Kato Paphos, Paphos

Coral Bay beach is tourists' favourite beach in Paphos.
I was recently here and I have a video showing the whole of the coral bay. (Don't miss it).

Take the coast road from Paphos Town north for about 14 miles signposted to Peyia. There are frequent service buses from Kato Paphos

Paphos castle is located in Kato Paphos at the harbour. This castle was originally built to protect the harbour and was a Byzantine fort.

The castle itself is a stunning stone walled castle built on the harbour. There is an arched battle way bridge that connects the castle to the harbour itself. There are very few windows in this castle but the view from the top platform is magnificent and from here you can see Kato Paphos in all its glory. It really is a site worth seeing and for those interested in culture; Paphos Castle is a definite must see during your trip to Cyprus.

Paphos Castle is listed in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites and is fully protected.

Once inside the castle there is not much to see or do but once you reach the top platform you will see the breath taking view of the marina. Many people also use Paphos Castle as a backdrop for some amazing and memorable holiday pictures.

4 more images

There is a great promenade and boulevard with palmtrees next to the port-area of Kato Pafos with a lot of food-stands and garden-restaurants and places to rent a boat or book an excursion.
There is a large car-park as well that is ment mainly for the visitors of the excarvation-area there.

4 more images

Kato Pafos : more mosaiques I have to say, I have never seen so many mosaiques of excellent quality in any excarvation-area so far. In most cases there is a wooden path in a distance of about half a meter above the mosaiques, so nobody will be able to step on them and you can also make perfect photos from up there. Unfortunately I also had the shadows of the afternoon-sun on my pics !
You will need at least 2-3 hours in order to see all of these excarvations and the best mosaiques, that are spread all over a wide area.

4 more images

The house of Theseus in Kato Pafos has one of the most beautiful mosaiques in Kato Paphos with a diameter of 12 meters. Kato Paphos of nowadays was called Nea Pafos when the Romans built this town around 58BC. Nea Pafos was an important port and a weathly town, you can still see that by the outstanding quality of the mosaiques
in this excarvation-area. A lot of houses are still under the ground.

4 more images

The house of Dionysos in Kato Paphos is the first building that you will get to, when entering the excarvation-area next to the port of Kato Paphos. Take a look at these wonderful mosaiques, they almost look like paintings and it is a pity that the colors are a bit faded. All of these excarvations in Kato Papfos are included in the UNESCO-Worldheritage-list.

4 more images

step inside and on top of Paphos castle and you will see a great panorama of the town Kato Paphos and the surrounding areas. On the ground-floor of the castle you will see some large halls and this part of the castle is also free of charge. Only for the 1st floor you have to pay a small fee of 1,70euros and stepping up is possible only over a narrow and steep staircase that is used by both directions, but normally not many people will step up there .

4 more images

In Kato Pafos you will find a wide area of excarvations,where it takes quite a long time to walk through and all that you mostly will see are the basements of the former buildings and a lot of interesting mosaiques on the floor. Here at the 7 columns is the only place that I remember where you get a feeling what the houses or temples might have looked like.

4 more images

The most well-known sight, in Paphos, are its mosaics... wonderful mosaics found in a large archaeological site right next to the harbour, where the first Paphos was established. What you can see here are the mosaic floors of 3rd century AD noblemen's villas.

The main sights are those of the House of Dionysos, the House of Theseus and the House of Aion - the House of Orpheus is being excavated right now, and very promising. The most impressive mosaics are those depicting scenes from Greek mythology.

In the House of Dionysus look out for the mythological mosaics (in particular of Dionysus, the god of wine) and patterned decorations. In the House of Theseus don't miss the one with Theseus killing the Minotaur. In the House of Aion it's all about beauty: theBath of Dionysus, the Beauty Contest between Cassiopia and Nereids, Leda and the Swan, The Triumphant Procession of Dionysus and Apollo and Marysyas.

2 more images

Panaya Chrysopolitissa Church was definitely my favourite sight in Paphos... just a few steps from the busy and cheesy seafront, and yet basically deserted... a real oasis of beauty and tranquillity.

This little church was built in the 13th century over the ruins of a large Byzantine basilica, and it is intact and well preserved. However, it is only one tiny fragment of what there is to see there. On the church compound, an archaeological site is being excavated - and the ruins of the former basilica are incredible, with its ornated columns and mosaic floors.

You can also see St. Paul's Pillar, the pillar where - according to tradition - Saint Paul was flogged before the Roman Governor Sergius Paulus was converted to Christianity.

Entrance to the site, by the way, is free.