Salamis: visiting the ancient city, history and tips
Last verified 19 October 2026
Salamis (Salamina) was for centuries the leading city of Cyprus, and its ruins spread across a wide stretch of dunes, pine and scrub beside the sea a few kilometres north of Famagusta (Ammochostos, Gazimağusa). Much of the city is still under sand, but what has been dug out is enough for a long morning: a colonnaded gymnasium with its statues, Roman baths with mosaics and a fresco, a theatre that once held around 15,000 people, and two large early Christian basilicas. The beach runs right along the edge of the site, so you can finish with a swim.
A short history
Tradition says Salamis was founded by Teucer, an archer from the Trojan War, but finds go back to the 11th century BC. Assyrian inscriptions list it among the kingdoms of Cyprus, and its kings paid tribute to Sargon II in 708 BC. The richest burials of this early period are the Royal Tombs just west of the city.
The city flourished under King Evagoras I in the early 4th century BC and later under the Ptolemies and Romans, when it was the island’s main commercial city even though the governor sat at Paphos. Paul and Barnabas landed here on their first missionary journey, and tradition holds that Barnabas, who was born in Salamis, was later martyred here.
Earthquakes in the 4th century AD wrecked much of the city. Emperor Constantius II rebuilt a smaller town named Constantia, which became the seat of a bishop. Arab raids in the 7th century ended it, the harbour silted up, and people moved to Famagusta, which was partly built from Salamis stone. Large scale excavation ran from 1952 until 1974.
What to see
The site is big and the signs are faded in places, so pick up the brochure at the ticket office. There are two marked routes: a short red one that covers the main monuments and a longer blue one.
The gymnasium and palaestra. Right by the entrance, and the best preserved part of the site. A square courtyard, the palaestra, is ringed by tall marble columns, many of them reused and mismatched after the earthquake of the 4th century. Headless statues line the court. In the south west corner is a semicircular Roman latrine with seats for 44 people, its water channels still visible.
The baths. East of the gymnasium, a set of hot and cold rooms with exposed underfloor heating. Look for the 3rd century fresco of Hylas, companion of Heracles, on the south wall of the sweating room, and for mosaic fragments of Leda and the swan and of Apollo shooting at the children of Niobe.
The theatre. A short walk from the gymnasium. Built in the reign of Augustus, it is freestanding rather than cut into a hillside and once seated around 15,000. Only the lower rows survive, partly restored, and it is still used now and then for concerts.
The basilica of Epiphanios. Beyond the colonnaded street, the remains of the great church built around AD 400 for Bishop Epiphanios, once the largest basilica in Cyprus. Three apses and fragments of floor survive, and the bishop is thought to have been buried in its south apse.
The agora and Temple of Zeus. A huge Roman marketplace, around 230 metres long, with a large Byzantine cistern at its north end and the podium of the Temple of Zeus at the south. Augustus confirmed the temple’s right of asylum. This part sits off the usual route and is less well kept, so allow extra time if you want to reach it.
The Kampanopetra basilica. Near the old harbour, an early Christian church on a terrace above the sea, with a colonnaded courtyard and a floor of patterned coloured marble behind the apses. The setting, with columns against the water, is one of the best on the site.
Nearby
The Royal Tombs. West of the ruins, a group of large tombs from the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Each has a sloping entrance passage, and in several you can see the skeletons of the horses sacrificed with the chariot or hearse. A small museum shows grave goods and horse tack. The domed tomb visible from the road has long been linked to St Catherine.
St Barnabas Monastery. Close to the Royal Tombs, between Salamis and the village of Tuzla. The church dates from the 18th century and now holds an icon museum, with an archaeological collection in the old monastic rooms. A small chapel nearby stands over what is said to be the saint’s tomb. It is a former church, so dress with respect.
The beach. A long, soft sand beach runs beside the ruins with a gentle slope into the sea, and you can snorkel over the old harbour walls just offshore. It is reached separately from the archaeological site. See our Famagusta beaches guide for more.
For the walled old town of Famagusta and everything else in the area, see the Famagusta area guide.
Visiting
Getting there. Salamis is signposted off the main road from Famagusta towards Boğaz (Bogazi). A car is by far the easiest option, as buses on this road are infrequent and do not run on Sundays. If you are coming from the south, read our guide to border crossing points before you set out.
How long to allow. Two hours covers the main monuments. Add an hour or more for the agora, the Royal Tombs and St Barnabas, and longer if you plan to swim.
Heat and shade. Summer temperatures can reach 40°C and there is little shade among the ruins. Go at opening time, when it is cooler and before the tour coaches arrive, and bring water, sun cream and a hat.
Footwear and access. The ground is sandy and uneven, with loose stones and some steps, so wear proper shoes. Much of the site is hard going with a wheelchair or pushchair.
Fees and hours. Entry is a small fee, paid in Turkish lira. Hours vary by season, so check before you go.