in the ancient town of Paphos.
- KATO PAPHOS – visit the house of Dionysos at the ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
- PAPHOS HARBOR – small break to enjoy the sea views.
- YEROSKIPOU – visit the Traditional sweet making factory. Experience the production and taste the famous desert “Cyprus Delight”,
TRIP DETAILS
Price per Person: €65.00
Date: 29/06/2024
Departure / Return time: 09:00 – 16:00
Above price includes:
- Bus transportation from and to hotel
- Licensed English-Speaking tour guide
- Entrance Fees to Tombs of the Kings, Paphos Mosaics and Loukoumi Factory.
PAPHOS – the European Capital of Culture (2017)
The whole town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world heritage. Wherever one treads in Paphos comes across its glorious history which dates back ten thousand years. In 2017, Paphos was selected as the European Capital of Culture for its role of serving as a bridge between different cultures, a melting-pot of which many traces are still visible today.
APHRODITE’S BIRTH
Legend has it that following a dispute between the god of time, Cronus, and his father Uranus, Cronus cut off Uranus’ genitals and threw them into the sea. Out of the foam (aphros) of the fertilised waters, the birth of Aphrodite took place.
The naked goddess, carried by a gigantic scallop shell, was washed ashore on a pebbled beach of the ancient town of Paphos right next to a giant rock formation that sits gracefully offshore. As she lightly stepped ashore, the arid sand was changed into a verdant meadow and the loveliest flowers sprang up at every step of her delicate feet. The myth combined with the scenery has provided numerous famous poets and artists with beautiful inspirations to create artworks. One such artwork is Boticelli’s famous painting “Birth of Venus”.
APHRODITE’S BIRTHPLACE
Aphrodite’s mythical birthplace, Petra tou Romiou also known as Aphrodite’s Rock, is an interesting geological formation of huge rocks along one of the most beautiful coastlines on the island at the southwest coast of Pafos (PALAIPAFOS – Kouklia village). “Petra tou Romiou” meaning the Rock of the Greek, is also associated with the legendary Byzantine hero, Digenis Akritas.
According to legend, the hero in his effort to keep the invading Saracens Arabs (7th-10th centuries) at bay, he grabbed a huge rock and tossed it into the sea. A large, imposing rock accompanied by several smaller rocks, emerge from the sea in that area.
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK – visit the HOUSE OF DIONYSOS
The Archaeological Park includes sites and monuments from the 4th century BC to the Middle Ages, while most remains date to the Roman period. The mosaics floors of four noblemen’s villas (the houses of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus) dating from the 3rd to the 5th century AD are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean and they mainly depict scenes from Greek Mythology. The park also includes other important monuments, such as the Tombs of the Kings, a vast necropolis famous for the majesty of its tombs.
THE PAPHOS HARBOR
Before resuming this historical journey, you will have the pleasure of visiting the Paphos harbour which offers excellent sea views and an outstanding range of restaurants and bars to suit every taste.
YEROSKIPOU – visit the Traditional sweet making factory.
Once famous for its sacred gardens, dedicated to the Goddess Aphrodite, these days the village of Yeroskipou (Geroskipou) is best known for its production of the famous desert Cyprus Delight (also known as Loukoumi and Turkish Delight).
These powdered sugar-coated candies are traditionally flavoured with rose water but are also produced in several other unique flavours making them an ideal souvenir. In the square of the village, you will have the opportunity to observe how these sweets are made and try some.
An additional highlight of the small village includes the church of Agia Paraskevi, celebrated for its medieval paintings and icons.
The little church of Agia Paraskevi is worldwide recognised as an extremely significant example of Byzantine architecture dated to the 9th century A.D.