ARCHAEOLOGY
Cyprus – the island of Aphrodite
The birthplace of Aphrodite, along with the famous baths and sanctuaries of the goddess, are essential stops for professional archaeologists and dedicated aficionados alike, as are the places of worship devoted to Adonis, the beau idéal of the male form in the ancient greek mind. The itinerary also includes the houses of Orpheus, Dionysus, Theseus and Aion, the ancient amphitheaters, still in use in our times, as well as a number of Byzantine, medieval and other monuments of interest. Meal breaks during the tour will offer visitors a chance to sample delicious national dishes with plenty of locally sourced organic ingredients.
Exploring the birthplace of Aphrodite
The goddess of beauty and love, daughter of Zeus and Dione, is said to have emerged from the sea foam off the west coast of Cyprus. This is also where she fell in love with Adonis and was the object of worship over many centuries in her dedicated sanctuary near Paphos, a place where myth, history and a sense of the numinous and the transcendent are still alive today.
Ancient and medieval Cyprus
The abundance and diversity of historical monuments, from prehistoric to byzantine times, bespeaks the richness of the island’s cultural life– castles, palatial edifices, temples and museums all replete with art vividly representing the entire spectrum of human experience: creativeness, destruction, war, peace, veneration, eros.