Places to Visit in Cyprus
This is a guest post by Elegant Resorts. Let them inspire you to take a Luxury Holiday to Cyprus. Have a look at the many places to visit in Cyprus.
Cyprus is a Greek speaking Eurasian island country. It lies in the Eastern Mediterranean and is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It`s a lovely holiday destination as there are many wonderful places here to visit. For most people the beaches will be one of the main attractions, but if you want to there are plenty of other things to see and do.
Let’s start with Paphos. Paphos is a small city with around 11,000 inhabitants. Slightly confusing is the fact that old Paphos which is a small village is now sometimes called Ktima. This area lies inland and is a historic hill town. The modern Paphos, also known as Kato Paphos, is a modern resort on the coast with several hotels, cafes, bars, a golf course and a vibrant night life. Overall, both are referred to as Paphos.
There’s quite a lot to see in and around Paphos particularly if you’re interested in history. The district museum houses a collection of archaeological items that have been found locally, and there are also several archaeological sites nearby too. Or you could see the Georgios Eliades collection in Exo Vrysis street, which is a collection of more archaeological finds and a number of fossils.
Saranda Colones is a relaxing place to wander around, you’ll see the remains of a castle that was built in the 7th Century and you can walk through the passageways inside the ruins. Don`t forget about the great views from here too.
Nearby Larnaca is a thriving city with a number of places that are worth visiting. The municipal museum of palaeontology, which is housed in five stone buildings, was once customs warehouses. You can see exhibits that show how life on earth evolved and became extinct. Amongst the exhibits are pygmy hippopotamus and pygmy elephants, both of which once lived on Cyprus.
Visit the Larnaca medieval castle and museum, which is situated inside the old fort by the sea. The fort itself was built back in 1625, and as well as being a fort used to defend the island, it has at times also been used as a prison. The museum now holds many artefacts from the dig site at Kiton, and is also a cultural centre.
Why not make a stop at the Church of St Lazarus in Larnaca? It was built in the 9th century by Emperor Leo, and is said to be built above Lazarus’ tomb. The entrance is decorated with icons, and there is a small museum here housing samples of byzantine religious art.
To the west of Larnaca is Salt Lake. It’s actually a complex of four salt lakes, and is not only known as one of the most distinctive landmarks of the area, it’s also considered to be one of the most important wetland areas in Cyprus. It’s a specially protected area, and is a favorite to bird lovers as it’s the haunt for around 85 different species of water birds. At the right time of year, you can see thousands of flamingos gathered here.
And then there is Limassol. It lies on the coast about half way between Larnaca and Paphos, and is Cyprus’s second largest city. Lots of festivals are celebrated here throughout the year. Things that you can see here include the Limassol fortress, a zoo, and just outside the city is the former royal town of Amathus which is now a ruin that’s partially submerged.
There is also the Kolossi Castle, which although partly ruined, still has a number of sections which are pretty well preserved including theatre, basilica and stadium.
Note: This is a sponsored article, information provided by Elegant Resorts. Photos Courtesy of: Paphos > Ross Frasner - St Lazarus in Larnaca > Vitaly Lischenko* - Carnival, Limassol > *: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License - based on a work at commons.wikimedia.org.
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