Category: Discover Cyprus

Local Archaeological Museum of Marion-Arsinoe, Polis Chrysochous

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Located in the Pafos (Paphos) resort of Polis Chrysochous, the Local Archaeological Museum of Marion-Arsinoe consists of an interesting collection of antiquities discovered in the region where the ancient city-kingdom of Marion-Arsinoe once stood.

The Museum consists of two rooms and an atrium. The first room exhibits objects in chronological order, tracing the historical development of the area from Neolithic to Medieval times. Exhibited in the second room is an important collection of objects brought to light from the area’s rich necropolis.

Marion was an important commercial centre in the Classical and Hellenistic periods, with close ties with Athens. During the Hellenistic-Roman period, Marion was renamed Arsinoe and is now the small town of Polis Chrysochous, commonly known as simply ‘Polis’.

The museum links to the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Region: Pafos
Address: Leoforos Makariou III, 26, Polis, 35km from Pafos
GPS coordinates: Lat: 35.03566 Lon: 32.42697
Contact No: Tel: +357 26 322 955
Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 08:00 – 16:00
Saturday: 09:00 – 15:00
Closed on Sunday.
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: FREE
Disabled Access: Wheelchair accessible
Website: www.mcw.gov.cy/da
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

The Steni Museum of Village Life

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The Steni Museum of Village Life is a tribute to all the villagers who lived in Steni during the challenging years, from its founding to the end of the Second World War (1800 -1945).

Its exhibits include scenes of loom weaving and ploughing, and presentations of tools and equipment, handicrafts, kitchenware, pots and jars and traditional clothing.

Region: Pafos (Paphos)
Address: Steni village, 5km from Polis Chrysochous
GPS coordinates: Lat: 34.997084 Lon: 32.472351
Contact No: Tel: +357 99 625 004 / +357 26 352 410, Fax: +357 26 352 020
Operating Hours: Daily: 10:00 – 16:00
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: Free
Website: www.steni.org.cy
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Arsos Folk Art Museum

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The Folk Art Museum of the mountainous village of Arsos was founded in 1997 and is housed in a restored 18th century residence, which is a listed Ancient Monument.

The museum showcases the daily life and traditions of the inhabitants of the area, which is primarily a wine-producing region. The many exhibits include tools, furniture and utensils from days past that are related to viticulture and other local occupations.

Notable exhibits include a boiler used for the production of the alcoholic drink of ‘zivania’, and a winemaking presentation in the cellar, where the traditional ‘linos’ is preserved with large clay jars, presser and other traditional winery tools.

There is also a permanent exhibition of old photos taken during significant past events and occasions, whilst the building periodically hosts temporary exhibitions of photography and art, as well as hosting other events.

Region: Troodos area [Lemesos (Limassol) district]
Address: Arsos village
GPS coordinates: Lat: 34.841552 Lon: 32.768822
Contact No: Tel: +357 25 943 223 / +357 25 243 347
Operating Hours: By prior appointment
Operating Period: All year round
Closed on Public Holidays
Entrance Fee: Free
Website: www.arsos.org
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Fikardou Ethnological Museum: The Houses of Katsinioros and Achilleas Dimitri

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Deserted at the beginning of the 19th century, the entire village of Fikardou has been declared an Ancient Monument, and carefully restored to preserve the 18th century houses with their remarkable woodwork and folk architecture. Two of these houses have been turned into museums, exhibiting rural items and depicting rural life in years past.

The House of Katsinioros – which was named after its last owner – is a two-storey stone-built manor house with a steep-pitched wooden roof and many architectural features of the 16th century. Following the traditional arrangement of homes of this period, the upper floor functioned as the living area of the house, while the ground floor was used for the pressing of grapes, as well as for storing other agricultural produce and tools – all of which can be seen at the museum.

There is also an exhibition of photographs, drawings and texts on how the houses were restored, earning them – and the village – the Europa Nostra Award in 1987.

The second house – that of Achilleas Dimitri – has been turned into a weaver’s workshop and scholar’s guest house.

Region: Troodos area [Lefkosia (Nicosia) district]
Address: Fikardou village
Contact No: Tel: +357 22 634 731
Operating Hours: April 15 – October 30, daily: 09:30 – 17:00
November 1 – April 15, daily: 08:30 – 16:00
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Mondays and on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: FREE
Disabled Access: Partially accessible.
Website: www.mcw.gov.cy/da
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Ecclesiastical and Viticulture Museums – Koilani village

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Located in the mountainous village of Koilani, the Ecclesiastical Museum was created by Lemesos Bishopric to house the ecclesiastical art of the parish, and as a district branch of the larger Byzantine Museum of Lemesos (Limassol).

The museum is housed in the church of Monogenis, and showcases exhibits that span a period of around seven centuries. Included are pieces of an iconostasis from 1735, a 19th century pulpit and altar, old icons (from the 13th – 19th centuries), holy utensils, old books (from the 16th – 19th centuries), a 15th – 16th century ‘epitaphios’ (richly embroidered cloth icon used in special religious services), and other relics.

Nearby to the church is the Viticulture Museum, which is housed in a traditional village house and exhibits viticultural equipment and folk art pieces.

Region: Troodos Area (Lemesos district)
Address: Koilani village
Contact No: Ecclesiastical Museum: +357 25 471 008 / +357 99 213 682
Viticulture Museum: +357 25 471 008 / +357 99 198 789
Operating Hours: By appointment.
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: Free
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Museum of Byzantine Heritage – Palaichori Village

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Located in the mountainous village of Palaichori, the museum is housed in an old restored building and exhibits the Byzantine art wealth of several churches and chapels of the village.

