A World of History in a Small Space

UNESCO designation is granted only to places of exceptional universal value. For Cyprus, these sites highlight how the island has served as a crossroads of cultures for millennia. From ancient kingdoms to Byzantine spirituality, Cyprus’ UNESCO sites represent different chapters of its long and complex story.

They are not frozen monuments, but living reminders of how people once lived, worshipped, traded, and created — and in many cases, how those traditions continue today.

Paphos: A Window Into the Ancient World

The Archaeological Site of Paphos is perhaps the most well-known UNESCO site in Cyprus. Once the capital of the island during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Paphos is home to remarkably preserved mosaics, ancient villas, theaters, and tombs.

These mosaics, depicting scenes from Greek mythology, are considered some of the finest in the Mediterranean. They matter not only for their artistic value, but for what they reveal about daily life, beliefs, and storytelling in ancient Cyprus. Walking through Paphos is like stepping into a living history book — one that shows the island’s deep connection to classical civilization.

Painted Churches of the Troodos Mountains

Scattered across the Troodos Mountains are ten Byzantine churches and monasteries, collectively listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating from the 11th to the 17th centuries, these churches are renowned for their richly painted interiors, which have survived remarkably well over the centuries.

These frescoes offer insight into the religious devotion, artistic skill, and cultural influences of the time. They also demonstrate how faith shaped daily life in rural Cyprus. Beyond their artistic importance, these churches remain active places of worship, linking past and present in a deeply meaningful way.

Choirokoitia: A Glimpse Into Prehistoric Life

The Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia provides one of the most important glimpses into early human life in the eastern Mediterranean. Dating back to around 7000 BC, this site reveals how some of the island’s earliest inhabitants lived, built homes, and formed communities.

Choirokoitia matters because it shows how organized human settlement developed long before written history. It reminds us that Cyprus has been home to innovation and community life since the dawn of civilization.

Why These Sites Matter Today

UNESCO sites in Cyprus matter not only for preserving the past, but for shaping the present and future. They promote cultural pride, education, and sustainable tourism. They ensure that development does not erase history, and that future generations can learn from what came before.

For visitors, these sites offer more than sightseeing — they offer understanding. For locals, they are a source of identity and continuity.

Cyprus’ UNESCO World Heritage Sites are not just historical landmarks; they are storytellers. They speak of faith, creativity, resilience, and human connection across centuries. By protecting and celebrating them, Cyprus honors its past while enriching its cultural future — reminding the world that even the smallest islands can hold stories of universal importance.

The post UNESCO Sites in Cyprus and Why They Matter appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

Understanding how these forces interact is essential not to mourn the past, but to reimagine a future where tradition and modern life coexist.

Modernization: New Rhythms in Old Spaces

Across Cyprus, modernization has brought undeniable benefits—better infrastructure, economic growth, digital connectivity, and vibrant urban centers. Villages that once felt isolated now enjoy easier access to services, education, and opportunities. Young people, once drawn to cities, are returning with fresh ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.

Yet modernization also has its complexities. Younger generations often find themselves drifting away from traditional crafts and rural occupations, not out of neglect but out of practicality. Skills like weaving, pottery, metalwork, and basket-making—once everyday necessities—now compete with digital-age careers. Some crafts risk disappearing as masters grow old without apprentices to replace them.

Still, hope remains. A new wave of artisans is rediscovering traditional techniques and combining them with contemporary design. Workshops, craft festivals, and social media have helped revive interest, giving ancient crafts a modern voice.

Tourism: A Blessing and a Balancing Act

Tourism has long been one of Cyprus’ economic pillars, bringing visitors who seek sun, sea, culture, and hospitality. For many villages, tourism offers a lifeline: local tavernas flourish, agrotourism accommodations restore abandoned homes, and small businesses find new customers.

But tourism also reshapes tradition. Village festivals once intimate and community-driven can become commercialized; traditional dishes may be altered to suit broader tastes; and local crafts sometimes turn into souvenirs rather than meaningful expressions of culture. Coastal areas see the fastest change—modern resorts, nightlife, and heavy development can overshadow older ways of life and put pressure on natural and cultural resources.

The challenge lies in balance: welcoming visitors while protecting the authenticity that makes rural Cyprus so special. Increasingly, communities are shifting toward sustainable and cultural tourism, inviting travelers not just to observe but to participate—learning crafts, cooking traditional recipes, or joining village celebrations in respectful, meaningful ways.

Migration: New Voices in the Cultural Landscape

Migration has quietly become one of the most transformative factors in modern Cyprus. Workers, students, families, and refugees have brought with them diverse cultures, languages, and traditions. In many towns, Cypriot life is now woven together with influences from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

This blending creates a richer cultural mosaic. New food, music, art, and perspectives are reshaping cities and fostering a sense of global identity. Some rural communities, revitalized by foreign residents seeking peaceful lifestyles, have found new life in abandoned homes and shuttered shops.

At the same time, migration poses questions of identity and continuity. As cultures interact, traditional Cypriot customs can wane if not actively practiced and passed down. The key is not separation, but cultural exchange—where Cypriots share their heritage, newcomers contribute theirs, and together they create a multicultural Cyprus rooted in respect.

Rural Life: Between Past and Future

Rural Cyprus embodies some of the island’s most cherished traditions: grape harvesting, olive picking, halloumi-making, village fairs, and tight-knit community bonds. But many villages face aging populations, economic challenges, and dwindling numbers of young residents.

