KOURION – APOLLO HYLATES TOUR 

OPTION 5

*This tour can Accommodate up to 2 clients with limited or no mobility*

ROUTE

  • KOURION – Visit the Ancient City of Kourion, one of the 12 Ancient Cities founded by the Myceneans after the Trojan War and visit the Efstolios house with exceptionally preserved Roman mosaics, along with the Ancient Greek Theatre that’s still in use.
  • APOLLO HYLATES SANCTUARY – Apollon Hylates, God of the woodland, was the protector of Kourion and it is believed that he was worshipped at the site from the 8th BCE up until the 4th AD. His Sanctuary was an important religious center and underwent many extensions and alterations in different periods.
  • OLIVE GROVES IN ANOGYRA – the tour will continue to an olive park in Anogyra village. Upon arrival to the olive park visitors will have a chance to learn about the history and culture of the olive tree cultivation and olive oil production on the island – a custom that dates back from the Bronze Age over Cyprus.

TRIP DETAILS

Minimum Participation: 14 Persons

Price per Person: €82.00

Date: 19 November 2024

Departure / Return time: 13:00 – 18:00      

Above package includes:

  • Bus transportation for people with disabilities from and to hotel
  • Licensed English-Speaking tour guide
  • Entrance fees to Kourion, Apollo Hylates Sanctuary and Olive Grove in Anogyra Village

KOURION – APOLLO HYLATES TOUR

The tour begins at the Ancient City of Kourion. Located on the outskirts of Limassol.

Kourion is considered to be one of the most important Archaeological sites all over Cyprus, as it was one of the 11 cities that were established by the surviving Myceneans from Argos Peloponnesus, that found refuge in Cyprus around the 12th BCE. Due to severe earthquakes that Kourion suffered throughout its rich history, it was rebuilt around 5 times, until becoming abandoned in the 7th Century AD due to Arabic raids.

Today, among other excavations, Kourion holds the 4th Century AD House of Efstolios – an estate that has extraordinary Proto-Christian mosaics, along with the Roman-styled baths where the ancient floor heating system is still visible to this day. Furthermore, during the Kourion tour, the group will have an opportunity sightseeing the Ancient Greek Theatre that was constructed at the end of the 2nd BCE, during the Ptolemy rule over the island and it’s still in use, where every summer the Department of Antiquity in association with the Cypriot Theatrical Organization organizes ancient Greek tragedy and comedy theatrical plays.

After the city of Kourion, the tour will continue to the Apollo Hylates Sanctuary. Apollon Hylates, God of the woodland, was the protector of Kourion and it is believed that he was worshipped at the site from the 8th BCE up until the 4th AD. His Sanctuary was an important religious centre and underwent many extensions and alterations in different periods.

During the Roman period the site was extended with the additional buildings that were used for the display of votives and the accommodation for the worshippers. The majority of the monuments as they can be seen today, belong to the 1st AD roman restorations, and these restorations consist of Apollo’s Temple, Pilgrim Halls, the ‘Palaistra’ – a place where the athletes exercised and played games in honor of the entity, a Bath complex and a Holy Precinct. After Apollo Hylates Sanctuary, the tour will continue to an olive park in Anogyra village. Upon arrival to the olive park visitors will have a chance to learn about the history and culture of the olive tree cultivation and olive oil production on the island – a custom that dates back from the Bronze Age over Cyprus. Inside the park, you will find an ecological olive mill with mill stones, a museum, a restaurant, a store specializing in olive products, a video room, bottling, and storing facilities.