Archaeology · Paphos

Tombs of the Kings

Underground tombs cut from solid rock, some with columned courtyards, by the Paphos shore.

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Wow 4/5

Ease 5/5

Value 5/5

Quiet 3/5

Our own marks out of 5. Quiet 5 means rarely crowded. How we score

Guide

No kings were buried here. The name comes from how grand the tombs are: they were cut for high officials and wealthy families of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Several are built like houses for the dead, with open courtyards ringed by Doric columns carved straight from the bedrock.

It feels more like exploring than viewing. You climb down the steps into the chambers yourself, with the sea a few metres away. It is cheap, close to town and fits easily into a morning.

The catch. Steep steps and loose ground, so it is not for everyone. Very little shade.

Local tip. Wear proper shoes and bring water. The tombs with columned courtyards are worth the climb down.

Tomb 3, Tombs of the Kings

An underground tomb cut into the rock, built like a house: an open courtyard below ground level with Doric columns around it and burial chambers behind.

Turn the 3D model of Tomb 3, Tombs of the Kings →