Yet the story is not purely one of decline. Agrotourism has revived once-forgotten villages; digital technology allows remote work from mountain homes; and growing appreciation for slow living attracts people searching for authenticity. Farmers’ markets, eco-villages, and community workshops are reconnecting people with the land and its traditions.

Rural life is evolving—not disappearing.

Crafts, Culture & Identity: Holding On While Moving Forward

Traditional crafts are living expressions of Cypriot identity. Lefkaritiko lace, pottery from Foini, silver filigree, copperwork, woodworking, and woven baskets are not relics—they are stories shaped by human hands. Their survival depends on adaptation: teaching the younger generation, modernizing designs, and placing value on handcrafted quality in a world dominated by mass production.

Cultural traditions—from Easter rituals to village dances, from wedding customs to religious festivals—continue to thrive when communities embrace them with pride rather than obligation. Modern life may change the form, but the spirit remains strong.

A Heritage Worth Protecting

Cyprus is not losing its traditions; it is transforming them. Modernization brings innovation, tourism brings opportunity, and migration brings diversity. The challenge—and the beauty—lies in shaping a future where the island’s heritage is not overshadowed, but uplifted.

By supporting local craftspeople, visiting rural communities, engaging in authentic cultural experiences, and valuing handmade over disposable, we help ensure that Cyprus’ traditions remain vibrant.

Heritage is not something we preserve in glass. It is something we live, breathe, and pass on. And in Cyprus, that story is still very much being written.

The post Heritage Under Change: Cyprus Between Tradition and Modern Life appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

Archaeological site of Amathus

Amathus is located in the Limassol province, in the area of ​​Agios Tychonas and 10 kilometers east of the center of the city. Amathus is one of the most important cities – kingdoms of southern Cyprus. Historical Amathus includes the citadel, the temple of Aphrodite, the complex of the Roman market and Baths, the port, the walls, the palace, the basilicas and the necropolis. From the 5 basilicas found, the oldest is the one of Saint Tychon, the oldest Christian temple in Cyprus.

Amathus was one of the most important kingdoms of antiquity, built on the coastal hills east of Limassol. The coastal location of the kingdom was the main reason for its development, since it facilitated in the construction of the harbor and the development of trade in the region.

The city of Aphrodite and Ariadne was first settled in the 11th century BC and it was built during the Neolithic period, three centuries later. However, the city was fully developed in the Late Bronze Age, when the island became Hellenic and the Cypriot kingdoms were built according to the Mycenaean standards.

Find Ancient Amathus

Kourion – Curium ancient theater

Curium is probably the most important archaeological site of Limassol. Located in about 17 kilometers southwest of the Limassol, the site of Curium combines history and structures of various historical eras.

Curium’s ancient theater has a capacity of 3,500 spectators and a magnificent view of the Mediterranean Sea. On the left and right side of the stage there were two arched corridors and was the entrance point for the public.

Nowadays, people visiting Curium have the opportunity to gaze, apart from the impressive findings and the mosaics, the magnificent view of the sea and the sun “diving” into its waters. One of the most famous villas is Achilles’ house, with plenty of mosaic floors, dating back in the 4th century. A.D. and named after the Greek hero of mythology.

Find Ancient Curium

Neolithic settlement of Choirokitia

Choirokitia’s Neolithic settlement is located in the Larnaca and close to today’s village. It is the oldest, most well-preserved settlement dating back to the latest phase of the Neolithic period (7,000 BC).

In an attempt to make it easier for the visitors to understand the area, the Department of Antiquities created five circular buildings and part of the fortification enclosure with its entrance, perfectly replicating the Neolithic way, same methods and materials, while the original Neolithic items were placed in the buildings. The Neolithic settlement of Choirokitia has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1998.

Find Neolithic settlement of Choirokitia

Archaeological site Palaiokastro

A small but very important historical site, the Archaeological site Palaiokastro is found 13 kilometers northwest of Paphos, in Coral Bay. The archaeological site is located on a small peninsula 450 meters long and 150 meters wide.

The roots of Hellenism began from here, as it is where the Mycenaeans, the first ancient Greeks, colonized in 1200 BC when they immigrated to Cyprus after the fall of the Mycenaean kingdoms in Greece.

The archaeological site also houses the Maas-Palaiokastro Museum, an underground building from which only the ceiling, a bronze dome, is visible from outside.

Find Archaeological site Palaiokastro

Tamassos

Tamassos is found 20 kilometers southwest of Nicosia, in the Politiko.

Being one of the seven ancient kingdoms of Cyprus, it dates back to the 8th century BC and was “named” by the first inhabitants who came from the regions of Anatolia. In the Sanskrit dictionary the word “Temes” means mineral.

The most impressive monuments of Tamassos are the two burial sphinxes of the 6th century BC, found next to an archaic cemetery with underground graves (royal tombs of Tamassos), 4 lions exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Cyprus and the sanctuary temple of Aphrodite.

Find Tamassos

Archaeological Park Kato Paphos

Archaeological park of Kato Paphos is the ultimate destination for friends of archaeology which is very close to Paphos Castle and in the heart of the tourist area. It is an enormous area where there are many cultural sights and monuments from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages (although most of them date back to the Roman period).

Kato Paphos Archaeological Park is a pole of attraction for thousands of visitors every year and one of the most visited and important archaeological sites in Cyprus.

Proof of its importance, is the inclusion in the 1980 UNESCO World Heritage List, as a living part of Cyprus history.

