The Municipality of Paralimni-Dherinia is actively developing archaeological sites and museum spaces, turning the region's millennia-old heritage into one of the main instruments of cultural tourism in Cyprus.
Local authorities emphasize that this strategy is designed not only to preserve unique monuments, but also to attract new travelers interested in history and authentic routes to the east coast of the island.
According to Mayor Giorgos Nicolettos, the territory of the municipality preserves traces of civilizations from the Neolithic era to Roman times and the Middle Ages. He notes that each monument here is not just an archaeological site, but an important part of the modern identity of the region, capable of telling about the origin of local traditions and culture.
One of the key projects was the discovery of the archaeological settlement of Nisia in Protaras, which took place on October 16, almost 30 years after the completion of excavations. The area of the monument is 3,250 square meters and its age dates back to 5200–4800 BC. This is the largest explored Neolithic settlement in the Famagusta region.
Archaeologists discovered 40 dwellings, a protective wall and many artifacts, including pottery, stone figurines, knives and jewelry made of picrolite and deer bone. Today, Nisia is becoming a new attraction for tourists who want to see what life looked like in Cyprus more than seven thousand years ago.
In the Fig Tree Bay area in Protaras, another significant object was landscaped - an underground tomb discovered in 2010 during the construction of the embankment. The chamber structure dates back to the Hellenistic-Roman period and contains clay sarcophagi with human remains and grave goods. Among the finds are jewelry and a clay figurine, which experts associate with the god Attis, a companion of the goddess Cybele.
According to local legend, it was here that the last queen of Salamis was buried. Today, information panels from the Department of Antiquities are installed at the site, making it accessible and understandable to visitors.
In 2019, during work at the Panaia Panagiotissa chapel in Protaras, a dedicatory stele dating from 315–311 BC was found. The inscription revealed a previously unknown member of the royal dynasty of Salamis - Nikokles, the son of King Pnitagora and brother of King Nikocreon. The dedication was presumably addressed to Aphrodite Acrea.
The municipality is also negotiating the return of a 60cm stone bust located at the Neues Museum in Berlin. The sculpture depicts a female figure wearing a tower-shaped crown, reminiscent of the images of Aphrodite on coins from the time of King Evagoras II (361–351 BC). The artifact is believed to come from the ancient settlement and port of Levcolle, on the site of modern Protaras, and was taken to Europe by the antiques dealer Luigi Palma di Cesnola. The authorities have already initiated contacts with the museum and the Cypriot embassy in Germany to obtain permission to create an official copy for display on the island.
Historians also associate Protaras with the famous Nike of Samothrace sculpture housed in the Louvre, as it is associated with the naval battle of Leucallos. As part of the further development of cultural tourism, the municipality plans to create a Museum of Maritime History and Maritime Culture. To this end, at least two ancient shipwrecks have already been identified in the coastal waters of Protaras, which could form the basis for future exhibitions and underwater tourist routes.
According to Giorgos Nicolettos, the development strategy relies on cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the Department of Antiquities, the integration of archaeological sites into sustainable tourism routes and the creation of educational and digital projects. In 2026, it is planned to expand interactive exhibitions, introduce mobile audio guides and develop thematic historical routes, which will make the Paralimni-Dherinia region one of the key centers of cultural tourism in Cyprus.
Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