The exhibits date from the Frankish period to the present day, and portray a wide range of ecclesiastical art, such as icon painting, woodcarving, silverwork, weaving and printing – mainly of the post-Byzantine period.

A multimedia info-kiosk provides information about the area in four different languages.

Region: Troodos area [Lefkosia (Nicosia) district]
Address: Palaichori village
Contact No: Tel: +357 99 82 87 00 or 97 79 08 30
Operating Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 – 13:00 (After 13h all visitors are requested to pre-book)
Operating Period: All year round. Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: €2 (Price includes a mini tour to other points of interest located at the square of the village)
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Museum of Kykkos Monastery

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The Museum of Kykkos Monastery is an integral part of the monastery and houses a priceless collection of icons, consecrated vessels, manuscripts and Cypriot antiquities.

The Monastery itself is the richest and most lavish of Cyprus’ monasteries and sits on a mountain peak, at an altitude of 1.318 metres northwest of Troodos.

Dedicated to Panagia (the Virgin Mary), the monastery possesses one of three icons attributed to Agios Loukas (Apostle Luke) the Evangelist. The icon, covered in silver gilt, is in a shrine made of tortoise shell and mother-of-pearl that stands in front of the iconostasis.

Monastery of Kykkos – Audio Guide 

Region: Troodos area [Lefkosia (Nicosia) district]
Address: Kykkos Monastery, Marathasa Valley, 13km from Pedoulas village
GPS coordinates: Lat: 34.98334 Lon: 32.741299
Contact No: Tel: +357 22 942 736
Operating Hours: November – May, daily: 10:00 – 16:00
June – October, daily: 10:00 – 18:00
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: €5,00 / Groups €3,00
Website: www.kykkos.org.cy
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

The Avgorou Ethnographic Museum

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The Ethnographic Museum in the village of Avgorou is housed in a 1921 two­storey, traditional residence (the Koutras House), and depicts the daily life of previous generations.

Amongst its exhibits are rare 19th century wood­carved furniture, costumes, silverware and pottery, a collection of paintings by self­taught Cypriot artists, and priceless traditional textiles and embroideries of the 18th – 19th century, as well as many other traditional utensils and tools.

The museum also has a large courtyard, stockyard, water reservoir and wheel­well.

Region: Ammochostos (Famagusta)
Address: Leoforos Karyon, 52, Avgorou village
GPS coordinates: Lat: 35.0395 Lon: 33.83987
Contact No: Tel: +357 23 923 340
Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 08:30 – 13:30
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 16:00 – 18:00
Saturday: 09:00 – 13:00
Closed on Sunday.
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: Adults €1,71 / Children €0,86
Special rates for students and groups.
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Thalassa Agia Napa Municipal Museum

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Named after the Greek word for ‘sea’ – the Thalassa Museum was created to promote awareness of the marine heritage of Cyprus from prehistoric times to the present, and is a modern, interactive museum, housed in a multi­purpose cultural centre.

Pride of place among the exhibits is a life­size replica of the famous 4th century Greek trading ship ‘Keryneia II’ that sank off the coast of Keryneia around the year 300 BC. Due to the museum’s design, the ship can be viewed from different levels, including a birds­eye view – as can the other exhibits, that include pottery and other antiquities.

Housed in the basement is a marine life section with various exhibits, from fish and sea mammals to crustaceans, corals, shells and fossils – some dating back 130 million years ago.

The museum also functions as an arts exhibition centre, as well as a multipurpose hall for a variety of events and conferences.

Region: Ammochostos (Famagusta)
Address: Leoforos Kryou Nerou, 14, Agia Napa
GPS coordinates: Lat: 34.987634 Lon: 34.002424
Contact No: Tel: +357 23 816 366, Fax: +357 23 816 369
Operating Hours: October – May: Monday: 09:00 – 13:00, Tuesday – Saturday: 09:00 – 17:00, Sunday: closed
June – September: Monday: 09:00 – 13:00, Tuesday – Saturday: 09:00 – 17:00, Sunday: 15:00 – 19:00
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: Adults €4,00 / Children €1,50
Special rates for students and groups.
Disabled Access: Wheelchair accessible.
Website: https://thalassamuseum.org.cy/ 
 
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
 

Deryneia Folkloric Museum / Open Air Museum for Traditional Professions -Ammochostos district

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Housed in an old traditional residence, Deryneia Folk Art Museum exhibits a collection of everyday agricultural tools and equipment used by traditional farming families of bygone times.

Located opposite is the Open Air Traditional Folk Art Museum which further showcases traditional professions in its exhibition rooms, including that of furniture and shoe maker, carpenter, tailor, blacksmith, builder, barber, sculptor, fisherman and farmer, among others. Exhibitions are also held on the grounds, along with civil marriages and other cultural events.

Region: Ammochostos (Famagusta)
Address: Demetri Liberti 2 & 3, Deryneia village
Contact No: Tel: +357 23 811 000
Operating Hours: Winter: Monday – ­ Saturday: 09:00 – 13:00 / 15:00 – ­17:00
Summer: Monday – ­ Saturday: 09:00 – 13:00 / 15:00 -­ 18:00
Closed on Sunday.
Operating Period: All year round.
Closed on Public Holidays.
Entrance Fee: €2,00 / Groups €1,00 (both museums)
Disabled Access: Wheelchair accessible
Website: www.visitfamagusta.com.cy
  Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.