Special interest guide
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Cyprus archaeology tours
What makes Cyprus so unique, and such a boundlessly interesting place for an archaeology tour, is the sheer number of civilisations that have left their traces on this tiny Mediterranean island, just a two-hour drive from east coast to west along the coastal highway.
The Venetians were here in the 15th century, and before them the Byzantines, the Romans, the Persians and the Phoenicians, even the Egyptians very briefly. After nearly a century the Ottomans sent the Venetians packing, and then the Turks were themselves usurped in 1878 by the British Empire, as it looked to protect its shipping routes. The island today is partitioned, following another Turkish invasion, which displaced thousands of Cypriots. Prior to all of this there is evidence of early Greek settlement on Cyprus, and some of the world’s oldest Neolithic sites have also been found here, with the village of Khirokitia now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For those with an interest in archaeology and history, this is a gold mine.
“I can't think of anywhere else that's got so many civilisations in one place,” says Monique Skidmore, founder of our partner Take Me To Europe Tours. “It’s small, and yet so rich archaeologically.” Situated between Asia and Europe, Cyprus has been tussled over by empires for centuries, and our Cyprus archaeology tours help bring this fascinating history vividly to life.
Because on our trips you’re not just following a guide from place to place, struggling to marry a stream of facts and dates with the ruins you’re picking your way around. Instead, through carefully planned cultural encounters led by warm and well-qualified local tour leaders, these holidays add depth and colour to your knowledge, helping you to see Cypriot history not as a dusty pile of rocks, but as a living thing.
“I think there's a really interesting continuum between the present and the past that you can show people in a fun, lived way,” continues Monique. “Seeing the sunset where Aphrodite came naked ashore, eating food from Ottoman and Christian times, speaking to winemakers using techniques that would have been employed centuries ago, in addition to trying to understand the history of settlement, can give people ‘wow’ moments that are a bit transformative. That's what I'm trying to do. Then it’s not just a bunch of stones that were knocked over by the Romans, it’s more experiential. And that in turn offers economic benefits to many local producers, restaurants, and small communities.”
The Venetians were here in the 15th century, and before them the Byzantines, the Romans, the Persians and the Phoenicians, even the Egyptians very briefly. After nearly a century the Ottomans sent the Venetians packing, and then the Turks were themselves usurped in 1878 by the British Empire, as it looked to protect its shipping routes. The island today is partitioned, following another Turkish invasion, which displaced thousands of Cypriots. Prior to all of this there is evidence of early Greek settlement on Cyprus, and some of the world’s oldest Neolithic sites have also been found here, with the village of Khirokitia now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For those with an interest in archaeology and history, this is a gold mine.
“I can't think of anywhere else that's got so many civilisations in one place,” says Monique Skidmore, founder of our partner Take Me To Europe Tours. “It’s small, and yet so rich archaeologically.” Situated between Asia and Europe, Cyprus has been tussled over by empires for centuries, and our Cyprus archaeology tours help bring this fascinating history vividly to life.
Because on our trips you’re not just following a guide from place to place, struggling to marry a stream of facts and dates with the ruins you’re picking your way around. Instead, through carefully planned cultural encounters led by warm and well-qualified local tour leaders, these holidays add depth and colour to your knowledge, helping you to see Cypriot history not as a dusty pile of rocks, but as a living thing.
“I think there's a really interesting continuum between the present and the past that you can show people in a fun, lived way,” continues Monique. “Seeing the sunset where Aphrodite came naked ashore, eating food from Ottoman and Christian times, speaking to winemakers using techniques that would have been employed centuries ago, in addition to trying to understand the history of settlement, can give people ‘wow’ moments that are a bit transformative. That's what I'm trying to do. Then it’s not just a bunch of stones that were knocked over by the Romans, it’s more experiential. And that in turn offers economic benefits to many local producers, restaurants, and small communities.”
Our top trip
Cyprus archaeological tour
Uncover Cyprus’ ancient secrets with expert archaeologists
From
US $4999
10 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2027: 15 Apr, 6 Sep
2027: 15 Apr, 6 Sep
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Key archaeological sites in Cyprus
Famagusta
Famagusta was founded in 274 BC after the city-state of Salamis was destroyed by earthquakes. Its port served as an important port for Silk Road merchants making for Western Europe. Among the significant landmarks here are the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, which was a Catholic church until Cyprus became part of the Ottoman Empire; the Othello Castle, thought to have been partially designed by Leonardo da Vinci, and the nearby Roman ruins of Ancient Salamis.