The monuments of enormous archaeological importance are found either in open space, in buildings or under sheds. In the park, you can see the famous mosaics of Paphos found in the Roman villas of Dionysus House, Theseus House, Orpheus House and House of the Century, where scenes from Greek mythology are depicted on them.

The Agora, the Asklepion of Paphos, the Ancient Odeon of Paphos, the Fort of Forty Colonies, the Walls, the Lighthouse, the Tubalos and the emblematic Tombs of the Kings are included in the park. Next to the park are the remains of Vasiliki Panayia Limeniotissa, which also belong to the area.

Find Archaeological park of Kato Paphos

Sanctuary of Apollo Hylate

Located 8 kilometers east of Episkopi in Limassol and 4 kilometers west of Kourion, the sanctuary was one of the three most important sanctuaries on the island of Aphrodite and a place of worship of Apollo as a god of forests (hence the “Hylates” recorded by the Hellenistic years and the 3rd century BC).

This large building complex consists of the enclosure, the two entrances, the palestra, the baths, the circular monument, the central courtyard and the main temple of Apollo.

Find Sanctuary of Apollo Hylate

Ancient Idalion

It is located in Dali in the Nicosia district and was founded in the 12th century BC, with the ruins of that city forming an archaeological site more famous for the Inscription of the Dhali, a finding that proved to be the most democratic kingdom and one of the first to cut its own currency.

Idalion is a large fortified building complex that probably served as a palace or administrative center of the area.

It was considered as the largest ever found on the island, with a triple olive mill unique to its kind in the eastern Mediterranean region.

Find Ancient Idalion

Prehistoric Settlement of Lemba

It is located just outside Lemba village in Paphos, and about 6 kilometers from the city of Paphos and is a great settlement of the Late Chalcolithic Age (3500-2400 BC).

The prehistoric settlement of Lemba was restored by the scientists, using the same materials and the same building methods used at that time.

The replicas of the seven houses were built in this way to highlight the conditions of the period and the way of life of its inhabitants.

Find Prehistoric Settlement of Lemba

Kolossi Medieval Castle

The 800 year old castle of Kolossi is built with stones and its walls are 1.5 meters thick.

It was built purely for defensive purposes and its image has nothing to do with the image of other European castles.

The fort tower offered unobstructed views of the countryside and its symmetrical structure provided broader angles for the detection of potential enemy armies’ attacks. The knights who built it gave priority to strategy and not to architectural beauty.

At the time, this was necessary in Cyprus in order to prevent hostile attempts to conquer the island, which lasted more than a millennium. Due to the strategic location of the island in the Mediterranean, the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Ottomans tried to conquer it.

It is also believed that Richard the Lionheart tasted the oldest wine in the world at his wedding in the Kolossi Castle. This wine was very sweet nectar and, as the legend says, Richard proclaimed it “wine of kings and king of wines”.

Commandaria, as it is called, still exists today, making it the oldest produced wine in the world, while it has been patented by the EU, as a product of a controlled designation of origin. The wine, whose production is documented in Cyprus since 800 BC, has been named after La Grande Commanderie, the military headquarters of the Templars and the Knights of John, two famous battalions of knights who held the island for hundreds of years during the Crusades from their base.

Find Kolossi Medieval Castle

Kato Paphos Castle

The castle of Paphos is built in the harbor of the city and was built during the Byzantine era, while the sole purpose of protecting the city.

The castle was destroyed by a great earthquake in 1222 and was repaired by the Luizitans during the 13th century.

Furthermore, according the history of the city, the castle was destroyed by the Venetians and rebuilt by the Turks, who added new fortifications.

Over the years, it has been used as a fortress, as a prison, even as a salt store by the British. Archaeological excavations are carried out from time to time.

Find  Kato Paphos Castle

Famagusta Gate

Gate of Famagusta was the most important gate of the time, and it was leading to the port of Famagusta.

It was also known as the Juliana Gate, in honor of architect Julio Savorniano, who designed the city walls in the 16th century.

During the Ottoman domination period, Famagusta gate was allowed to be crossed by the Ottomans on horseback, but Cypriots and foreigners could only cross it on foot.

Today the gate is used as a venue for events, concerts etc. by the Municipality of Nicosia.

Find Famagusta Gate

Tzielefos Medieval Bridge

The bridge of Tzielefos is located at an altitude of 440m in the Paphos forest, 6 kilometers from the village of Agios Nikolaos. It is the largest medieval stone bridge in Cyprus and is built on the River Diarizos.

The bridge’s arch is shaped as a pine and is built from bricks. At the ends of the arch, there are well crafted stones in excellent condition, as well as on the top of the bridge where it is also its most sensitive spot. The base of the pavement is built entirely from river stones.

In the entrance of the bridge there is a waiting area from both ends. This is a proof that in the Middle Ages there was a lot of traffic activity, which is why the bridge has been the main axis connecting Paphos with the other provinces.

Find Tzielefos Medieval Bridge

Limassol Medieval Castle

The Limassol Castle is, according to the tradition, the place where King Richard the Lionheart married Verengaria of Navarra and she was crowned Queen of England in 1191.

It is noteworthy that is still the only Royal Marriage of England to have been held outside of the Westminster Abbey. This is one of the main reasons why Queen of England demanded to visit the castle during her visit in 1992.

The fortification walls are of great archaeological interest and there is some speculation that the walls were pieces of a much larger castle.

