Medieval Monastery of Ayia Napa

This is a beautiful medieval monastery dedicated to 'Our Lady of the Forest ". It is located in the middle of the village of Ayia Napa and it is protected by high walls. Both the village and the monastery took their name from the ancient Greek word "Napa" which means wooded valley and referred to the morphology of this area. The monastery was built around 1500 AD and it looks like a medieval castle. Part of it was built on land and the rest of it was carved in a rock. Undoubtedly, the Monastery of Ayia Napa is the most famous landmark of the village and surrounding area.

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Ayia Napa Aqueduct

This aqueduct is one of the few surviving in Cyprus and it dates back to the Roman period. The ruins are located in the region between Pyla Cape  and Cavo Greco Cape. It is a complex structure which needs constant maintenance and protection in order to avoid leakage or the concentration of salts.

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Archaeological Park of Paphos

The Archaeological Park is one of the most important archaeological sites in Cyprus. Nikoklis, the last King of Palaipaphos, decided to move the town from its old location to the current (near the port) on the late 5th to early 4th century BC. Paphos became the capital of Cyprus in the 2nd century BC and it remained like this until the 4th century AD.

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Tombs of the Kings

The "Tombs of the Kings" are situated close to the sea in the northwest necropolis of Paphos. The tombs are characterized as belonging to the “kings” due to their size and splendor, not because they really belong to kings - some probably belong to the aristocracy of Paphos. They are carved in rocks dating back to the Hellenistic and early Roman period. Many of them look like normal houses with rooms (a burial room) leading to an atrium. They are very similar to tombs found in Alexandria, demonstrating the close relationship between the two cities during the Hellenistic period.

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Hala Sultan Mosque

The mosque is located 6.5 kilometers from Larnaca and it is the tomb of Umm Haram, the wife of Ouvadas Ibn-as Sami, general of Moavia and leader of the first Arabic invasion of the island in 649 B.C. Umm Haram died during the campaign, when she fell off the mule that she was riding on. Hala Sultan Mosque was built at the point where she died, but the exact date is not known. The tomb is covered by green velvet and is protected by a railing. Some archaeologists believe that the tomb of Umm Haram is a monolithic tomb of the prehistoric period (1700 - 1500 BC).

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Petraion Sculpture Park

This place takes its name from the material of which it is made of, that is stone. The park is the result of 14,000 hours of work by sculptor Savas Koulendros. The space consists of an exhibition of statues, the Liasideio Amphitheatre and the Archontariki which hosts various exhibitions and a small stone chapel. The main exhibit of the park is the 8.5 meters statue of Petraios, the man that was born from the stone.

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Baths of Aphrodite

This is a natural cave surrounded by greenery. It is located right after the fishing village of Latsi. As its name suggests, the cave was a place where, according to tradition, the Goddess of Love bathed herself. The legend also says that this is where Aphrodite met her lover, handsome Adonis, when he stopped to drink water.

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Petra tou Romiou

The huge stone at Paphos is an interesting geological phenomenon and is associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. According to a legend, after swimming in the crystal waters of the beach, the goddess came out from the sea and stood at this location.

The Greek name, Petra tou Romiou (Stone of the Roman), is associated with the legendary Byzantine hero, Digenis Akritas, who kept the Saracens in this bay. They say that he lifted the huge rock and threw it into the sea destroying the enemy ships.

This area is included in the Cultural route of Venus.

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