Cyprus
Paphos
A small harbour town sitting on a Roman capital, with world-class mosaics underfoot and Aphrodite's rock down the road.
Paphos is Cyprus's laid-back west-coast resort town, split between Kato Paphos, the harbour and hotel strip, and Ktima, the hilltop old town. Its Archaeological Park holds some of the finest Roman floor mosaics in the Mediterranean, and the whole town is a UNESCO site. A short drive east, Petra tou Romiou is the sea stack where legend says Aphrodite came ashore, while the wild Akamas coast lies west.
Suggested stay
3–7 days
Language
Greek, Turkish
Currency
EUR
Timezone
UTC+3
Why you'll love Paphos
The mosaics Roman villa floors of gods, myths and hunting scenes, many still in place where they were laid
History everywhere Hellenistic tombs, a Roman odeon, early Christian basilicas and a medieval fort all within a walk of the harbour
The wild west The Akamas peninsula, Avakas Gorge and turtle beaches at Lara offer some of the island's least developed coast
Easy living A compact seafront promenade, a long sunny season and its own airport make it an effortless base
Best time to visit
all year
17-31° days
34.774° N, 32.423° E
UTC+3 · Asia/Nicosia
whenywhere contains ads and partner links that we think are helpful and that earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Weather & when to go to Paphos
Month by month: typical highs and lows, rainfall and rain days.
✓ Best all year
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
When to avoid Paphos
No bad season for weather. July and August are hot and the busiest months, with the seafront and Coral Bay at their most crowded. In winter the sea is cool for swimming and some resort hotels and beach businesses scale back, but the ruins are far more pleasant to walk.
Top things to do in Paphos
-
Paphos Archaeological Park - the Roman mosaics
history culture arts ⭐ Highly recommendedThe heart of ancient Nea Paphos, where the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus preserve vivid mosaic floors of myths and wine-making scenes. The same site holds a restored Roman odeon, the agora and the ruined Saranta Kolones castle.
-
Tombs of the Kings - the rock-cut necropolis
history 👍 PopularUnderground tombs carved from the coastal rock from the Hellenistic period onward, some with Doric-columned courtyards. Despite the name they held officials and wealthy families, not kings. Little shade, so go early or late.
-
Paphos Castle and the harbour
history scenic 👍 PopularA small fort guarding the harbour mole, built over a Byzantine and medieval stronghold and rebuilt by the Ottomans. The roof gives a view over the harbour, and the promenade around it is the town's evening strolling ground.
-
Chrysopolitissa and St Paul's Pillar
history culture artsThe ruins of a large early Christian basilica, with the small Ayia Kyriaki church still in use among them. A column here is traditionally said to be where St Paul was flogged before converting the Roman governor.
-
Petra tou Romiou - Aphrodite's Rock
scenic history 👍 PopularA dramatic sea stack on a pebble beach east of town, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite. Swimming around it is said to bring eternal youth; the view from the clifftop lookout at sunset is the classic photo.
-
Agios Neophytos Monastery - the hermit's cave frescoes
history culture arts ⭐ Highly recommendedA monastery in the hills north of town, built around the cell a 12th-century hermit carved into the cliff. The Enkleistra, his rock-cut hermitage, is covered in fine Byzantine frescoes.
-
Ktima old town and the municipal market
culture arts foodUpper Paphos has the covered market, neo-classical public buildings around Kennedy Square, the old Turkish quarter of Mouttalos and the Byzantine and Ethnographic museums, with a lived-in Cypriot feel away from the resorts.
-
Coral Bay - the town's best sandy beach
scenicA crescent of golden sand between two headlands north of Paphos, with calm, shallow water that suits families. Busy in summer, with the cliffs of Sea Caves and Peyia nearby for quieter swims.
-
Geroskipou - loukoumi and a five-domed church
food historyA village on the eastern edge of town, long famous for Cyprus delight, loukoumi, made in small workshops. Its church of Agia Paraskevi, with five domes, is one of the island's notable Byzantine churches.
-
Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia
historyThe site of Palaepaphos, Old Paphos, where Aphrodite was worshipped for well over a millennium. The remains are fragmentary, but the small museum in a Lusignan manor house sets out the story well.
Best areas to stay in Paphos
$ Budget $$ Mid-range $$$ Premium
Kato Paphos
First-time visitors $$Harbour, ruins and seafront hotels
Explore hotels in Kato Paphos →
Ktima (Pano Paphos)
Independent travellers $Hilltop old town, local and lived-in
Explore hotels in Ktima (Pano Paphos) →
Coral Bay
Beach families $$Sandy beach resort, family friendly
Explore hotels in Coral Bay →
Chlorakas
Quieter stays $$Quiet coastal village between resorts
Explore hotels in Chlorakas →
Live nightly prices from Booking.com, Agoda and others, centred on Paphos
Getting to & around Paphos
Getting there
Fly into Paphos International Airport (PFO), around 20-30 minutes from the harbour
Flight
Paphos International Airport (PFO)
The airport sits southeast of town near the coast. Public buses run to Kato Paphos and the Ktima bus station in about half an hour; a taxi or hire car is quicker and most visitors pick up a car here.
