Visit CYPRUS island

Grecian Park Hotel***** in Ayia Napa - Cap Greco

PAFOS

City of the 12th century, become a port very attended by the pilgrims wanting to go to the temple of Aphrodite, because the island of Cyprus is the birthplace of the Goddess of the love and the beauty. Pafos becomes thus the capital of the island and will be used as a basis for cross going out of Holy Land.

Today, the town of Pafos be more the capital of island, it have yield its place with Nicosie, but it remain the city the more ancient of island, it himself compose of two part, the city high which be downtown make the ville modern and the city low which be the center ancient.

It is thus in the heart of the old Pafos that we will place, at the edge of the sea and of the richnesses of last time. We will be able thus to easily make all our visits with foot in the old city and to travel by the bus, whose stop is with 1mn hotel, to return to us in the modern city. The motor bike, that we will not rent the continuation, will be useful for us for the surroundings of Pafos.

THE LOW CITY

Extremely Medieval : On the ancient port, we visit the cells of the old Turkish prison there. Beautiful sight on the port starting from the roof.

Tombs of the Kings : Meadows of Coral Bay. Necropolis used until the Roman time at the 3rd century after J.C. and which was used then as refuge to the first Christians. Not a strand of shade and tombs (released today but which was buried) as far as the eye can see. We can reach a great number, most interesting from the archaeological point of view. Some are easier access than others.

Christian Zone : Ruins of the 4th century. In full medium of nowhere and hardly indicated in the guides, this old district or some mosaics still remains on the ground was the place or St Paul was stopped and whipped. The pillar where it was attached always exists. A Byzantine church of the 13th century is drawn up in the medium of these ruins and today the orthodoxe worship replaced the Latin worship. Beautiful unit, to see with lying sun for the set of colors on the stones and columns.

Francs Baths : There remain today only two parts with the roof in cupola of these baths which could accomodate 100 people.

Catacombs of Ayia Solomoni : Court dug in the rock, under a tree from where hang a multitude of handkerchiefs. The place does not pass unperceived. One goes down there by a staircase. Several legends wrappe the site. Today still, people come to make a wish and leave a handkerchief attached to the branches of this tree which seems to spout out rock. Many cross engraved their names there. It should be said that the Christians were pursued and lived during many years in caves dug with same the rock. In some of them exist still traces of the worship.

Houses with the mosaics >: Roman time. As its name indicates it, they are several houses having preserved all mangnific mosaics, they are 4, the house of Thésée, Aion, Dyonisos and of Orphée and all compete of beauty. Really should be visited this complex where have can still admire the freshness and the beauty of the mosaics ones.

 THE HIGH CITY

Museum ethnographic  : It recalls the life in Cyprus of prehistory at our days. Very particular and very interesting museum. And if you be likely the chance to meet its founder the professor Eliades, (which speak a little the French and which with take part have a large number of excavation) you have the pleasure to you make tell the history of this museum. In fact this place is a private museum and one is surprised to intend oneself to ask for his origin, then while discussing a little to know some details on his excavations which were the very first ones on the island.

Archaeological museum : All the objects met come from Pafos, of prehistory at the time medieval. You will see beautiful restored mosaics there.

Fallen on the charm from its last, especially since our visit at the house of the mosaics, we will ask the museum to meet the person who restores them. And thus we will be likely to meet George. He will present himself the evening even to our hotel and we will speak mosaic all the evening, by leaving us, he will ask us to come to visit his workshop, which we do with joy as of the following day.

It will teach us almost all on the mosaics, how to go in the mountains to find the same stones that formerly, the sculptors cut in small pieces and of different colors. Some of these colors are in nature, the winter it leaves with his father who is a also mason stone like him in the mountain or in stony zones to find rocks which will be used for the restoration of the mosaics of the island. These 2 specialists work in fact for the ministry for the culture and restore the mosaics on the various sites of the island. We will learn much on the history from the island. It will be a beautiful meeting, full with richness.

Here is for Pafos, but let us not forget that Cyprus is also the birthplace of Aphrodite. there are 3 places to go to the meeting of the goddess of the love:

Petra Tou Romiou : The place where it was born, never sea will not have was also blue.

Its sanctuary : Ruins of which there remain practically nothing any more except a beautiful mosaic representing " Léda and the Swan ", as well as a small museum containing the stone of Aphrodite (prohibited photographs).

Baths of Aphrodite : Small corner full with charm which says one sheltered the loves of the goddess and beautiful Adonis.

KOURION AND TEMPLE OF APOLLO HYLATES

Very beautiful site with a Roman theatre, the house of Eustolios at 30 piece-rates, the Roman forum and its marble columns always in place.

The site is very wide, one should not hate the walking!

The remainder is unfortunately closed with the public due to restoration but by turning back which is not our surprise to meet George come to restore mosaics. We will have thus,the chance to be able enfeindre the interdict and to visit the remainder of the site. George we show in what consist its work of restoration, we make " work " a little with him, history to learn how to cut the stone use to restore the mosaic then we advise to go towards the house of glatiateurs : it bears its name well since the place is covered with mosaics representing of the combat of gladiateurs, they are dated from III century. A pure wonder! and we will regain there this evening our hotel, the head full with colors.

TROODHOS

Assembly lines of the island. It is to better go there by car that to motor bike. During our stay we rented a motor bike, brilliant to go site in site under the sun, but when one arrives at Troodhos hello the fall of temperature 20°! even the rain there is met! and obviously we were not equipped at all for. If not the landscape is very changing with its many small villages and monasteries of which that of Kykko, largest of the island XIIème century, it contains an icon of the Virgin who would have been painted by St Luc It is starting from this monastery that one can take a small path which goes up to the tomb of Mgr. Makarios.

If one wants to visit other monasteries, there is also that of Ayios Néofytos to 5km in the north of Pafos, located in a site of a great beauty, it is one of the most beautiful monastery of Cyprus because of its decoration (very beautiful frescos).

And here us are at the end of our Cypriot tour. For us Pafos will remain without question the most beautiful place of the island, finally if the old stones are liked, because if one is very range or water sports, better is worth to go in Limassol or in large the hotels to a few hundred meters of the city.

If not the Cypriot ones are very sympatic and the kitchen with tendency lebanese a true treat!

With the fact, do you know what one brought back in our luggage? A mosaic of course! We could not resist the desire for buying some to this George brave man who will have learned us so much.

GOOD TO KNOW :

An indentity card with photograph to you will be asked whether you belonged to the EEC for other nationalities the passport remains obligatory
For the domestic animals a notebook vaccination
Adapter for electricity.
Stores open of Monday to Saturday of 8h with 13h and 16h with 19h
Banks open of Monday to Friday of 8h30 with 14h but slot-machines without problem.
Left-hand drive.
Spoken languages: Greek, Turk, English and Cypriot dialect.

Airport: Larnaca or Pafos

Purchases: Lace, embroidery, jewels.
Period: August
Temperature: 34°

Hotel DYONISOS *** with PAFOS

Located very well in the old Pafos , calm, pleasant with swimming pool but not of private range. There is no problem to go on the ranges of the other hotels if the range public is not appropriate to you.

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www.itinerairesbis.com, vous remercie de votre visite.