Cyprus

We visited Cyprus over the holiday period, where the weather was mild and it was not busy with tourists. We were based in Paphos and these photos were taken on Paphos beach at sunset on Christmas day.

The Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia (ancient Palaipafos) is one of Cyprus’s most important archaeological sites, where worship of the goddess of love and fertility began over 3,000 years ago. Today, its weathered foundations, Roman mosaics and small on-site museum evoke the grandeur of a once-famous temple that drew pilgrims from across the ancient world.

Amongst the ruins and mosaics were some almond trees where we could pick the nuts from the tree. The kindly custodian showed Leya how to crack the shells with his small hammer to get the nut inside.

As we walked around the site, we spotted these red insects. Firebugs are common across the Mediterranean, including Cyprus, and are often seen in clusters on sunny rocks or near linden and mallow plants, where they feed mainly on seeds. They’re harmless to humans and plants — their grouping behavior is mostly for warmth and protection.

The Baths of Aphrodite are a small, shaded natural grotto near Latsi, where crystal-clear spring water trickles into a rocky pool beneath a fig tree. According to legend, it’s the spot where the goddess Aphrodite met her lover Adonis, making it both a tranquil nature stop and a place of mythic beauty overlooking the Akamas coast.

We then walked some of the Aphrodite Trail which is a lovely circular hike starting at the Baths of Aphrodite, winding through the Akamas Peninsula’s cliffs and pine forests with sweeping views of the Chrysochou Bay and the blue Mediterranean below.

Nea Paphos, the ancient city founded in the 4th century BC, was once the capital of Cyprus and a major center of the cult of Aphrodite. Today, its large archaeological park reveals beautifully preserved Roman villas with intricate mosaics, a Hellenistic theatre, and the remains of city walls, temples and agora, all overlooking the Mediterranean.

The Tombs of the Kings in Paphos is a vast necropolis dating to the 4th–3rd centuries BCE, carved directly into the coastal rock and used for the burials of high-ranking officials rather than actual royalty. Its grand Doric columns, frescoed chambers, and sunlit courtyards reflect the fusion of Hellenistic and Egyptian funerary architecture.

The Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque, located on the shores of the Larnaca Salt Lake in Cyprus, is one of the most important Islamic pilgrimage sites in the world. It is built around the tomb of Umm Haram, a relative of the Prophet Muhammad who, according to tradition, died in Cyprus during the first Arab expeditions to the island in the 7th century CE.

The ancient city of Kourion, located on a cliff overlooking the sea near Limassol, is an impressive archaeological sites, offering a vivid glimpse into the island’s Greco-Roman past. Once a thriving city-kingdom, Kourion was an important cultural and political center that flourished from the Hellenistic through the Byzantine periods.

Among its ruins are remarkable Roman villas decorated with intricate mosaic floors, the Greco-Roman theatre that faces the Mediterranean, and the remains of public baths, colonnaded streets, and temples — including the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, one of Cyprus’s most significant religious sites.

Having visited numerous archaeological sites, this one has the benefit of being one of the few where one has a real sense of it functioning in reality, particularly when walking around the agora, where one can easily imagine shopkeepers and the hustle and bustle of the ancient locals.

The Kourion Stadium, located near the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates in Cyprus, is an ancient Greek–Roman athletic arena dating to the 2nd century CE. It could seat around 6,000 spectators and hosted athletic games, chariot races, and other public events dedicated to Apollo and local festivals.

Built in a U-shaped design with stone seating carved into the hillside, the stadium offers sweeping views over the sea, reflecting both the sporting culture and architectural grandeur of Roman-era Kourion.

As we were driving through the Troodos mountains, we came across a nice playground with a football pitch, where we stopped for a kickabout. In the park there is an old mining train and remains of a bridge. The small locomotive and ore carts are part of the Kalavasos Mine display, which commemorates the island’s copper mining heritage.

This area once formed part of the Cyprus Mines Corporation network, active in the early to mid-20th century. The preserved train and wagons are now an outdoor historical exhibit, reminding visitors of the region’s industrial and geological history tied to copper extraction.

Omodos was one of the most picturesque and historic villages we visited in the Troodos Mountains. Set in the mountainous landscape around Omodos are vineyards dotted around the scenic countryside.

In Omodos itself we wandered around the narrow cobbled streets and traditional stone houses that define the village’s architecture, built from local limestone and often restored with colorful doors and balconies.

In the centre of the village is the Monastery of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros Monastery), a landmark of Omodos dating back to the Byzantine period. Omodos is a blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and traditional village life.

Petra tou Romiou, also known as Aphrodite’s Rock, is a striking sea stack formation on the Paphos coast, where legend says the goddess Aphrodite rose from the sea foam.

Pissouri is found in the mountains between Paphos and Limassol. It is a quaint village with traditional old houses and a friendly mayor (Panayiotis) who greeted us when we were wandering around. It transpires that is also home to a large expat British community. Below the village is Pissouri Bay where we went to the beach.

On our way to Levkosia (Nicosia) we stopped in Fikardou. Fikardou was once a small rural community dating back to the Byzantine period, known for its terraced agriculture, wine, and livestock farming. However, by the 20th century, the village began to decline due to rural depopulation, as younger generations left for cities like Nicosia and Limassol in search of work and better living conditions. By the 1970s, the last permanent residents had left, and the village was effectively abandoned.

Fortunately, instead of being lost to time, Fikardou was preserved as an open-air museum by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus. Many of its traditional stone-built houses were restored, showcasing vernacular mountain architecture typical of 18th- and 19th-century Cyprus. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site (as part of the Troodos cultural region), offering a rare glimpse into traditional Cypriot rural life frozen in time. Though it is slowly disintegrating.

Nicosia is known locally as Lefkosia (Λευκωσία) because that is its original Greek name, which dates back to ancient times.

The border in Lefkosia (Nicosia) is one of the most distinctive and symbolic features of the city — it is the only divided capital in the world.

After the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, following a coup by Greek Cypriot nationalists, the island was split into two parts:

The southern area, controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, and the northern area, controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) — recognized only by Turkey.

In Lefkosia, this division runs straight through the old walled city, forming what is known as the Green Line (or Buffer Zone). This area is patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and includes a demilitarized zone that separates the two sides.

The Green Line is marked by barbed wire, sandbags, abandoned buildings, and checkpoints, creating a stark reminder of the island’s division. For decades, crossing was forbidden, but since 2003, several crossing points have been opened — the most well-known being Ledra Street, in the heart of Nicosia’s old town.

We went to Nicosia to meet up with new firends we had made in Paphos, who invited us for dinner. We had a wander around the Cypriot side together before saying goodbye to them and then we spent a short while crossing the border and having a short wander around the occupied side.

Coral Bay is a beautiful, crescent-shaped beach located just north of Paphos, which is where we headed on our last full day in Cyprus. The Edro III was a Sierra Leone–flagged cargo ship that ran aground off the coast of Peyia near Paphos in 2011 during a storm, becoming permanently stranded on the rocks. It now rests dramatically tilted just off the shore near Sea Caves, surrounded by turquoise waters and rugged limestone cliffs, making it a striking landmark. The Sea Caves nearby are a series of natural coastal formations carved by waves and wind, offering breathtaking views, hidden grottoes, and a unique glimpse into Cyprus’s wild coastal geology.

We had a wonderful time in Cyprus. Apart from the lovely scenery and interesting archaeological sites and so forth, we found the local people extremely hospitable, helpful and charming.