Amathus
The ruins of one of Cyprus's ancient city-kingdoms on the coast east of Limassol, with a Roman-era agora and an acropolis once crowned by a sanctuary of Aphrodite.
Photo: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Amathus was an important city-kingdom from the early first millennium BC, and its legends tied it to Aphrodite and Adonis. The lower town's agora, with its re-erected columns, sits right beside the coastal road.
Paths climb to the acropolis, where the remains of the sanctuary of Aphrodite and an early Christian basilica overlook the sea. Parts of the ancient harbour now lie underwater just offshore.
Good to know
The site is compact and easy to visit in an hour. Late afternoon light on the columns is lovely.
Perks nearby
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Limassol: more places
All places in Limassol →
KourionA clifftop ancient city-kingdom above Episkopi Bay, with a restored Greco-Roman theatre, fine mosaics and one of the most dramatic sea views in Cyprus.
Kolossi CastleA solid 15th-century keep built by the Knights Hospitaller amid vineyards and sugar-cane fields. It gave its name to the sweet Commandaria wine.
Limassol Castle (Cyprus Medieval Museum)A stout medieval castle in Limassol's old town that now houses the Cyprus Medieval Museum, steps from the old port.