Join this eight-day tour and discover an island rich in history and culture, glorious cuisine, glittering coasts, waterfalls, and sandy beaches. This tour offers a myriad of experiences and change of scenery through the wine route, from vineyards to the historical places, all surrounded by the beautiful Mediterranean landscape. Explore Petra tou Romiou, regarded since ancient times as the birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility, the Troodos mountains with its unique Byzantine Churches, and admire the beauty of the medieval city of Famagusta.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Paphos: famous for its sun-kissed beaches and believed to be the birthplace of the Greek Goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, proudly boasts the remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs that belong to Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Nicosia: renowned for the archaeological and artistic treasures collected in its museums and, especially, to be the last city in the world divided by a wall.
Troodos Mountains: visit the churches built in a pine-clad area, the finest examples of Byzantine wall painting on the island.
Famagusta: a medieval city whose mighty walls bear witness to the glorious past and the historical needs to defend against enemy attacks.
Day 1: ARRIVAL PAPHOS/LARNACA AIRPORT – LIMASSOL (70km – 1hr)
Welcome to Cyprus! Upon landing at Paphos’s Airport or Larnaca’s Airport, a tour representative will meet and greet you before guiding you to the transfer to your hotel in Limassol. Settle in your room before spending the rest of this first day at leisure.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 2: LIMASSOL – PETRA TOU ROMIOU – PAPHOS – LIMASSOL (140km – 2hrs)
Spend a day sightseeing the wonders of Paphos: the whole town is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Proceeding westbound along the beautiful coast, we stop at Petra Tou Romiou, where, according to Greek mythology, Aphrodite emerged from the foam of the water. We will begin our day by visiting the Ayios Neofytos monastery founded at the end of the 12th century by the Cypriot writer and hermit Neofytos. The Engleistra contains some of the most beautiful Byzantine frescoes (12th and 15th centuries). We will continue to visit the Tombs of the Kings which date back to the 4th century BC, carved into the rock and decorated with Doric columns. Then we will be able to admire the famous mosaics of the house of Dionysus. The floors of these patrician villas date back to a period between the third and fifth centuries AD and are considered among the most beautiful mosaics in the eastern Mediterranean. The last stop will be at the church of Panagia Chrysopolitissa, built in the thirteenth century, within whose complex you can see the column of St. Paul, where according to tradition the saint was scourged.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 3: LIMASSOL – CHIROKITIA – NORTH AND SOUTH NICOSIA – LIMASSOL (190km – 3hrs)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with the guide and departure for Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus outlined by the ancient Venetian walls, known thanks to the wealth of archaeological and artistic finds contained in its museums and above all for being the last city in the world divided by a wall. Along the way, a stop at the archaeological site of Chirokitia, an ancient Neolithic settlement; the excavations carried out have brought to light evidence of one of the most important Neolithic cultures in the world. Visit to the Cathedral of San Giovanni in the archbishop's palace which houses frescoes from 1731. Passing through the Venetian walls and the Famagusta gate we will arrive at the National Museum where you can admire the fascinating collection of Cypriot finds and treasures of inestimable value. We continue to the historic center of Nicosia (Laiki Yitonia). Free time and crossing the checkpoint, visit the caravansary, Buyuk Han, one of the most famous architectural works of the Ottoman period. The Buyuk Han is located in the center of the traditional market inside the walls. We continue to the Saint Sophia Cathedral transformed into a Mosque (visit from outside until the works are finished). Return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 4: LIMASSOL – TROODOS MOUNTAINS – LIMASSOL (100km – 2hrs)
Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and depart to the Troodos mountains for a guided tour of some of the famous Byzantine churches, included in the 'UNESCO "World Heritage list: the Church of Ayios Nicolaos, completely painted with frescoes ranging from the eleventh to the seventeenth century and the Byzantine church of Panagia of Pothithou. After free time for lunch we continue our journey by visiting the Panagia Tis Asinou Church in Nikitari village, one of the ten UNESCO World Heritage churches on the Troodos. Built in a pine-clad area, it has some of the finest examples of Byzantine wall painting on the island. Return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 5: LIMASSOL – KOLOSSI – CURIUM – OMODOS – LIMASSOL (100km – 2hrs)
Today get ready for a journey that will take you back in time, to discover the secrets of the oldest and most famous wine on the island. First stop at Kolossi Castle located in the village of the same name, 11 kilometers west of Limassol. It was built in the fifteenth century, on the ruins of a previous fortress, dating back to the early thirteenth century. The area also produced and exported the traditional sweet wine of Cyprus, which became known as "Vin de Commanderie". This is one of the oldest “appellation” wines in the world, having carried the same name for eight centuries. We will then reach Curium, an important city-state, today one of the most important archaeological sites on the island. Here we will visit the magnificent Greek theatre- Roman from the 2nd century BC, the house of Eustolius, originally a Roman villa, which in the early Christian period became a public center for recreational activities. We continue to the village of Omodos, and after free time for lunch visit this important wine center and the famous monastery of Stravos (Santa Croce), founded by St. Elena in 327 AD located in the center of the homonymous square. We also visit the Linos cellar and taste the local wine. We will return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 6: LIMASSOL – SALAMIS – FAMAGUSTA – LIMASSOL (234km – 3hrs)
Depart in the morning after breakfast for Famagusta. After we cross the check point, we will visit Salamis, founded by Teucer in 1180 BC, on his return from the Trojan War. We will visit the theatre, the amphitheatre, the gymnasium, the spa and the palaestra. Then we will continue to the medieval city of Famagusta, whose mighty walls bear witness to the glorious past and the historical need to defend against enemy attacks. Next visit the Cathedral of St. Nicholas (turned into the mosque of Lala Mustapha Pasha) in which, at the time of Lusignan, the coronation of many kings of Cyprus and Jerusalem took place. Free time to stroll in the streets of Famagusta and we will then visit the Castle of Othello (Venetian governor of Cyprus), and finally visit the part of Famagusta notorious as the "city 'ghost'.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 7: LIMASSOL
Today is a free day for leisure. In the evening enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Overnight in Limassol.
Day 8: LIMASSOL – DEPARTURE PAPHOS/LARNACA AIRPORT (70km – 1h)
After one last breakfast at your hotel, bid farewell to Cyprus as you hop onto a comfortable transfer to the airport, where you will catch your flight to your following destination.
Comfortable and light clothing is the most suitable for travelling in Cyprus. Appropriate clothing is required to visit the church. Sleeveless clothing, shorts and short skirts are prohibited. Sun protection, sunglasses and a hat can be very useful during your stay.
