Cyprus has long been known to the world for its eco-friendly Blue-Flag beaches and varied menu of traditional dishes in numerous restaurants. However, not only connoisseurs of luxury beach holidays and Greek cuisine go to its cities. According to local legends, this is where the beautiful goddess of love, Aphrodite, emerged from the foam of the sea, wandered through the endless labyrinths of the Catacombs of Saint Solomoni; and Saint Lazarus found his comfortable home after the miraculous resurrection. Every stone and sand grain on the island is imbued with the spirit of history and mythology. However, only the city of Paphos has preserved an entire ancient settlement.

The Archaeological Park, or open-air museum, is an enormous stone history book: you can learn a lot about the history and culture of the islanders, right up to the late Middle Ages, by following the trail of its excavations from the 4th century BC. It was founded in 1962 when ancient Roman mosaics were accidentally discovered. Since then excavations have been going on and on, revealing more and more secrets to the world. The place where the first ancient mosaics had been found was later called the Dionysus House. With an area of more than 2 thousand square meters, the estate consisted of 40 separate rooms and 15 preserved mosaic panels. The most famous panel is a mosaic of the 4th century BC depicting the sea monster, Scylla. There is also a Roman mosaic of Narcissus admiring his reflection in the lake, as well as the largest panel depicting Dionysus, the god of wine-making.

Later, in 1966, another building was discovered in the neighborhood of the Dionysus House. It was named the House of Theseus. It contained several mosaic floors, but of a later period. The mosaics, dating from around the 3-5th centuries AD, depict scenes from the life of Theseus, the hero of Greek myths.

Smaller objects found inside the houses, as well as some colorful ancient frescoes once adorning the walls of the estates, can be seen today in the Paphos Archaeological Museum.