The exact date of construction of the castle is still unknown.

According to Etienne de Lusignan, it was built in 1193 by the founder of the Lusignan dynasty, Guy de Lusignan, but the first official mention of the castle dates back to 1228.

Over the years, the castle suffered from attacks by various invasions and from earthquakes in 1567 and 1568. Finally, in 1590, the Ottomans rebuilt the castle in its original form.

Find Limassol Medieval Castle

Larnaca Medieval Castle

The Medieval Castle of Larnaca was built by Lusignan King Jacob A’ [1382-1398].

Its original form when it was built in the 14th century is unknown. Its construction on the beach was made for the protection of the anchorage of Alykes, which became the most important port of the kingdom after Famagusta’s imprisonment by the Genoese in 1373.

According to historical testimonies, at the same site there was a fortress, built by the Byzantines in the 11th century during the time of the Komnene Emperors.

Find Larnaca Medieval Castle

The post Historical Sites and Monuments appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

Located in the museum street in the Nicosia city center, Archaeological museum of Cyprus is the largest of its kind on the island, exhibiting findings from prehistoric times to the early Christian period brought to light by various excavations.

The Cyprus Archaeological Museum was built in 1908 and is dedicated to its memory Queen of England, Victoria.

The museum consists of fourteen chambers, including warehouses and maintenance areas for the findings.

The exhibits of the Museum are classified based chronological and thematic order.

In the Archaeological museum of Cyprus you can see findings from the earliest periods of human presence on the island since the 10th millennium BC, until the Roman period.

Find Cyprus Archaeological Museum

Leventis Museum

Leventis museum is located in Nicosia old town, in Ippokratous Street and is considered to be the best historical museum in Nicosia.

The Museum, founded in 1984, was named after the Leventis Foundation, the donor of the collections and buyer of the renovated building in which the museum is housed. The management of the Museum belongs to the Municipality of Nicosia.

The museum has a rich collection of exhibits such as archaeological findings, traditional costumes, photographic material, objects of medieval pottery, maps, engravings, jewellery and furniture. The Museum houses a permanent exhibition of various art galleries, while it’s also facilitated appropriately to host temporary exhibitions from other museums and institutions from Cyprus and abroad.

Find Leventis Museum

The National Struggle Museum

Being the largest and richest museum, the National Struggle Museum is dedicated to the independence struggle and the sacrifice of the Cypriot patriots.

Located in the old city, the museum offers an illustration of the conditions of the war, the difficulties and the courage shown by the Cypriots facing a superpower in the name of the freedom.

Discover the whole story of the EOKA (National Organization of Cypriot Fighters) members’ struggle against the British and see war objects even weapons and bombs.

The museum also presents the reaction of the British forces with the imprisonment of EOKA members in 1956.

Find The National Struggle Museum

Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum

The private collection of the collector Andreas Nicolaou is located in the old Nicosia and specifically at Granikou Street, exhibiting more than 150 motorcycles.

For motorcycle lovers a visit to this museum is absolutely essential. In the museum you will find exhibits dating back to 1914 – 1983 and we guarantee that many of them will excite you.

Some of the motorcycle brands are: BMW, Norton, BSA, Moto Gussi, Royal Enfield and many more.
There are several old motors in the collection; however you will also see many military ones, mainly from the Second World War. There is also a true treasure of old photographs in the museum’s collection.

The museum shows the evolution of technology and the cultural heritage of Cyprus.

Find Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum

Museum of the History of Cypriot Coinage

Museum of the History of Cypriot Coinage is the only one in Cyprus and is located in the Nicosia city center and more precisely in Faneromeni Street.

The beautiful and modern space housed in the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation building, includes over 500 coins divided into 9 chronological periods, from the first coins that were issued on the island in the 6th century BC, a period dominated by the kingdoms of Cyprus even after the 1960 Republic of Cyprus proclamation.

By studying the currencies of Cyprus, visitors can discover and learn many aspects of ancient Cyprus, since behind a coin lays an entire historical world.

The monetary history of Cyprus is divided into nine periods: the Cyprus kingdoms (6th-4th c.), The Hellenistic period (332-30 BC), the Roman period (30 BC-330 AD) , the Byzantine period (330-1191), the Medieval period (1191-1489), the Venetian period (1489-1571), the Ottoman period (1571-1878), the period of British domination (1878-1960), and the a modern period of the Republic of Cyprus (1960-present).

Find Museum of the History of Cypriot Coinage

Museum of Pancyprian Gymnasium

The Museum of Pancyprian Gymnasium is the exhibition grounds of the homonymous school, the oldest secondary education school in Cyprus, located in the capital, at Thiseos and Agios Ioannis street.

The exhibits are donations and financial grants of graduates of the school, benefactors or other institutions.

They are presented in 12 state-of-the-art halls in glass display cases, supported by proper illumination.

Find Museum of Pancyprian Gymnasium

House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios

House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios is located in Nicosia, on Patriarchos Gregoriou Street, currently being the most important example of urban architecture of the 18th century Turkish domination.

It was the house of the Dragouman (interpreter between the Christian population and the Ottoman governor) Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios and his family with the six children who lived there between 1793 and 1808.

The ground floor was acquired by the Department of Antiquities in 1949 and three years later, in 1952 the government bought the western wing. The northern and eastern wings were acquired in 1979, with the death of Julia Picki, who donated the furniture and the mansion with the desire to become a museum. In 1998, the museum was awarded with the Europa Nostra Award for the restoration of the museum.

