UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cyprus

archangel michael church cyprus unesco world heritage site
The Archangel Michael is the most prominent painting in the Archangel church in Pedhoulas, and is a Unesco World Heritage site in the Troodos region of Cyprus

There are three Unesco World Heritage sites on the island nation of Cyprus, and we have visited them all.

Well, not all of them exactly, because the painted churches of the Troodos region are a little hard to track down and seeing them all would take a few days, and probably a better road map to remote villages than we had.

Nevertheless, Cyprus is a fascinating place, and well worth a visit. The very epicenter of ancient Greek culture. For a classics geek like me, it's hard to beat.

The outstanding mosaics of Paphos are particularly interesting and are a complement to the temple ruins of Aphrodite in Kouklia, some of the oldest ruins of the ancient Greek world.

Here is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Cyprus:

Cultural (3)

neolithic settlement Choirokoitia cyprus
The remnants of Choirokoitia, Cyprus. The oldest evidence of civilization on the island.

When you come across UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Neolithic settlement at Choirokoitia, Cyprus, you have to use your imagination a bit. The site, in a way, looks like just a pile of rocks that stretches along a walkway that wends up a hill. But, thanks to some nice work by the archeologists, and some few didactic signs, you get a good idea of the organization of the village that dates back almost 9000 years. There are 20-some circular structures, encompassing dwellings, storage bins, and even tombs.

mosaic house of aion paphos cyprus
Apollo judges a music contest. The House of Aion, Paphos, Cyprus.

The ancient city of Paphos, Cyprus, at the edge of the current city of Paphos, is called the city of mosaics. Not a bad thing to be known by. The ancient parts of the city are, collectively, a Unesco World Heritage site. They are spread over various parts of town, but for the most part, so indeed distinguish themselves with lots of excellent mosaics.

We have visited hundreds of Unesco World Heritage sites throughout our travels. For an ongoing updated list of the sites we've been to, click here. This list is being updated as we go.

Up Your Travel Skills

Looking to book your next trip? Use these resources that are tried and tested by us.

First, to get our best travel tips, sign up for our email newsletter.

Then, be sure to start your reading with our Resources Page where we highlight all the great travel companies and products that we trust.

Travel Accessories: Check out our list of all the accessories we carry to make getting there and being there a lot easier.

Credit Cards: See our detailed post on how to choose the right travel rewards credit card for you.

Flights: Start finding the very best flight deals by subscribing to Thrifty Traveler.

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with Booking.com.

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. We recommend Allianz Travel Insurance.

See all of the gear and books we like in one place on our Amazon shop.

12 thoughts on “UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cyprus”

  1. One of Mr. (Dr.) Excitement’s mentees is Cypriot and invited us to visit there when she and her Cypriot husband were also there, so we had local guides. At the time, we described it as Greece lite. There are the benefits of enjoying Greek culture and history in a country that still sort of runs on British administration (except for that money laundering thing), where lots of people speak good English.

    Reply
  2. Wow. I need to get Cyprus on my list. I travel so much in the UK and France, I end up neglecting the rest of Europe. Thanks for the wonderful photos – I’m convinced!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

If you liked this post, please share it.

Thanks.