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Ruins at the Aphrodite sanctuary

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Sanctuary of Aphrodite

Top choice in Pafos


A World Heritage Site, the sanctuary is recognised as being one of the most important ancient sites related to Aphrodite in Cyprus and yet it is arguably the least known. The sprawling site includes the 12th-century conical stone that represented the goddess until Roman times, the ruins of a Roman temple, a second small sanctuary and ruins of a Roman house, set on a hillside in the village of Kouklia. The setting is lovely with panoramic views down to the sea.

The on-site museum has an extensive display of items discovered at the site, including some extraordinarily delicate white slip pottery dating from the late Bronze Age. For an additional €1 you can watch a 10-minute audiovisual presentation (in Greek and English), which provides a historical background to the site.

You will need your own wheels to get here. Kouklia is signposted off both the A6 and B6 highways, approximately 18km east of Geroskipou.