According to the Greeks, Aphrodite rose from the sea foam off the coast of Cyprus, and the place where she came ashore was near Paphos. The rock of Petra tou Romiou, a sea stack a few kilometres east of Kouklia, is the traditional spot, and the sanctuary on the hill above, at Palaepaphos, was one of the most important shrines of the ancient world. People came on pilgrimage from across the Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to late antiquity, and the cult went back to a Near Eastern fertility goddess long before the Greeks arrived, with the goddess worshipped in the form of a cone-shaped black stone.
The sanctuary was rebuilt many times, and in the Middle Ages the Lusignan kings built a manor house on the site, using stones from the ancient temple, and this building now houses a museum with the sacred stone and finds from the excavations. The site was included in UNESCO's listing of Paphos in 1980. The ruins are modest, a series of walls and foundations on a ridge, but the setting is open, with a view over the sea, and the story is vivid.
The ride is straightforward. Cyprus, like Britain, drives on the left, a legacy of British rule, and the roads are generally good, with a fast coastal highway between Limassol and Paphos, past beaches, banana plantations and the Petra tou Romiou. Inland, the roads climb into the Troodos mountains, with pine forest, small villages and cooler air, reaching nearly two thousand metres at Mount Olympus. Winding routes up from the coast give excellent riding, with hairpins and views, but surfaces can be rough, and summer traffic is heavy. In July and August the heat is intense, so spring and autumn are the best seasons.
Fuel is available in Paphos and the larger villages along the coast, and the area is full of cafes and tavernas, serving halloumi, grilled meat and the local sweet wine, Commandaria. Take water and sun protection, because the site has little shade, and try to arrive early or late in the day. If you stop at Petra tou Romiou, take care crossing the road, since it is busy and the car park can be crowded.