With such a richly layered past, archaeological sites in Cyprus are virtually everywhere - and are amazingly diverse. A major Neolithic site of global significance, Choirokoitia, overlooks the Lefkosia-Lemesos highway. Just east of Lemesos rise the ancient columns and other ruins of Amathous, one of the ten ancient Cypriot city-kingdoms. The site is strikingly illuminated at night. To the West is Kourion, with its restored Greco-Roman theatre set into a cliff over the expansive blue Mediterranean, and the Sanctuary of Apollo Ylatis. Near Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite's birthplace by the sea, you'll find the ruins of the temple once erected in her honour. In Pafos you can see the magnificent mosaics of the Houses of Aion and Dionysus, the seaside Tombs of the Kings, and so many other fascinating pieces of history that the whole town has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and the Cyprus Department of Antiquities has transformed the whole area into an Archaeological Park.

Choirokoitia - Neolithic Settlement
32 km (20 miles) from Larnaka town or 48 km (30 miles) south of Lefkosia off the Lefkosia - Lemesos motorway
Tel: 357 24 32 27 10
Daily: 09:00-17:00 (November-March)
09:00-18:00 (April-May & Sept-Oct)
June-August
Mon-Fri: 09:00-19:30
Sat-Sun: 09:00-17:00
Entrance fees: C£0,75
The ancient site of Choirokoitia, is included since 1998 in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage official list. It is the site of a Neolithic settlement found in a better state of preservation than most others from this period, not only in Cyprus but in the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean. It represents through its consecutive phases of building the whole history of the Neolithic period in Cyprus and divulges precious information as to the spread of the Neolithic culture throughout the region. The General Development Plan of Choirokoitia has as its objective to maintain the authenticity of the place, to protect the natural and man-made environment and to give out information through the creation of Visitor's Centre. Five dwellings in close proximity have been reconstructed following the Neolithic model, using the same methods and traditional materials and have been furnished with copies of objects actually found inside the houses during excavations, in order to give a better impression of the layout of the village as it was in antiquity. In addition the plant life around these huts represents plants that were cultivated or indigenous trees that grow in Cyprus since the Neolithic times.
Choirokoitia is an archaeological site on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, dating from the Neolithic age. The site is known as one of the most important prehistoric sites of the eastern Mediterranean.The Neolithic preceramic period is represented by the settlement of Khirokitia and about 20 other similar settlements, spread throughout Cyprus.