Paphos, Cyprus

Paphos sits on the southwest coast of Cyprus with a population of about 63,000, and classical myth names the city as the birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite. The Paphos Archaeological Park preserves Roman villa mosaics from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, including the decorated floors of the House of Dionysus, and the entire site carries a UNESCO World Heritage listing. Two kilometres north of the harbour, the Tombs of the Kings spread through rock-cut chambers carved in the 4th century BC. The city later served as a European Capital of Culture in 2017, and the surrounding coastline still keeps older Aphrodite landmarks intact.