Travel writing based on first-hand experience
Paphos is one of those places that refuses to be just one thing. We come for the beaches and the big Mediterranean light, and then suddenly we are wandering through ancient ruins, stopping for meze in the old town, driving out to wild coastal viewpoints, and wondering why nobody warned us that this corner of Cyprus had so much range. If you are planning a trip and want a mix of history, sea views, local food, and easy day-trip adventures, there are plenty of things to do in Paphos beyond the obvious postcard stops.
Table of Contents
Getting Around Paphos
Getting around Paphos is pleasantly straightforward, which is always nice when we are trying to spend more time exploring and less time arguing with maps. If we are staying around Kato Paphos or the harbour area, many of the main sights, restaurants, and seafront spots are within easy walking distance. The city is also served by a decent local bus network, which makes it simple to reach places like the Tombs of the Kings, Coral Bay, and other key areas without needing a car. If we want to explore further afield — especially places like the Akamas Peninsula, Latchi, or smaller villages in the hills — renting a car is by far the easiest option and gives us much more freedom. Taxis are also available and useful for shorter journeys, but for a classic Paphos city break, a mix of walking, buses, and the occasional taxi usually works perfectly well.
Visiting Paphos Tips
- Wear comfortable shoes. Paphos is easy to explore, but uneven streets, archaeological sites, and long walks can be harder on your feet than expected.
- Start sightseeing early in hot weather. If you are visiting in late spring, summer, or early autumn, the midday heat can be intense, especially at open-air sites like the Tombs of the Kings and Paphos Archaeological Park.
- Carry water and sun protection. A hat, sunscreen, and a bottle of water will make a big difference if you are spending long hours outdoors.
- Do not underestimate distances. Paphos looks compact at first, but the city is more spread out than it seems, especially if you want to move between Ktima, Kato Paphos, beaches, and archaeological sites.
- Use buses or rent a car for wider exploring. Walking works well in the main tourist areas, but if you want to visit places like Coral Bay, Latchi, or the Akamas Peninsula, transport becomes much more important.
- Book popular restaurants ahead in peak season. Seafront restaurants and sunset spots can get busy, especially in summer.
- Spend time in both Ktima and Kato Paphos. The old town has a more local, everyday feel, while the coastal area is where you will find the harbour, major ruins, and classic holiday atmosphere.
- Plan at least one cultural stop. Paphos is not just a beach destination, so make time for its archaeological sites, museums, or historic neighbourhoods.
- Bring swimwear even outside peak summer. The coast is too beautiful to ignore, and the weather can stay surprisingly warm for much of the year.
- Allow more than a quick day trip if you can. Paphos is the kind of place that works much better when you have time to enjoy the beaches, food, history, and nearby nature at a slower pace.
Best Things to Do in Paphos, Cyprus
1. Discover its UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Paphos is one of the best year-round destinations in Cyprus, blending beaches, culture, and an extraordinary amount of history in one compact area. The entire city is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Archaeological Park, the Medieval Castle by the old harbour, and the Old Town, which gives Paphos far more depth than a typical sun-and-sea getaway. At the same time, the city is investing heavily in infrastructure, smart tourism technology, sustainability, and visitor experiences, helping it evolve into a more modern and innovative destination. That forward-thinking approach helped Paphos earn the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism 2023, thanks to its work in accessibility, sustainability, digitalisation, and cultural heritage.
2. Cycle the Paphos Coast Path
For something simple and scenic, the Paphos Coast Trail is a great option. This flat 3.6-kilometre boardwalk runs along the sea and is ideal for a gentle walk, an easy run, or a cycle with coastal views the whole way.
Cyprus is actually a very popular destination for cycling, so there are plenty of bike rental shops around Paphos if we do not have our own wheels. It is an easy, low-stress way to enjoy the coastline without committing to a full hiking expedition.
3. Head to the Beach
And of course, let us not overcomplicate things: if we are in the Mediterranean, getting into the sea should absolutely be part of the plan.
In summer, sea temperatures can reach a very lovely 24 to 28°C, so a beach day is never a wasted idea. One of the best-known spots is Coral Bay, a popular beach near Paphos with a nice stretch of sand, swimmable water, and plenty of nearby restaurants and shops.
If we are staying at somewhere like Cali Resort & Spa, Coral Bay is just a five-minute walk away, which makes the whole beach decision dangerously easy.
4. Technopolis 20
Right in the center of Paphos, close to Kennedy Square, we stumbled across a beautiful neoclassical building called Techno.polis 20 — and yes, this is exactly the sort of place we love finding by accident.
