How to visit Nea Paphos
Nea Paphos, also known as Kato Pafos, is a UNESCO world heritage site that has beautifully preserved mosaics and ancient remains of the 4th-century B.C. city founded by the last king of Palaipafos, Nicocles.
Although there are other archeological sites of ancient Greek and Roman times in Cyprus, we only decided to visit Nea Papho. Nearby you can also visit the Tomb of the Kings.
Visiting basics
- Open 8:30am- 7:30pm every day of the week (7pm closing in the winter)
- Tickets cost €4.5
- 3 hours or more to visit
- Visit for the mosaics and ancient ruins
- No cafe inside but there is a vending machine
- Bring lots of water and a hat on a hot day. There is no shade cover.
There is free and ample parking near the entrance of the site, here.
The history of Nea Paphos
Situated on a hill overlooking the town of Pafos in Cyprus, Nea (New) Paphos was one of the most important ancient cities in Cyprus, and the site of the ancient capital of Cyprus.
Nea Paphos was built by King Nicocles (also spelled with k’s in some instances) who, after having been exiled from his capital of Palaipafos (near Paphos in Cyrpus), found refuge at Kato Pafos. Nea Paphos enjoyed a period of prosperity as an economic hub during the end of the 4th century and the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. It was part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, an ancient Greek state based in Egypt during the Hellenistic Period (323 B.C. to 31 B.C.).
Tthe town was destroyed by earthquakes in 365 AD. However, its remains remain some of the most beautiful examples of ancient mosaic artistry. Excavations at Nea Pafos started in 1962 by the Department of Antiquities. Read more about the history here.
Getting around Nea Paphos
Remember you’re visiting an ancient town. Therefore, not all the sites are close together and you will have to do a bit of walking to see all 23 points listed on the map. My sister and I tried to follow the map and didn’t see some of the smaller sites like the catacombs and baths.
Map—sorry, peeps. I have not yet learned to take pictures of maps before I use them.
The best sites at Nea Paphos
Visit the sites in the below order for your own mini-tour of Nea Paphos.
If you’re short on time, I suggest just visiting the mosaics located in the Villa of Theseus and the House of Dionysos. These buildings are located closest to the small visitors center.
House of Aion (#14)
Only part of the house has been excavated so far. The mosaics here consist of five figural panels depicting the newborn Dionysos, Leda and the Swan, the beauty contest between Cassiopeia and the Nereids, Apollon and Marsyas, and finally the Triumph of Dionysos.
Villa of Theseus (#13)
This villa was probably the residence of the governor of Cyprus and has 100 rooms. Many of the rooms have mosaic floors with geometric motifs and human representations. The oldest mosaic represents Theseus and the Minotaur. It was probably built at end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century A.D. Due to their condition, the mosaics were likely restored after the earthquakes of the 4th century.
Look out for the beautiful columns as well.
The House of Orpheus (#12)
The remnant of this house has a mosaic floor depicting Orpheus among the beasts as well as a mosaic floor with two panels, one representing Hercules and the Lion of Nemea, and the other an Amazon with her horse.
The House of Dionysos (#11)
This Greco-Roman building from the end of the 2nd century A.D has rooms located around a central court, which was the center of the house. It was probably destroyed and abandoned after the earthquakes of the 4th century A.D. The floors of the house are covered with mosaic floors decorated with mythological, vintage, and hunting scenes.
The caption for this mosaic said something like “men drinking wine for the first time.” It depicts two villages drunk, haha.
The Lighthouse (#7)
The most modern feature in Nea Paphos is the lighthouse. It was built in 1888 when Cyprus was under British rule for ships heading towards Paphos from the United Kingdom.
The Agora/ Forum (#9)
The forum was the central square of the city. It was established in the 2nd century B.C. and was in use through the 2nd century A.D.
The Saranra Kolones Castle (#16)
This Byzantine castle’s name means “Forty Columns.” It was built around 1200 AD on the site of another fort. It had eight towers and a moat!
Note: I may not have put all the iamges for the mosaics in the right villa but just wander all the spots.
Details for each of the sites cited from the Department of Antiquities.