House of Dionysos

The undisputed highlight of the Paphos Archaeological Park, the House of Dionysos is the largest of a series of four Roman villas, nicknamed the ‘Mosaic Houses’ for their elaborate floor mosaics.  The impressive artworks were painstakingly crafted from limestone tiles and date back to the 2nd and 3rd century AD, remaining hidden until 1962, when they were discovered by a local farmer.
Today, the famous mosaics have been restored to much of their former glory and cover 556 square-meters with colorful depictions of Greek gods and mythology. At the House of Dionysus, the show-stopping centerpiece portrays Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of wine, returning from India on a chariot drawn by two panthers, while other mosaics show Apollo and Daphne, a Ganymede being taken back to Olympus on the wings of an eagle and a number of hunting scenes.

Practical Info

The House of Dionysos is part of the Paphos Archaeological Park, located in Paphos on the west coast of Cyprus. The archaeological park is open daily from 8am to 5pm in winter or 7:30pm in summer and adult admission is €4.50.