Find  House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios

State Art Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art

State Art Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art is located in Nicosia, at the corner of Stassinos Avenue and Crete.

Very close to the heart of the capital, the gallery is housed in a beautiful restored neoclassical building and is considered to be one of the most important cultural treasures of the island.

At its premises there are paintings and sculptures of Cypriot artists of the 20th century, highlighting the evolutionary course of Cypriot art.

Find State Art Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art

The Municipal Cultural Center of Nicosia                

Municipal Arts Center (NiMAC) is considered an excellent example of industrial architecture, which, after its restoration in 1994, was awarded the Europa Nostra Prize.

The aim of the Center, which is the oldest and largest center of its kind on the island, is the promotion of fine arts in Cyprus.

The Center consists of a large exhibition area, housed with rare and special publications for art lovers, and also presents a large number of exhibitions of modern and contemporary art with the participation of well-known artists from Cyprus and abroad. Many of these exhibitions were organized in cooperation with museums, art centers and cultural institutions in Europe and other countries.

Find The Nicosia Municipal Arts Center 

Museum of George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides

The Georgiou and Nefeli Collection of Giabra Pierides was donated to the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation in 1999 by Cleo and Solon Triantafyllidis and the Museum was established in 2002.

The rich collection of more than 600 findings covers a long period of Cypriot archeology from the Early Bronze Age (2500 BC) to the Medieval Period (16th century).

It includes unique samples of Mycenaean pottery and representative samples of ceramics from the Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Roman and Medieval periods, clay statuettes, an important collection of stone sculptures and seals, jewellery, coins and bronze objects.

The presentation in the museum is done in both Greek and English.

Find Museum of George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides

Zampelas Museum

Zampelas Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is located on Makarios Avenue, Kaimakli.

The museum houses the permanent collection of the Zampela family, which consists of many modern and contemporary art pieces (paintings, sculptures and multimedia) of various Cypriot artists of the 20th and 21st century and Greek artists from the 19th to the 21st century.

The museum also hosts temporary collections of artists from Cyprus and abroad, accompanied with educational programs and other cultural activities. Guided tours are also planned.

Find Zampelas Museum 

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum, found on the outskirts of Nicosia at the Carlsberg factory in Latsia, is the largest of its kind on the island with 2,500 exhibits, contributing to the recording of the flora, wildlife and geology of the place.

Biggest part of the collection consists of stuffed mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and insects, as well as rocks, minerals, semi-precious stones, shells, fossils and more.

Find Natural History Museum

Fairy Tales Museum

Fairy Tales Museum is Nicosia’s newest addition, located on Granikos street.

Artwork based on fairy tales, rare books, well-known and unknown fairy tales, thematic exhibitions, musical inspired or written for fairy tales, are the central theme of the museum, which hosts among other things, educational programs aimed at families and children.

In addition, at the Fairy tales Museum, research and therapeutic programs will always be carried out having in mind the fairy tales.

Find Fairy Tales Museum

Leventis Art Gallery

The Leventis Art Gallery is located in the center of Nicosia and is also a relatively recent addition to the cultural places of the city.

It was established in 2014, due to Anastasios G. Leventis’ desire to create a public gallery where the treasure of artwork he acquired during his life was made accessible to his compatriots in Cyprus.

By consistently serving its founder’s vision, the Leventis Foundation decided that the collections should be exhibited in a building worthy of the pieces of art on display.

The Art Gallery is now a modern, hospitable building, environmentally friendly and equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual museum equipment, designed to inform and entertain visitors of all ages.

The Gallery permanently houses three collections: the Paris Collection and the Greek Collection set up by the collector himself, Anastasios G. Leventis, as well as the most recent Cyprus Collection.

Find Leventis Art Gallery

Archaeological Museum of Idalion

The Local Archaeological Museum of Ancient Idalion was founded in 2007 in order to project the archaeological finds of the Dhali area and then to serve as Visitors’ center of the archaeological site in which it is located.

The exhibits of the Museum are representative of all the chronological phases of the history of Dali and come from both the oldest and most recent excavations at the site of the ancient city with settlements and cemeteries.

Find  Archaeological Museum of Idalion

Byzantine Museum

The collection of the Byzantine museum contains forty-eight icons, originating from temples from all over Cyprus and from the synagogue of the church of Panagia Faneromeni.

These images were presented at the “Tresors de Chypre” exhibition, which was held in Paris in 1967 and then moved to several European cities.

Thanks to this exhibition, important icons from the occupied part of Cyprus have been preserved and are displayed today in the Byzantine Museum.

In the Byzantine Museum, there are about 230 pictures from the 9th to the 19th century, detached frescoes from the 10th century, as well as representative samples of the Byzantine miniature of Cyprus, such as sacred heirlooms, utensils and vestments, exposed in three large rooms on the ground floor.

Find Byzantine Museum

Fikardou Rural Museum

The Local Rural Museum of Fikardou is housed in Katsinioros House, in the village of Fikardou. The Katsinioros House, named after its last owner, is a two-story rural mansion with a wooden backyard roof and many architectural elements of Venetian domination.

The first floor was the living space, while on the ground floor it was the working space and the storage room. On the same floor, it used to be the stables for the animals of the family.

The house was furnished accordingly so as to reflect the image of everyday life in a farmhouse.

Find Fikardou Rural Museum 

The post Nicosia Museums appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

Cyprus Medieval Museum 

Cyprus Medieval Museum is located at the heart of the historical center of the city, opposite the old harbor.