It is the kind of spot where we can combine coffee with chamber music, or just sit in one of the armchairs with a book and pretend we are suddenly far more cultured than usual. The space was created by Marina and Markella, who wanted to build a cultural hub that would give the city a different rhythm and introduce both adults and children to new experiences.
And it works.
If you visit in summer, you may even catch open-air cinema screenings in the courtyard. A neoclassical house, evening air, film under the sky — yes please.
5. Koutourou
You already know the rules: we can skip luxury hotels, we can live without too many comforts, but good food is non-negotiable.
That is how we ended up at Koutourou, a wonderfully traditional little restaurant-kitchen in the center, right across from Eros Square. This is not the place for a giant laminated menu and endless options. No, no. Koutourou keeps it simple with just three dishes of the day — and that is exactly why it works.
We tried trout with rice and spinach, then followed it up with the famous submarine sweet with mastic alongside Cypriot coffee. Absolutely no regrets.
Only one important tip: go early. Lunch runs roughly from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and then the place closes for a midday siesta. As it should.
6. Wall Art
We thought Athens had us spoiled when it came to street art — especially around Psyrri — but then we started wandering through the streets of Paphos and realized the city had quietly built an impressive graffiti scene of its own.
Some of the murals we found were genuinely striking, the sort of pieces that deserve more than a quick glance and a distracted “oh nice.” These works are worth seeking out one by one, partly because they are beautiful, partly because they tell you something about the city’s creative pulse, and partly because they make excellent photo backdrops. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
Some of the wall art came from the Kimonos Art Center. If you are into workshops, community art spaces, or just seeing how cities use art to reinvent themselves, this is a very good rabbit hole to go down.
7. The School Complexes
Yes, these grand buildings are schools. Real ones. Functioning ones. Not just photogenic leftovers from some vanished era.
And we have to say: we were impressed.
Located right in the city center, the school complex is hard to miss and absolutely worth a walk-through. Nikolaos Nikolaidis Gymnasium, built in 1928, is the oldest. Archbishop Makarios III Lyceum, from 1960, is the newest. Between them sits Iakovio Gymnasium, founded in the 1920s by the progressive Bishop of Paphos, Antzoulatos.
In the middle stands the Propylaea, a classical-style entrance leading toward the sports grounds and Dimitrios Primary School. It all feels oddly monumental for a set of schools, which is exactly what makes it memorable.
And while you are there, cross the square and head to the end to see the small fountain with the sleeping Cupid. Because apparently Paphos does not do understated.
8. The Tombs of the Kings
At some point, it is time to head down toward the coast. From there, after a stroll past the Medieval Castle of Paphos, you can catch bus 615 to one of the city’s most fascinating sites: the Tombs of the Kings.
And first, a clarification. There were no kings buried here. The site gets its name from the grandeur of the tombs and the high rank of the aristocratic officials buried inside. In theory, at least, they were important enough to be treated like royalty.
The wider area is known as the Necropolis, and it stretches all the way toward the sea. It is a vast, open archaeological space where we can wander among ancient rock-cut tombs and — perhaps just as importantly — enjoy a short escape from the city’s noise.
The entrance fee is only €2.50, which feels almost suspiciously reasonable for a site this atmospheric.
9. The Archaeological Site of Paphos
You simply do not come to Paphos and skip its archaeological site. That would be like going to Rome and saying, “Actually, we are here for the yogurt.”
Give yourself at least three hours here. More if you like ruins, mosaics, and getting gloriously distracted by bits of broken history under a fierce Mediterranean sun.
The area is huge and packed with monuments spanning from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages, although most of what you see today dates from the Roman period. The clear stars of the show are the mosaic floors in the four Roman villas — beautifully preserved, intricate, and very much worth the walk.
The site also includes the Asklepieion, the Odeon, the Agora, the Forty Columns Fortress, and, oddly enough, a lighthouse that gave us strange little Icelandic feelings for reasons we still cannot fully explain. Travel does this sometimes.
10. Mouttalos – The Turkish Cypriot Neighborhood
Back uphill toward Ktima, there is a neighborhood that quietly carries a lot of history in its streets: Mouttalos, the old Turkish Cypriot quarter.
We had seen traces of this layered past in Larnaca too, but here it struck us again — that eerie, powerful feeling of walking through a place where the architecture remembers everything, even when the streets have gone quiet.
The neighborhood stretches toward Fellachoglou Street, once one of the city’s most commercial roads, where Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots from nearby villages traded side by side. The area takes its name from the Musallah Mosque, which still stands prominently at the entrance.