Coach
Larnaca Airport
Larnaca, the island's main airport, has a direct airport shuttle bus to Paphos taking around 2 hours, useful when flights to PFO are limited
Coach
Karavella bus station, Ktima
Intercity buses connect Paphos with Limassol in about an hour, and onward to Nicosia and Larnaca
Getting around
Walking
Kato Paphos is flat and compact; the harbour, mosaics, Tombs of the Kings and seafront hotels are linked by the promenade
Free
Bus
Local buses link Kato Paphos with Ktima, Coral Bay, Geroskipou and the airport, with some routes running on to Polis and Kouklia
TBC
Hire car
The easiest way to reach Akamas, Avakas Gorge, the wine villages and Aphrodite's Rock; Cyprus drives on the left
TBC
Taxi
Plentiful in Kato Paphos and at the airport; agree or check the fare before longer trips
TBC
Day trips from Paphos
Petra tou Romiou and Kouklia
Half dayMyth and ruins
Stop at the Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia, then the sea stack of Aphrodite's legendary birth on the coast road, ideally timed for sunset from the clifftop lookout.
Getting there
car | bus
About 25-30 minutes east by car or bus
Akamas Peninsula and the Blue Lagoon
Full dayWild coast
Undeveloped headland of scrub and cliffs with the clear Blue Lagoon, the Baths of Aphrodite grotto and the Aphrodite nature trail, plus fish lunches by the harbour at Latchi.
Getting there
car | ferry | tour
About 45 minutes by car to Latchi, then a boat trip; jeep tours run from Paphos
Avakas Gorge and Lara Bay
Half dayGorge and turtle beach
A narrow limestone gorge with sheer walls you walk up through the stream bed, and nearby Lara Bay, a protected beach where green and loggerhead turtles nest in summer.
Getting there
car | tour
About 40 minutes by car past Coral Bay; the last stretch is rough track
Troodos Mountains and Kykkos Monastery
Full dayMountain villages
Pine forests, painted Byzantine churches and stone villages, with the richly decorated Kykkos Monastery the big stop. Noticeably cooler than the coast in summer.
Getting there
car | tour
About 1.5-2 hours by car on winding roads, or by tour
Kourion and Limassol
Full dayRuins and city
The clifftop Greco-Roman city of Kourion, with its theatre above the sea and fine mosaics, then Limassol's old town, castle and long seafront.
Getting there
car | bus
About 1 hour east by car or intercity bus
A little history of Paphos
Old Paphos, at modern Kouklia, was one of the Bronze Age kingdoms of Cyprus and the island's great sanctuary of Aphrodite. Around the end of the 4th century BC its last king, Nikokles, founded a new harbour city, Nea Paphos, on the site of today's Kato Paphos. Under the Ptolemies and then Rome it was the capital of Cyprus, and its wealthy villas were floored with the mosaics now in the Archaeological Park. The Acts of the Apostles records Paul and Barnabas preaching here and converting the Roman governor, Sergius Paulus.
Earthquakes in the 4th century AD and the move of the capital to Salamis began a long decline, deepened by Arab raids. Through Byzantine, Lusignan, Venetian and Ottoman rule Paphos was a small port, with Ktima on the hill as the main town. The mosaics' rediscovery in 1962, UNESCO listing and an airport turned it into one of the island's main resorts.
The sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaepaphos (Kouklia) grows into the island's leading cult site
King Nikokles founds Nea Paphos on the coast
Paul and Barnabas preach at Paphos and convert the Roman governor
An earthquake destroys the Saranta Kolones castle by the harbour
The Ottomans rebuild the harbour fort that stands today
A farmer ploughing his field uncovers the mosaics of the House of Dionysos
Turkish troops land in the north and the island is divided along the Green Line; Paphos's Turkish Cypriot residents later move north
Paphos is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
Know before you go
Payment
Cards & cash mixed
English
Everywhere
Wifi
Reliable
Power
Type G
230 V, 50 Hz
Dialing
+357
FAQs about Paphos
▸ When is the best time to visit Paphos?
Any month works for weather. Spring and autumn are the sweet spot for combining beaches with walking the ruins and Akamas. July and August are hot and busiest, best for pure beach time, while winter is quiet and mild, good for sightseeing but cool for swimming.
▸ Do I need a car in Paphos?
Not for Kato Paphos itself, where the main sights are walkable, and buses reach Coral Bay, Ktima and Aphrodite's Rock. For Akamas, Avakas Gorge, the wine villages and the Troodos, a hire car is far easier. Cyprus drives on the left.
▸ Is Paphos good for beaches?
The town's own shoreline is mostly rocky with small, artificial beaches by the hotels. Coral Bay is the best sandy beach nearby, and the Akamas coast and Lara Bay have wilder, quieter coves for those willing to drive.
▸ Can I visit the north of Cyprus from Paphos?
Yes, but it is a long day. Crossing points on the Green Line, including Ledra Street in Nicosia, let visitors pass on foot or by car; carry your passport. Check whether your car-hire insurance covers the north, and check your own government's current travel advice.
▸ How many days do you need in Paphos?
Two days covers the Archaeological Park, Tombs of the Kings, the harbour and Ktima. Allow 4-7 to add Aphrodite's Rock, the Akamas, Avakas Gorge, a Troodos day and some beach time.
More in Cyprus
Larnaca
Cyprus's front door, with a saint's tomb in the middle of town, flamingos by the runway and a world-class wreck in the bay.
✓ best all yearLimassol
Cyprus's liveliest seafront city, with a Greco-Roman theatre on a cliff down the road and the wine villages of the Troodos an hour behind it.
✓ best all yearNicosia
Europe's last divided capital, where a short walk through a checkpoint takes you from a Venetian bastion to a Gothic cathedral turned mosque.
✓ best Oct-May