Located within the Limassol Medieval Castle, it is undoubtedly one of the most impressive museums in Cyprus. Visitors travel back to the time when Byzantium left its mark on the glorious remains of Roman art and architecture and to learn about the time of the knights and much more.

Additionally the visitors can learn about the marriage of Richard the Lionheart with Berengaria (the only royal marriage in the history of England outside Britain), and live the experiences of the Middle Ages in Cyprus.

Exhibits include weapons, armor and uniforms of Byzantine soldiers, sarcophagi, medieval tools, Byzantine, Medieval and Islamic ceramics, bronze and glassware, lamps, jewellery, coins and architectural parts from Byzantine and Gothic buildings.

Find Cyprus Medieval Museum

Cyprus Theater Museum

This is a great museum and the only one in Cyprus. It is located near the center of Limassol and presents the history of theatrical activity from the ancient theaters of Hellenistic and Roman times until 2010, divided into three themes: “history”, “coefficients” and “performance”.

Find Cyprus Theatre Museum

Archaeological Museum of Kourion

Archaeological Museum of Kourion is located in the center of Episkopi Limassol and is housed in a two-storied mansion in 1937.

The two exhibition areas of the museum contain antiquities from various archaeological sites of Limassol.

The museum has two halls, with findings of the ancient city of Kourion, the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylati, the extensive necropolis of Agios Ermogenis and the early Christian basilicas of the area. Note that it is part of a house built in 1937 by George McFadden, who led the archaeological research in the greater Kourion area.

Find Archaeological Museum of Kourion

Municipal Museum of Folk Art Limassol

Municipal Museum of Folk Art is located in a beautiful restored building of urban architecture on Andreou Street in Limassol.

In its premises there are collections of Cypriot folk art and handicraft from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

The Municipal Museum of Folk Art opened its doors for the first time in June 1985 and now has 6 halls exhibiting a rich collection of national costumes, carpets, embroidery, necklaces, furniture as well as wood-framed chests, chests, mirrors and many other decorative objects. Note that the collection of vests is one of the most beautiful worldwide.

In 1988, the museum earned the Europa Nostra Prize for its gorgeous exhibits.

Find Municipal Museum of Folk Art  

Cyprus Wine Museum

Cyprus Wine Museum is one of the most beautiful and fully organized museums of the island.

The museum is located in Erimi in Limassol and is housed in a 150-year-old stone building which originally was an inn for wine merchants from the Limassol and Paphos wine-producing villages.

The museum owner, Anastasia Guy, created a fantastic collection which presents the wine production process, from antiquity until today and resulted in the museum being awarded by the European Museum Forum in 2008.

Find Cyprus Wine Museum  

Archaeological Museum of Limassol

Limassol Archaeological Museum is located near Limassol city center and it is one of the oldest museums in Cyprus. Its finds are divided in 3 categories, representing all the important historical periods of Cyprus history, from the 10th millennium BC. until the end of the Roman period.

The findings were discovered in the kingdom of Amathus, settlements and cemeteries from the city and the province of ancient city of Limassol.

Find Archaeological Museum of Limassol  

Museum of Historic and Classic Cars

The museum of Historic and Classic Cars is one of the most remarkable and well organized museums on the island and is located just outside the city of Limassol, in Ipsonas municipality.

The museum is now a reality due to the efforts of the International, European and Cypriot rally races veteran, Mr. Dimy Mavropoulos (who also created the Club of Historical and Classical Vehicles of Cyprus).

Some of the exhibition cars have great cultural and emotional value for Cyprus, for example, the superseded Presidential Cadillac built by the US government for Republic of Cyprus president Makarios III in 1977, and the famous Green Mini by Mr. Bean with the well-known lock on his side and his teddy bear, as well as the 1973 Rover P5 used by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Find Museum of Historic and Classic Cars

Pilavakio Museum

Pilavakio Museum is located in the center of Phini village, is considered as one of the most illustrative museums and is housed in a 16th-century building owned by the Pilavakis family, known for their occupation lifelong love for pottery.

The museum was founded by Theophanes Pilavakis, who renovated the house in the 1980s and is adorned with the world’s largest 2,000L pithari, built in 2004 by him and which is candidate for the Guinness Book of World Records.

Find Pilavakion Museum  

Olive Oil Museum Oleastro

Olive Oil Museum Oleastro is a multipurpose site in Anogyra and is probably the only olive theme park in the world. It was created in 2006 to honor the olive trees that have nurtured the Cypriots for thousands of years.

The museum is divided into two thematic sections, the historical course of olive and olive oil up to the present day and the technology of olive oil extraction including its role in the economy.

The site consists of a small theme park, cafeteria and restaurant, a pony farm and camels as well as an organic olive oil production plant.

Find Olive Oil Museum Oleastro

Hambis Printmaking Museum

Hambis Printmaking Museum is a unique sculpture museum, first of its kind and is located in the village of Platanisteia just outside of Pissouri.

The exhibition space shows the entire historical process of engraving, techniques, materials and works of various creators, including more than 3,000 works of all techniques dating back to the 16th century to, with origins in Europe, Asia, Latin America, the US and Australia.

In a separate hall, you can find Hambis works, while two rooms host periodic exhibitions.

