1st day: Arrival Day
Arrival at Larnaca Airport and transfer to Limassol hotel. Overnight.
2nd day: Agros village-Cyprus delicacies and Troodos Observatory at Agridia
Today you will have the opportunity to travel to the mountainous area of Troodos to visit a few traditional villages. Our first stop will be at the village of Kakopetria, where the guests will enjoy the old quarter of the village which has been restored and reconstructed. We move on to the Agros Village where we will visit a Rose Famous Factory to see the procedure of making the organic rosewater and rose essential oil. Apart from this the factory produces rose cosmetics/Rose Liqueur, Rose Aperitif, Rose Wine, Rose Nectar, Aromatic candles, Organic Rose Tea, Rose Vinegar, Rose Jam, Rose Chocolate which you will have pleasure to try /taste and buy. Guests will see also the Traditional Jams and Preserves factory where you will observe how they are made. Free time will be offered to enjoy the picturesque village. Late in the evening we will depart for the final destination which is the Troodos Observatory at Agridia village*. During this visit you will have the chance to attend a 2-hours astronomy presentation including night sky observation. Back to Limassol hotel. Overnight.
* Troodos Observatory at Agridia village can also be visited during day hours for sun observation.
3rd day: Tamassos ancient city-kingdom and The Cyprus Planetarium T&O
Right after breakfast, you will have the chance to visit one of the ancient city-kingdoms of Cyprus, Tamassos. Located on the left bank of the river Pediaios, in the area where the villages of Politiko, Pera and Episkopio are found today, the large archaeological site has unearthed the temple of Aphrodite, two majestic royal tombs, as well as several smaller ones. Excavations have also brought to light copper workshops associated with Aphrodite – Astarte, and six oversized limestone statues dating back to the 6th century BC, when Cyprus was under Egyptian rule. Then, we proceed to visit the majestic church of St. Andrew and All Russian Saints, situated within the courtyard of the Metropolis of Tamassos and Oreinis at the village of Episkopio. The church is being built in a Russian style, is unparalleled on the island. The church boasts five golden domes which arrived from St. Petersburg and the central dome, weighing nearly eight tons, was placed on the church on July 7, 2016 to the sound of chanting and fireworks, followed by a music and dance program. The church is surrounded by a large hillside garden, pavilions, a reception area and Byzantine-style fountains of Holy Water. The last visit for the day is the Cyprus Planetarium* including shows within the dome (30-50 min) plus astronomy educators. Back to Limassol hotel. Overnight.
* At Cyprus Planetarium, depending on the time of the visit it can be done day or night observation.
4th day: Stargazing
Transfer for stargazing. Orientation Environmental. Dark Sky. Equipment. Program. Visitors’ Responsibilities. Light dinner will be offered on location and Relaxation under the stars. Uranography (Q&A). Binoculars Observing. Stargazing (based on interest and observing phenomena). Astrophotography (Q&A). Back to Limassol hotel. Overnight.
5th day: Full day tour to Curium – Paphos
Departure after breakfast and travel towards the outskirts of Limassol town, where the first visit will be at the archaeological site of Curium. Curium was one of the island’s most important city-kingdoms in antiquity, it is one of the most impressive on the island, and excavations have unearthed many significant finds, which can be viewed at the site. The magnificent Greco-Roman theatre – the site’s centre piece – was built in the 2nd century BC and extended in the 2nd century AD. The theatre has been restored, and is now used for open-air musical and theatrical performances – mainly during the summer months – making it one of the most popular settings for cultural events. East of the theatre are the remains of a prominent building, the ‘House of Eustolios’, which was originally a private villa that was turned into a public recreation centre during the Early Christian period. Its remains consist of four panels of beautiful, 5th century mosaic floors with a stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea. Next stop at the Aphrodite’s Rock, where according to the legend, the ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty, Aphrodite was born from the sea foam. The area is an interesting geological formation of a huge rock along one of the most beautiful coastlines on the island. We then travel to the city of Paphos, where we will visit the Mosaics and are a part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Paphos. The beautifully preserved mosaics floors are considered among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean and have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980. The “Houses of Dionysos”, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus are the villas of four Roman noblemen that date from the 2nd to the 5th centuries AD. Their intricate floor mosaics depict various scenes from Greek Mythology. Just next to the mosaics is the picturesque harbor of Paphos where there it stands the medieval castle of Paphos. This harbor is also the place where the Apostle Paul sailed to in order continue his tour of the spread of Christianity. Back to Limassol hotel. Overnight.
6th day: Free for Leisure
Free day for leisure. At night transfer from / to hotel to local restaurant for dinner. Overnight.
7th day: Departure day
Transfer to Larnaca Airport for the departure flight.