Walk the quiet streets, then drift toward the noisier market. If you spot older men drinking coffee in a café, start a conversation. Ask about the neighborhood. Ask what it used to be like. Places like this make far more sense when someone who remembers them begins to talk.
11. Support Turtle Conservation at Lara Bay
Hidden within Akamas National Park, Lara Bay Turtle Conservation Station is one of the most rewarding places to visit near Paphos if we care about wildlife and conservation.
This sanctuary helps protect sea turtles along the Cypriot coast, and nearby, the Lara Turtle Museum offers exhibitions and educational displays about the importance of preserving these beautiful creatures and their nesting grounds.
It is one of those stops that adds something meaningful to a trip — not just a pretty place to look at, but a place doing important work.
12. Petra tou Romiou
A little outside Paphos — about half an hour by car — you reach Petra tou Romiou, one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Cyprus.
This is the legendary spot where, according to mythology, Aphrodite rose from the waves. So yes, it was always going to make the list.
The name Petra tou Romiou, or “the Rock of the Greek,” is tied to the legend of Digenis Akritas, who supposedly used his immense strength to fend off Saracen invaders. One myth says he grabbed the Kyrenia mountain range with one hand, forming the peaks of Pentadaktylos, and hurled a massive rock into the sea with the other.
In other words, the place comes with scenery and drama.
The beach here is stunning and wonderfully unspoiled. If you do not mind cooler water, go for a swim. We visited in January, and the temperature was brushing 30°C, which felt frankly unfair. If it is that lovely in winter, imagine how tempting it will be in March.
So yes: pack the swimsuit.
13. Hike the Aphrodite Nature Trail
If we only do one scenic hike in the region, let it be the Aphrodite Nature Trail. This circular trail is around 7.5 kilometres long and falls into that very fair category of moderately challenging but completely worth it.
A good portion of the route climbs up and down rocky mountain paths, so this is not exactly a flip-flops-and-a-leisurely-stroll situation. But the views from the top are spectacular. Along the way, we get the Baths of Aphrodite, valley scenery, ancient village ruins, and huge coastal views that make every uphill section feel much less offensive.
This is especially lovely in the shoulder seasons, when the temperatures are kinder and the whole landscape feels made for walking.
14. The Baths of Aphrodite
And finally, the most romantic reason of them all: the Baths of Aphrodite.
Located beyond the fishing village of Latchi, near the edge of the Akamas Peninsula, this is a small natural grotto wrapped in greenery and reached by a short path. According to tradition, this is where Aphrodite bathed — and, as the story goes, where she met Adonis.
Whether you believe the myth or not is beside the point. The setting is magical. Shady, lush, half-hidden, and just theatrical enough to make us feel that romance has been baked into the landscape on purpose.
If your trip needs one final place to lean fully into the mythic, dreamy side of Cyprus, this is it.
15. Explore the Akamas Peninsula by Jeep
If we are in the mood for something rugged, remote, and gloriously unpolished, the Akamas Peninsula needs to be on the list. This huge national park stretches across more than 230 square kilometres in the northwest of Cyprus and can be reached from Paphos in roughly an hour, depending on which part we are aiming for.
The landscape here is wild and dramatic, with rough tracks, quiet coves, and some of the most unspoiled beaches on the island, including the much-loved Blue Lagoon. There are also hiking trails if we want to explore on foot, but for maximum fun and minimum navigational regret, a jeep tour is a brilliant option. It is one of the best ways to get deep into the peninsula and see parts of Cyprus that still feel raw and untamed.
16. See the Edro III Shipwreck
On the edge of Coral Bay, just outside Paphos, the Edro III shipwreck has become one of the area’s most photographed landmarks. This large cargo ship ran aground on the rocks in 2011, and instead of quietly disappearing from memory, it stayed put and became part of the coastline.
Now it is one of those odd, slightly eerie sights that somehow makes a place even more memorable. People come to admire it from shore, photograph it at sunset, and even snorkel in the surrounding waters. It is one of those quick stops that feels strangely dramatic for very little effort.
17. Drop In to the Museum of Rural Life
If we are heading toward the Aphrodite Trail or out into the Akamas Peninsula, it is worth making time for the Akamas Rural Life Museum along the way.
This small but fascinating museum offers a closer look at Cypriot culture, everyday life, and traditional crafts from this part of the island. When we visited, there were weaving demonstrations and a beautiful display of painted gourds, a local tradition that often turned these objects into gifts or decorative vases.
