Over the last few days, our days have settled into a bit of routine – waking up to the sound of the waves, leisurely breakfast, a bit of time for exploring, afternoon with a book, a swim in the pool, a walk to get an ice cream, a nap, and then more food – working our way around world cuisines in the hotel restaurant. Last night was French.

Our little bit of exploring each day has been taking us on a journey through time – learning a bit more about the history of Paphos (and putting my GCSEs in Archaeology and Greek to good use). We’ve gone from pre-history to modern day and back again several times – without going more than a couple of miles from our hotel. Some of the places we on knew about in advance, others we discovered by chance.

Time travel the easy way!

On Monday, we toured the harbour area and visited Paphos Castle – originally built in the Byzantine period, but rebuilt by the Ottomans at the end of the 16th Century. There used to be cannons, but long gone now. The castle was used as a salt store in the early 20th century too.

On Tuesday, we walked up to Paphos Old Town, and found our way to the newly renovated Hani of Ibrahim complex – a 19th meeting place and inn abandoned in the 1960s – now restored and a home for arts and crafts (and coffee). We also found the newly built bus station!

On Wednesday, despite the gloomiest of weather forecast threatening thunderstorms all day, we had plenty of time to explore Paphos Archaeological Park – taking us back to Roman times (coinciding with Italian night in the hotel restaurant). The mosaics in the House of Dionysus were a highlight (built in the 2nd Century AD and abandoned in the 4th Century AD after an earthquake – mosaics somehow surviving).

And up on the highest point, Paphos Lighthouse – back in the 19th century again. And back down at the edge of the park, we skipped back again to the 7th Century AD – getting a bit lost in the remains of the Saranda Kolones – a grand castle abandoned after another earthquake – this time in the 13th Century AD.

The weather held and we had time to travel in time some more… catacombs, more mosaics, a newly constructed walkway to access the area the excavations on Fabrika Hill and stopping off on the way back down at Agia Kyriako – it’s a pilgrimage site containing a 4th century church and St Paul’s Pillar, and some medieval baths too. We followed a sign. I was getting a bit weary by this point so may have missed some of the history.

On Thursday, we found some more Roman remains and a newly constructed church too – 2,000 years of history about 100 metres apart. And there was time to paddle in the sea too.

And for Friday’s adventure, we went way back into pre-history with a visit to the Tombs of the Kings – dating to the Hellenistic period (4th / 3rd century BC – ish) with some Roman influences too. We wandered around the site for about an hour – learning new words including tumulus (rocky hill) and dromos (stone staircase down to the tomb). Definitely worth the walk to get there and back – despite the high winds coming off the sea. And fyi, they probably weren’t tombs of kings after all… but Tombs of the “Probably Quite Wealthy Families” isn’t quite so catchy!

Time travelling is over for today… time to get back to the next part of our holiday routine. I’ve got another book to read, then it must be time for a nap!

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50 for 50 #22: 50 posts for my 50th birthday to be posted before I’m 51.