Vouni Palace, above Morphou Bay

Vouni Palace sits on top of a hill above the sea, at the western end of the north of Cyprus, near Yeşilırmak (Limnitis), and it shouldn’t be confused with Vouni, the wine village in Limassol district. The nearest way in is the coastal checkpoint between Kato Pyrgos and Limnitis, and which documents and insurance to bring is explained in crossing to Northern Cyprus. For everything else that differs from the south, see Northern Cyprus.

A palace without a name

The Kyprios Character website, which publishes Greek research on the island’s ancient kingdoms, records that the Swedish Cyprus Expedition dug Vouni among the twenty-odd sites it studied between 1927 and 1931. The rest I take from English Wikipedia, which summarises the Swedish publication, and I credit it accordingly.

According to that source, the Swedes worked on the hill from spring 1928 to autumn 1929 and found nothing older than the 5th century BC, so they ruled out the idea that it was ancient Aipeia, the forerunner of Soli. Its ancient name therefore remains unknown.

What the Swedes uncovered

On the summit stood a temple of Athena, identified by a bronze bowl inscribed with the goddess’s name. On the terrace below was the palace, with a central court ringed by columns, a grand staircase to the main rooms, baths with hot and cold rooms, kitchens and a system of cisterns and channels to collect rainwater. Wikipedia describes it in four phases, from about 500 BC to 380 BC. A woman’s head wearing a diadem of dancing figures and rosettes also came from here, and it appears in one of the photos on this page.

The other two photos were taken by the expedition itself in 1928 and 1929, and show the hill before and during the dig, with local workers and the little spoil wagons the team used.

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

Getting there

The Kato Pyrgos to Limnitis crossing is about 3 km away, and Soli about 4 km to the east, so I’d see both on the same outing. If you’re coming from the Paphos coast, going in from the west saves the long way round via Nicosia. Since official sources don’t list which crossings take vehicles, beyond the two pedestrian-only Ledra ones, it’s worth asking about Limnitis before you set off. Driving there requires the specific cover for the north, and I have no official opening hours or charges to give you. Take water, and allow time on the way back for a stop at Soli.

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

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

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