Most visitors miss the sights of Cyprus to concentrate on its beautiful beaches bathed in year round sun.
But there’s no need to miss out, some of the islands most astonishing sights lie within two of the island’s main resorts – Paphos and Larnaca. Here’s our list of where to explore before and after your midday beach fix.
Paphos
Paphos is heavily tourist orientated, but once you enter its two vast archeological sites, you find yourself face to face with UNESCO protected ancient marvels in fields of wild flowers.
Paphos Archeological Site is right next to the town harbour (entrance fee). The main draw is its exquisite mosaics on the floors of four villas. They are astonishingly colourful, intricate and large. There’s lots more to see though, including the Odeon, the Agora and the Forty Columned Castle. Tip Take sun screen and shoes with a grip as it’s covers a large, often rocky area.
The Tombs of the Kings is another extraordinary site two miles from town – there’s frequent buses and it has a separate entrance fee. Again, it’s a large site with little shelter and rocky paths, plus the maps could be better. Tip – to make sure we didn’t miss the major tombs – we used Google maps. Most of the tombs are under ground or cut in the rock and date from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. They are spectacular. Make sure you do go down into them and explore their columned, shady magnificence. Our favourite was tomb no. 3.
The rest of ancient Paphos is less spectacular, and less well preserved, but in another city it would be a major draw. Start at the harbour front Castle which has been deployed by most of the rulers of the island since the 13th century.
Start at the harbour front Castle which has been deployed by most of the rulers of the island since the 13th century.
Then follow the main road (busy and dusty) to the St Solomon’s Catacombs – the best preserved of many in the area. Next, walk further north to the new aerial Walkway linking the Archaeological Park to Fabrica Hill. This modern curved bridge has great views of smaller catacombs and caves in rock and takes you up to a viewpoint. Here you get the sense of so much more of the ancient city waiting to be excavated, there are small mosaics, columns, tombs; and on the way back down (as badly signposted as everything else in Paphos) there’s a large, crumbling, amphitheatre dating from 300 BC. From the Amphitheatre, you enter the top end of the town and it’s worth looking out for the Ottoman Baths on the way back – tip use Google maps.
Larnaca
St Lazarus Cathedral lies bang in the centre of the tourist zone, and it’s remarkable inside and out. Like anywhere in Cyprus it has a layered, complex history, built in the late 9th century and adapted over the years. The highlights for us were the lavish gold plated iconostasis, the atmospheric tomb in the crypt and the latinate bell tower.
The Salt Lake is just outside town on the way to the airport. It’s 15 minutes by bus, and best visited at the end of the day when the early evening light hits and it shimmers pink, before glowing golden in the sunset. This peaceful expanse is wet and reflective in Winter with flocks of pink flamingos wading in the shallows. Then in the Summer months it transforms drying into to crunchy crust of white salt. Either season is other worldly and worth a wander on the lake if it’s dry, or on the nature trail round the edge – don’t miss Hala Sultan Tekkesi Mosque – dress respectfully – on the far shore.