Caves in Kato Paphos decorated with religious artifacts
Paphos comes in two distinct parts; Kato Paphos being the bit beside the sea, Ktima Paphos being the old town perched on a hill. The divide between the two is an escarpment – at places quite a steep cliff.
Into this cliff there are caves in a number of places. They’re all a bit spooky, in different ways. Many are used for religious purposes, though for what religion isn’t clear.
Getting back out into the sunshine, the walk along beside the escarpment is good, especially to the east of the Kato Paphos bypass. The rock formations are pretty interesting, and the peace and quiet is a million miles from the bustle of Paphos. As you walk along, look out for shapes that remind you of things.
The further you go towards Geroskipou, the more the countryside opens up.
Huge boulders that have fallen from the escarpment between Ktima Paphos and Kato Paphos
The escarpment continues, but it isn’t as steep. In places there have been some pretty big rock falls at some point in the past, littering the countryside with huge boulders.
Almost as you get to Geroskipou, somebody’s built something much grander into the cliffs. It’s fenced off, so you can’t get close. But check out the pillars in front – for a cave-dweller this is grandeur on a major scale. Careful with the climb up to it, the loose surface is a bit tricky in places.
If you start out from by the traffic lights on the Kato Paphos bypass at the junction with Giannou Kranidioti, you can take it all in. Walking will take about an hour.
See more pictures of Kato Paphos.
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