Churches & Ancient Sites

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Protaras stands on the grounds of the old city-state of Leukolla. The modern resort is now favoured for its beaches and diving sites, but it also preserves its historic legacy with ardour and devotion. On an outcrop above the town, the Church of Profitis Ilias stands like a sentinel protecting the spiritual heart of Protaras. The Hellenistic tombs at the headland of the Fig Tree Bay are other ancient sites in Protaras. The Agioi Saranta cave church is a must-see in a rugged setting worth a day trip. You will also appreciate the wonderful treasure of Ayia Napa: a medieval monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Profitis Ilias Church

Profitis Ilias is a treasured Greek Orthodox church on a rocky outcrop some fifteen minutes from the centre of Protaras. Its magnetic setting and stunning architectural features lure tourists to climb over 150 stone steps to reach its doors. It’s a tiresome walk, but well worth it, as the rewards are not only of religious nature. The views of Protaras from Profitis Ilias can only be described in superlative terms. The panoramic views stretch from Cape Greco all the way to Kapparis, and even to Famagusta on a clear day.

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Agioi Saranta Cave Church

The name Agioi Saranta translates into English as the Holy Forty – probably referring to the Forty Martyrs of Sabaste – a group of Roman soldiers of the Legio XII Fulminata killed by Roman emperor Licinius I in 320 AD when they refused to renounce their Christian fate. The feast day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste is March 9, when many Christian devotes come to pay their respects at the Agioi Saranta Cave Church.

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Ayia Napa Monastery

A short drive from Protaras, Ayia Napa Medieval Monastery is a religious, architectural, and historical landmark, attracting hundreds of tourists as it counts among the most important monuments of its kind in Cyprus.

Ayia Napa Medieval Monastery no longer operates as a nunnery but hosts now a museum with a large collection of archaeological finds from the area, as well as icons and other religious artefacts, most of them from the private collection of Archbishop Makarios.

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