Find Hambis Printmaking Museum

Lanitis Carob mill Museum

Next to Limassol Castle and in the heart of the tourist center of the city, Lanitis Carob Mill museum is housed in one of the largest preserved industrial buildings on the island. In the late 1800’s the building used to be a warehouse which later turned into carob and fertilizer store.

It was efficiently refurbished in the beginning of 2000 to combine the authentic atmosphere of the past with modern aesthetics. Carob Mill is a complex with 3 different sections used for various activities (exhibition grounds, restaurants and more). In the middle of the building, there is the restored mill machine.

The facilities of Lanitis Carob Mill are included in the top tourist destinations from all over Europe, and were awarded by the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) within the framework of the Sustainable and Cultural Tourism Awards 2015.

The awards are highlighting tourist destinations across Europe, which maintain and promote important cultural heritage sites in the country.

Find Lanitis Carob Mill Museum  

Folk Art Museum Arsos

Folk Art Museum is housed in a traditional 19th-century house in the center of the Arsos village, founded in 1997 by the Community Council and the Community Development Association of Arsos.

In the museum you have the opportunity to see the locals’ traditional way of life, as well as tools, furniture and utensils which were used for viticulture and other professions in the past.

There are well-preserved utensils and tools aiming to present the customs of the Arsos community, as well as the rich cultural heritage of the wine villages.

In the front of the house there is a tall stone wall with a sculpture which leads you to the stone-built courtyard and the shed, where you can see tools and materials related to the vine and wine like a cauldron for zivania, plows, baskets, and much more are exhibited.

The Museum is ideal for hosting various exhibitions, such as painting, photography and more.

Find Folk Art Museum  

The post Limassol Museums appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

Archaeological Museum of Larnaca

Archaeological Museum of Larnaca is also known as the Larnaca District Museum, and it has exhibits covering the Neolithic Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Hellenistic and the Roman period.

A large part of the objects come from the Neolithic settlement of Choirokitia such as the burial where they have been literally dug up a grave and transferred it to the Museum.

Additionally, great exhibits include the huge jars used as storage spaces and come from the Neolithic settlement of Tenta in Kalavasos, the two sarcophagi with the bones and a lot more that present part of the history of our ancestors to every visitor.

Find Archaeological Museum of Larnaca

Byzantine Museum of St. Lazarus

Byzantine Museum of St. Lazaros is located on the southwestern side of the church of St. Lazaros in Larnaca.

Invaluable Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons are housed in the museum today. Most of them come from the holy temple of St. Lazaros and some of the district temples from the Metropolis of Kition.

Exhibits also include ancient books and gospels, sacred vessels, candlesticks, wood carvings, sacred vestments and many other objects of the temple from the 16th to the 20th century.

Currently, the Byzantine Museum of St. Lazaros consists of five halls, covering an area of ​​145m².

Find Byzantine Museum of St. Lazarus

Kyriazis Medical Museum

Housed in a traditional 1927 neoclassical mansion in the heart of Larnaca, Kyriazis Medical Museum hosts exhibits from Neoclis Kyriazis’ personal collection (1878-1956) and his father Antonios Tsepis (1843-1905).

Among the exhibits you can see old medical items, books and papers on the practice of Cypriot medicine and its history from antiquity up to the 20th century.

The main collection covers the period 1850-1950 AD. and belongs to the owner and his grandfather. Some of the Museum exhibits’ date back to ancient Roman times, and some more recent in 1980.

The Museum allows visitors to touch any object on the site. Free guided tours are available for groups after prearrangement.

Find Kyriazis Medical Museum  

Larnaca Municipal Natural History Museum

Larnaca Municipal Natural History Museum is located in the municipal gardens of the city and hosts a large number of exhibits from the rich flora, wildlife and geology of Cyprus.

The impressive feature of the museum is the vast collection of Cypriot insects which exceeds 6,000 and is the largest collection in Cyprus. The museum includes almost every species of birds, mammals and reptiles living in Cyprus.

During your visit, you can see the Cyprus flora, the marine environment and geology (including fossils of many million years ago).

Find Larnaca Municipal Natural History Museum

Larnaca Medieval Museum

Larnaca Medieval Museum is housed at the entrance of the Larnaca Castle and consists of three rooms with objects from the Early Christian period, Byzantine and post-Byzantine times, the medieval and Ottoman times of Cyprus.

Visiting Larnaca Medieval museum is combined with the beautiful view of the castle roof overlooking the beach of Phinikoudes and Makenzy beach.

Find Larnaca Medieval Museum

Pierides Museum

Housed in the home of the Pierides family, Pierides Museum is a colonial-style well-preserved 1815 mansion and exhibits the private collection of the owner which includes some of the most representative aspects of Cypriot culture throughout the centuries, with the exhibits covering 9,000 years of history.

Additionally, in the museum you can find the remarkable collection of old maps of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the award-winning collection of Hellenistic and Roman glass pots.

Find Pierides Museum

Bee Museum and Embroidery

Bee Museum and Embroidery is located in Kato Drys village and is housed in a traditional, restored, 300 year old house, containing more than 1,000 exhibits of traditional tools from past professions.

The museum presents how the bee society operates and how honey, pollen, royal jelly and various wax products are made.

The Bee Museum presents the way of life and the jobs of the people of Kato Drys and the surrounding area, from the early years until the discovery of the machine.

Find Bee Museum and Embroidery

Michel Platini Museum

Michel Platini museum was created due to the passion and determination of Philip Stavros. Located in Mosfloti village, Michel Platini museum is not what we typically call “museum”.

