After another enjoyable morning in
Cyprus, we set off to explore some of the island's most fascinating historical and natural landmarks. Our first stop was the Medieval
Castle of Kolossi, a well-preserved fortress that offers a glimpse into Cyprus' rich medieval past. Along the way, we also tackled the "A Dam Good Cyprus Challenge"
geocache, adding a bit of adventure to the day. We then headed to Kourion Beach, where we enjoyed beautiful coastal views before exploring the nearby
Kourion Archaeological Site, one of the island's most impressive ancient settlements. Continuing our journey through history, we visited the Sanctuary of Apollo
Hylates, an important religious center dating back thousands of years. In the afternoon, we stopped at Pissouri Bay, taking in the stunning scenery before continuing to one of Cyprus' most iconic landmarks,
Aphrodite's Rock. Nearby, we visited the natural sea window at Petra tou Romiou, admiring the dramatic coastline shaped by centuries of wind and waves. We finished the day in
Paphos, where we enjoyed a late lunch before heading out to explore Kato Paphos. Rain showers moved in during the evening, giving the waterfront and historic streets a different kind of charm. Despite the wet weather, we enjoyed our time exploring and reflecting on another memorable day discovering Cyprus.
Flyer #1.
Flyer #2.
After a small entrance fee we walked into the castle.
Serving as a fine example of military architecture, Kolossi castle was originally built in the 13th century, and rebuilt in its present form in the 15th century. The castle today consists of a single three-storey square keep, 21m high and with dimensions 17x17m.
When you climb the narrow spiral staircase inside the keep to get to the roof, it feels tight and claustrophobic. This was a deliberate, asymmetric defense design. The stairs spiral upward in a clockwise direction. Because the vast majority of medieval swordsmen were right-handed, an invader fighting their way up the stairs would have their right sword-arm constantly blocked by the central stone pillar. Conversely, a defending knight retreating down the stairs would have maximum clearance to swing his sword with his right hand.
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| Who? Nada and Tuši off course. |
Following the stairs into different sections.
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| Most people associate castles with gold, swords, and knights, but Kolossi was fundamentally a medieval corporate headquarters. The real treasure here wasn't silver; it was sugar cane. The massive stone building sitting right next to the castle isn't an armory - it's a highly advanced 14th-century sugar refinery. |
Old trees on the yard.
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| A persistent local rumor claims there is a sealed, hidden underground escape tunnel leading from the lowest depths of the castle basement all the way out to the Akrotiri coastline (several kilometers away). While archaeologists have found large underground cisterns and storage vaults used to hold water and grain during sieges, a multi-kilometer tunnel has never been scientifically proven - though the myth remains a favorite among local treasure hunters. |
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| Kantou Reservoir, a place with a geocache. |
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| Nada with a new selfie, me with a new geocache. |
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| Kourion Beach stretches for about 1 kilometer and features a mix of grey sand and small shingles/pebbles. |
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| Too windy for us to go swimming. |
Our next stop was the Archeological Site Of
Kourion.
Entrance ticket and map of the area.
5th century mosaic floors in the central room from the complex of Eustolios.  |
| House of Eustolios was originally a private villa that was turned into a public recreation center during the Early Christian period. |
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| Towards the theatre. |
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| Greco-Roman theatre - the site's centerpiece - was built in the 2nd century BC and extended in the 2nd century AD. |
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| The theatre of Kourion was excavated by the University Museum Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania between 1935 and 1950. |
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| "Earthquake house" gets its name because it was completely destroyed in a catastrophic earthquake that decimated the ancient city-kingdom of Kourion. Historically, this disaster is dated to around 365-367 AD. The earthquake was incredibly powerful, affecting the entire eastern Mediterranean (including Crete, Egypt, and Asia Minor), and it struck Kourion so violently that many buildings collapsed instantly, trapping residents underneath. |
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| Tourist Tuši. |
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| Early Christian Basilica dating to the beginning of the 5th century CE. |
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| More historical city ruins. |
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| Baths. |
In the labyrinth.
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| The site of Kourion was identified in the 1820s by Carlo Vidua. |
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| The luxurious private house or alternatively a small public training ground (Palaestra) is situated between the nymphaeum and the house of Achilles near the northwestern edge of the hill. It is named after the subject matter represented on its mosaic floor. |
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| Mosaic in House of the Gladiators representing two gladiators in combat. Their names in Greek are listed above them: Margarites (left) and Hellenikos (right). |
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| More mosiacs. |
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| Waiting for the rain to stop and then we left Kurion. |
Our next stop in the vicinity was Sanctuary of Apollon Hylates.  |
| Entrance ticket. |
Apollon Hylates, God of the Woodland, was the protector of Kourion and it is believed that he was worshipped at the site from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. His sanctuary was an important religious center and underwent many extensions and alterations in different periods.  |
| Flowers in the temple. |
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| Originally, the site consisted of a temple (traces of which survive in the foundations of the present temple), a circular monument, and a formalized Archaic Altar and Precinct. During the Roman period the site was extended with the addition of the south and north buildings, which may have been used for the display of votives or the accommodation of visitors. |
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| The site wasn't just a temple - it included a palaestra (wrestling/exercise yard) and baths. So worshippers didn't just pray to Apollo of the woodlands… they also worked out, bathed, and trained there like it was an ancient wellness center. |
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| I decided to pick up another geocache, that was above Pissouri Bay. |
We had to approach high cliffs to get it.
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| View from the top of the cliff. |
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| Our ride, Nissan Micra. |
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| Pissouri Bay beach stretches for about 1.5 kilometers and is a distinct mixture of fine golden sand and multicolored small pebbles. |
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| Petra tou Romiou (Greek: Πέτρα του Ρωμιού; lit. "Rock of the Roman", that is Eastern Roman or Byzantine, or "Rock of the Greek"), also known as Aphrodite's Rock, is a sea stack near Paphos. |
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| According to one legend, this rock is the site of the birth of the goddess Aphrodite, perhaps owing to the foaming waters around the rock fragments, and for this reason it is known as Aphrodite's Rock. Gaia (Mother Earth) asked one of her sons, Cronus, to mutilate his father, Uranus (Sky). Cronus cut off Uranus' testicles and threw them into the sea. According to Hesiod's Theogony, Aphrodite was born out of the foam caused by Uranus' genitals as they were thrown into the sea. |
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| View from the top of the rock. |
Exploring the area around the attraction.
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| One of the rocks nearby had many natural sea windows. |
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| Last selfie of the day. |
Geocaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "Second Angel of peace",
TBA8B55, "Ojstrica (2350 m) - ti moje kraljestvo / you my kingdom...",
TB8MHFG and "Twin Star",
TB33TN8):
- Grand Commandery,
GC1FVHM, where I retreived trackable item "Cape Town Travel Bug #2",
TB40BGZ and it stayed with me for the rest of the day.
- A Dam Good Cyprus Challenge, Mystery,
GC7WYMR- To poulaki aniki ston Apollona,
GC1K090- Natural sea window in Petra tou Romiou, EarthCache,
GCAA839
