Kato Paphos Archaeological Park and its mosaics

If you go to Paphos for just one thing, make it this. Kato Paphos Archaeological Park is the core of the site UNESCO listed in 1980, and its mosaics are what put the town in the art history books. Below is what to look at, how to reach it and what I couldn’t confirm. The rest of the area is in Kato Paphos.

What it actually is

What you walk into are the remains of Nea Paphos, which UNESCO calls Aphrodite’s sacred city. Akamas Municipality places its foundation at the end of the 4th century BC, as the Hellenistic era began. The UNESCO listing describes a vast archaeological area with remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs, and calls it key to understanding ancient architecture, ways of life and thinking. At the end of the harbour, a few steps away, stands Paphos Castle, and about 500 m north-east of the entrance lies the Agia Solomoni catacomb.

The Paphos site has two parts. On one side Kato Paphos, with Nea Paphos and, a little further north, the Tombs of the Kings; on the other, Kouklia, with Aphrodite’s sanctuary. I explain the whole listing in UNESCO World Heritage in Cyprus.

What makes the mosaics special?

UNESCO doesn’t mince its words. It says the Nea Paphos mosaics rank among the finest in the world, that they’re extremely rare, that they run from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine period and that together they form an illustrated album of Greek mythology, with gods, goddesses and heroes as well as everyday life. The most spectacular, from the 3rd to the 5th century, are in four buildings, the houses of Dionysus, Orpheus and Aion and the Villa of Theseus.

In the House of Dionysus, Akamas Municipality picks out a mosaic of Dionysus teaching Ikarios to make wine, surrounded by other wine scenes. I’d start here, as it shows at a glance why Cyprus has been proud of its wine for so long.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Pafos before prices climb.

How they’re being looked after

Here UNESCO gives details I find useful as a visitor, because they explain the shelters and fencing you’ll see. The Kato Paphos master plan began in 1991, the project with the Getty Conservation Institute ended in 2004 and in 2011 the Department of Antiquities launched a wide-ranging mosaic conservation programme. The plan’s second phase, with shelters to protect the floors, is still under way.

Since 2010 the site has also had enhanced protection in the event of armed conflict. Paphos council, meanwhile, is working to link the quarter’s sites with squares, pedestrian streets and an elevated footbridge.

Getting there and when to go

The entrance is by the harbour, and Pafos Buses’ harbour station, by its own account, is right next to it. Route 610 comes from the Ktima market, the 611 from the Tombs of the Kings, the 606 from Geroskipou and the 631 from Kouklia. The council’s coastal path crosses the site on its way to Chlorakas.

Entry to the park costs €4.50, according to the Pafos tourism board. It opens daily at 8:30, and closing time depends on the season, 17:00 in the winter season and 19:30 in the summer one. Part of the site can be visited in a wheelchair by following the staff’s directions. About 600 m away is St Paul’s Pillar in Paphos, beside Agia Kyriaki church, a good stop afterwards. What I would say is go first thing, with water and a hat, and carry on to the Tombs of the Kings afterwards. To stay close by, see Paphos hotels. The island’s other ruins are in archaeological sites in Cyprus.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Paphos Archaeological Park and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Paphos on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Pafos before prices climb.