Claiming the Guinness record as the most complete soccer-souvenir museum, it hosts over 32,200 exhibits from the life and career of veteran French international football player Michel Platini.

Michel Platini visited the site in 2009, thanked the Cypriot founder of the museum and also donated the uniform he wore at the official UEFA events.

Find Michel Platini Museum

Lefkara Folk Art Museum

Located in the homonymous village and housed in a 19th century building, Lefkara Folk Art Museum is hosting some of the village’s most remarkable needlework, as well as 19th and 20th century furniture.

The furnishing of the rooms creates the atmosphere of a typical Lefkara mansion. The museum also presents traditional costumes, silversmiths and an interesting collection of “Lefkaritika”, the village’s world-famous embroidery.

Lefkara embroidery is a representative example of tradition in Cyprus and is included in the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage as a place of great value.

Find Lefkara Folk Art Museum

Petreon Sculpture Park

Petreon Sculpture Park, as the name implies, is associated with the Greek word “petra” (stone) and presents an outdoor sculpture exhibition with stone pieces of various sizes, work of the artist Savva Koulandros.

The park is located 22 km outside of Larnaca, in the seaside village of Mazotos

During your visit, you will see the Liasidious Amphitheater and Archontariki where various exhibitions are hosted and also a small stone chapel.

The 8.5m sculpture of Petreus (photo) presents the man born of stone and dominates the park. The park operates daily from 09.00-13.00 / 14.00.

Find Petreon Sculpture Park

The post Larnaca Museums appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

Archaeological Museum of Palaipaphos

Being one of the most important museums in Cyprus, the Archaeological Museum of Palaipaphos is located in Palaipaphos archaeological site and is housed in the eastern wing of a Medieval Mansion.

This building complex used to be the center of regional administration of Lusignan sugar production. The Gothic Hall on its eastern wing is still one of the most beautiful Gothic monuments of the island, while the mansion’s courtyard is used for many artistic performances (Aphrodite Festival).

The museum’s space is full with objects that illustrate the evolution of the goddess of love, Aphrodite (3rd century BC – Roman period).

Find Archaeological Museum of Palaipaphos

Byzantine Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Paphos

Byzantine Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Paphos is located close to the church of Agia Paraskevi in Geroskipou.

Among the unique exhibits included in the collections of the museum is the oldest picture of Cyprus Ayia Marina, the only one dating back to the pre-Iconoclastic period in 7th-8th century.

The main collection of icons dates between the 12th to the 19th century. The museum exhibits unique and extremely important metallic objects from the 6th such as lamps, candlesticks, candle holders and more.

You can also find buckles, mites, chalices, censers, pastoral rods, and the bar of Metropolitan of Ephesus Meletios from 1764. The frescoes housed in the museum date back to the 11th-12th century.

Find Byzantine Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Paphos

Paphos Ethnographical Museum

Ethnographical Museum is located in the city of Paphos and is housed in a two-storied stone building of 1894, an urban architecture with Gothic arches, a large courtyard and blooming gardens.

The museum is presenting an exhibition of the private collection of founder Giorgos Iliadis, an archaeologist who has been gathering the exhibited items and folk art pieces from the Cypriot countryside for more than 50 years.

Paphos ethnographical museum is the undoubtedly one of richest museum sites in the island.

Find Paphos Ethnographical Museum

Evagoras Pallikarides Museum

Located in the village of Tsada, the museum is actually the parental home of Evagoras Pallikarides, the EOKA hero who fought and died during the armed liberation struggle of 1955-59 against the English army.

The exhibits include personal details and objects of the Pallikaridis family, photographs, letters and texts of the hero-poet.

The museum is in the center of the Tsada community and is open daily from 08.00 am until 12.00. Free guided tours take place in both organized groups and individual visitors during the opening hours of the Museum.

Find Evagoras Pallikarides Museum

Museum of Folk Art Geroskipou

Museum of Folk Art is located in Geroskipou, about 200 meters from the church of Agia Paraskevi.

Housed in the old mansion of an 18th-century British proconsul, the large stone-built building with the green courtyard is a special example of Cypriot architecture and has been declared an ancient monument, protected by the Cyprus Antiquities Department.

In the two-floor building, there are extensive ethnographic exhibits and examples of folk art and tradition, from the 18th to the 20th century, collected from various villages and regions of Cyprus.

The hand-woven textiles of Phytis originating from the Paphos village and the traditional custom of pasto, namely the pre-wedding decoration, have a special importance for the museum.

Find Museum of Folk Art Geroskipou

Marion – Arsinoe Museum

Marion Arsinoe Museum is located in the center of Polis Chrysochous and within walking distance from the town hall, housed in a neoclassical building.

Its collection contains objects from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, which are chronologically arranged according to the historical evolution of Polis Chrysochous, as well as finds of the ancient necropolis of the area, presented according to the location that they founded.

Find  Marion – Arsinoe Museum

Archaeological Museum of Paphos

Archaeological Museum of Paphos is located at the entrance of Paphos and is the central museum of the province with many archaeological finds.

The museum houses a collection of findings from the Neolithic excavations until 1700 AD.

The exhibits come mainly from Palaipaphos (Kouklia), Paphos and the famous town of Poli Chrysochous, Pegeia, Kissonerga, Lemba,  Arodes, Salamis, Akourdalia, Pomos, Kidasi, Geroskipou and many other regions that flourished in the past centuries.

Find Archaeological Museum of Paphos

The post Paphos Museums appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..