It is a quiet stop, but a meaningful one — especially if we want to understand a little more about the culture behind the scenery.
18. Go Wine Tasting with a View
Just five minutes from Sofia’s Traditional House, tucked into the hills behind Paphos, Tsangarides Winery is a very good excuse to linger in the countryside.
Set inside a beautiful stone building with views over the surrounding vineyards and hills, the winery offers organic wine tastings paired with a snack platter — best enjoyed slowly, preferably on the sunny terrace, preferably while pretending this is now our daily routine.
If our ideal trip includes scenic sipping and a little low-effort sophistication, this stop is very easy to recommend.
19. Make Your Own Pottery and Crafts in Paphos
If we like the idea of taking home something more personal than a generic souvenir, head into the cobbled streets of Paphos and find The Place.
Part gallery, part shop, part workshop space, this creative little gem offers sessions in traditional Cypriot crafts, including pottery, ceramics, mosaics, jewellery, weaving, and more. It is a lovely way to spend a slower afternoon, especially if we want to do something hands-on and a little different from the usual sightseeing loop.
Best Traditional Restaurants in Paphos City
Agora Mezedopoleio
A long-time favorite on the Paphos food scene, Agora Mezedopoleio first opened in 2014 and has since moved to a beautiful new spot on the edge of the old market hill, with sea views and some of the city’s best sunsets. The space feels fresh but nostalgic, with retro details, vintage objects, black-and-white photos, and a romantic atmosphere that channels the Greek countryside. The menu is all about Greek cuisine, with flavors that take you from one end of Greece to the other.
Address: Miltiadou Petraki, Laiki Agora, Paphos
Tzogias
In summer, Tzogias spills out onto the pavement near Lausanne Square, creating one of the liveliest dining scenes in central Paphos. This relaxed tavern is known for generous portions, Greek comfort food, grilled meats, and a cheerful, social atmosphere that keeps people coming back. Highlights include kefalotyri saganaki, zucchini fritters, spetsofai, rooster pastitsada, cod with skordalia, and their much-loved Greek kebab and soft souvlaki.
Address: 28 Kostas Georgiou Street, Markos Drakos Square (Lozanis), Paphos
Ta Pinakia Mezedopoleio
Ta Pinakia Mezedopoleio feels like a village tavern in Greece, only you are right here in Cyprus. The focus is firmly on authentic Greek meze, generous sharing plates, and a strong selection of spirits and wines, including ouzo, tsipouro, retsina, tsikoudia, and Greek and Cypriot labels. Expect hearty dishes such as kontosouvli, ribs, turkey meatballs, pork souvlaki, spetsofai, and slow-cooked veal with smoked eggplant. It is the kind of place made for long, relaxed meals with friends.
Taverna Pagratios
Once a much-loved taverna in Miliou, Pagratios has now reopened in the heart of Ktima, Paphos, bringing its acclaimed Cypriot cuisine back in a beautifully renovated 1960s building. Run by Katerina Ioannidou and her team, the taverna is best known for its generous and authentic Cypriot meze, prepared with care, quality ingredients, and a real respect for tradition. Whether you knew it from its village days or are discovering it for the first time in Paphos, this is a strong pick for a classic Cypriot meal.
Address: Ippokratous, Paphos
4 Best Hotel Picks for Every Budget in Paphos
Hotel prices in Paphos move a lot by season, so think of these as rough nightly starting points for a standard room rather than fixed rates. I picked these four because they combine strong review scores with clear value at different price levels.
1. Elysium
Best for: classic five-star luxury, couples, and a special-trip stay
Price: from $289 per night
If you want the polished, grand-resort version of Paphos, Elysium is one of the safest splurges in town. It has an exceptional 9.5 rating on Booking
2. Amavi, MadeForTwo Hotels
Best for: adults-only romance, honeymoon vibes, and a more modern upscale stay
Price: from $430 per night
For couples who want something sleek, grown-up, and very much geared toward two-person escapes, Amavi is the standout.
3. Queens Bay Hotel
Best for: mid-range comfort, sea views, and good value without going too basic
Price: roughly £120–£130 per night, though deals can dip lower
If you want a hotel that still feels like a proper holiday stay without jumping into luxury-resort pricing, Queens Bay Hotel is a very solid middle-ground pick.
4. Axiothea Hotel
Best for: budget travelers, old-town stays, and simple value with good reviews
Price: from $75–$79 per night
For a budget pick that is not depressing, Axiothea Hotel is the one I would look at first. It gets praised for location and cleanliness.
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