Kourion: visiting the ancient city, its mosaics and theatre
Last verified 19 October 2026
Kourion (Curium in Latin) is the great classical site of the Limassol (Lemesos, Limasol) coast. It sits on a bluff above the sea about 19 kilometres west of the city, on the road to Paphos, near the village of Episkopi. You come for the theatre with the sea behind the stage, for some of the finest Roman and early Christian mosaics on the island, and for the view down to the beach below.
A short history
Kourion was one of the most important city kingdoms of ancient Cyprus, built on high ground overlooking the fertile valley of the Kouris river.
A series of earthquakes in the 4th century AD shattered the city, the worst of them in 365 AD. A Christian town grew up on the ruins, with a large cathedral in the 5th century, but Arab raids in the 7th century brought that phase to an end and its stone was later carried off to build a church in Episkopi.
Serious excavation began in the 1930s, led by the American archaeologist George McFadden for the University of Pennsylvania from 1934 to 1953. A University of Arizona team dug the Earthquake House from 1986.
What to see
The theatre. Built in the 2nd century BC and enlarged in the 2nd century AD, then restored in modern times. The seats face straight out to sea, which is why it is the picture everyone takes home. It is still used for open air performances, mainly in summer. In 2026 the International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama staged eight performances here between 3 July and 8 August, and the theatre also hosts summer concerts. Programmes change yearly.
House of Eustolios. Right beside the theatre. It began as a private villa and became a public recreation centre in the early Christian period. Under a protective roof are four mosaic panels from the 5th century and the remains of a bath complex with heated rooms. The roof also gives some of the only shade on the site.
The Agora and Nymphaeum. In the centre of the city, the Roman market place dates from the early 3rd century, with marble columned porticoes and a public bath. Next to it is the Nymphaeum, a monumental fountain house dedicated to the water nymphs.
The early Christian basilica. The 5th century cathedral of Kourion, with three aisles divided by granite columns and a separate baptistery on its north side.
House of Achilles. A 4th century house named after its mosaic of Achilles being unmasked by Odysseus on the island of Skyros, where his mother had hidden him dressed as a girl to keep him out of the Trojan War.
House of the Gladiators. Close by, named after a late 3rd century mosaic of two gladiators fighting. Their names, Margarites and Hellenikos, are written above them in Greek.
The Earthquake House. A house on the acropolis brought down in the earthquake of 365 AD. Excavators found the skeletons of people crushed as they sheltered, and in the courtyard a mule still chained to its stone feeding trough. The remains of the victims are shown in the small Kourion museum in Episkopi, described below.
The stadium. About a kilometre west of the main site, beside the Paphos road. It was built in the 2nd century AD and used until the late 4th century, with seating for around 6,000 people.
Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates. About three kilometres west of the main site. Apollo was worshipped here as god of the woodland, and protector of Kourion, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Most of what stands dates from restorations in the 1st century AD: a partly rebuilt temple, pilgrims’ halls, a palaestra for exercise, baths and the sacred precinct.
Visiting
Getting there. Kourion is just off the A6 west of Limassol, and a car is the easy way to link the main site, stadium and sanctuary. See our car hire guide. The fee is collected at the gate before you drive on to the main car park by the visitor centre.
Fees. Entry to the main site was €4.50 when we checked, and €2.50 for the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates. Groups of more than ten get 20 per cent off. The Department of Antiquities also sells cards covering all its museums and sites: €8.50 for one day, €17 for three and €25 for seven, when we checked.
Hours. Both sites open daily from 08:30 to 19:30 between 16 April and 15 September, and from 08:30 to 17:00 for the rest of the year, closing on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Orthodox Easter Sunday. Last entry is reported to be half an hour before closing. Sites sometimes close for maintenance, so check before you go.
Heat and shade. There is very little shade, and even in October it can be hard going in the middle of the day. Allow at least two hours, and bring a hat and plenty of water. Drinks and snacks are sold only at the visitor centre, and you may not eat or drink among the excavations.
Best time. Late afternoon. It is cooler, the low sun turns the cliffs and the bay gold, and the theatre is at its best. From mid September to mid April the gates close at 17:00, which in midwinter is close to dusk. In summer, a 21:00 performance is the way to see the theatre in use, after dark.
Footwear and access. Expect a fair amount of walking on uneven ground and stone, so wear proper shoes. The site is partly accessible: the House of Eustolios and the theatre are next to the visitor centre, and there is a separate entrance for wheelchair users to the House of Achilles and House of the Gladiators. An audio guide is available.
Photography. Photography of the ruins is fine, but there are military installations in the area which must not be photographed.
Nearby
Kourion Museum, Episkopi. A small museum in the village, in the house where George McFadden lived. It shows finds from Kourion and the sanctuary, including the skeletal remains from the Earthquake House. Entry was free when we checked, and it opens on weekdays only, 08:00 to 15:30.
Kourion beach. Directly below the site, a wide sand and pebble beach about a kilometre long, organised in summer and popular with windsurfers. A swim here after the ruins is the classic way to finish. See our Limassol beaches guide.
For the rest of the district, see our Limassol guide.