While in Famagusta you may also explore more recent history with a tour of the coastal resort Varosha. Bullet-pocked walls, and dusty scenes of domestic life hurriedly abandoned, tell an eerie tale of how the resort was abandoned in the face of the 1974 Turkish invasion.
While in Famagusta you may also explore more recent history with a tour of the coastal resort Varosha. Bullet-pocked walls, and dusty scenes of domestic life hurriedly abandoned, tell an eerie tale of how the resort was abandoned in the face of the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Paphos
This city on the west coast of Cyprus is an essential stop on any archaeology tour. Integral to the Aphrodite founding myth – the Greek goddess of love first came ashore here astride a tide of sea foam – this is also the place where the apostle Saint Paul is said to have been flogged by the Romans. The Roman ruins in this UNESCO World Heritage Site include four villas with some impressive mosaics, while there is also a Greek agora (public square), as well as a necropolis of underground tombs thought to have contained important Paphian citizens.
Painted churches of the Troodos Mountains
Another of Cyprus’ scattering of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this collection of Byzantine churches and monasteries dots the Troodos Mountains that soar up from the centre of the island. The mountains provided sanctuary from the coast, which was always vulnerable to attack. Lavish, colourful murals decorate the walls and ceilings of even the humblest structure, and what makes them even more wonderful is that the buildings are still used for religious services today.
Saint Hilarion Castle
Built, along with the Buffavento and Kantaro castles, in the Kyrenia Mountains by the Byzantines to defend against Arab raids, Saint Hilarion Castle lies mostly in ruins, having been largely dismantled by the Venetians in the 15th century. The views are stunning, however, especially from the upper level if you have the puff to get up there.
On some of our tours you will be accompanied by local archaeologists who may have helped with excavations of the actual sites they’re showing you around. You’ll benefit from personal recollections, deeper context, and facts that elude most visitors. And through employing these archaeologists, our tours help financially support their projects.
Many of the archaeological sites around Cyprus are sadly neglected. “There's an incredible mosaic in Paphos of Theseus fighting the Minotaur in the labyrinth, and it's left there uncovered to the elements and vandalism,” says Monique. “Particularly in the north, anyone can just wander into these sites without paying. There is little regard for the likes of ancient Salamis or Saint Hilarion Castle; the Turkish authorities don't care. It's interesting to see this new nation writing history.”
By creating jobs and income, responsible holidays such as ours, led by knowledgeable guides who ensure that you tread carefully and visit respectfully, help protect these places.
On some of our tours you will be accompanied by local archaeologists who may have helped with excavations of the actual sites they’re showing you around. You’ll benefit from personal recollections, deeper context, and facts that elude most visitors. And through employing these archaeologists, our tours help financially support their projects.
Many of the archaeological sites around Cyprus are sadly neglected. “There's an incredible mosaic in Paphos of Theseus fighting the Minotaur in the labyrinth, and it's left there uncovered to the elements and vandalism,” says Monique. “Particularly in the north, anyone can just wander into these sites without paying. There is little regard for the likes of ancient Salamis or Saint Hilarion Castle; the Turkish authorities don't care. It's interesting to see this new nation writing history.”
By creating jobs and income, responsible holidays such as ours, led by knowledgeable guides who ensure that you tread carefully and visit respectfully, help protect these places.
Practicalities
Getting around & going beyond
Most holidays are fully escorted small group tours, with no more than 12 people meaning that you won’t have trouble hearing your guides, and they will have plenty of time to discuss topics that people raise in detail.If you want to explore more of the history of the Mediterranean region, we can help you to organise archaeology tours in other countries such as Greece, Malta or Italy either before or after your Cyprus trip.
When to go
Our Cyprus archaeology tours typically take place in the spring (April and May) or autumn (September and October), avoiding the scorching heat and crowds of the summer months.
Where you stay
Wherever possible, on our holidays you’ll stay in hotels that are owned and run by local families. Between visits to archaeological sites, you’ll also meet local producers of everything from wine to olive oil and honey, and feast in excellent, locally owned restaurants. Local drivers and boats are used for all transfers, too. All of which means more opportunities for you to explore Cypriot culture, and that as much money as possible stays in the destination.
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