Paphos holidays 2024 | ATOL protection | Deposits from £60pp (2024)

What are the best places to visit in Paphos?

Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Paphos Archaeological Park is built on the ancient Greek and Roman city, dating back to the 4th Century BC. It contains four Roman villas with exquisite and largely complete mosaic flooring, an ancient Odeon, the Roman forum, the Agora, the Asklepieion – a sanctuary dedicated to the ancient god of medicine – and a lighthouse with splendid sea views.

Limassol, Cyprus’ second largest city and its financial centre, has plenty of sophisticated restaurants, high-street style shops, lively bars and clubs, and white-sand beaches. Visit Limassol Castle in the old town – the current building was constructed in 1590 by Ottoman rulers, replacing the medieval castle in which Richard the Lionheart was wed. Today it hosts the vast collections of the Cyprus Medieval Museum.

North of Limassol, the stunning Troodos Mountains boast isolated Byzantine monasteries as well as vast swathes of pine forest offering respite from the sometimes-oppressive heat. Learn to make Cyprus’ most loved export halloumi alongside skilled local farmers who also produce the ricotta-like anari.

Coral Bay offers one of the finest sandy beaches in Cyprus. The seafront is lined with restaurants and cafes, while the nearby village of Pegeia is packed with funky boutiques, roadside stalls and tavernas. Water sports available here include jet skiing, paddleboats and windsurfing. Check out the historic water well, Agios Neophytos Monastery – a 12th Century monastery carved from cliff walls set in beautiful gardens – and the Tombs of the Kings.

East of Paphos lies the small town of Geroskipou or Yeroskipou, where many of the area’s hotels have been developed in recent years. Highlights include the 11th Century Byzantine Agia Paraskevi Church with its icons and five domes, and shops selling locally made Turkish delight and traditional pottery. Don’t miss the Folk Art Museum, which showcases treasures from the 18th Century onwards.

Which Paphos holiday type is right for me?

For five-star holidays in Paphos, the luxurious, secluded Anassa Hotel ticks all the boxes. Overlooking beautiful Asprokremmos Beach and boasting outstanding restaurants, elegant guest rooms with balconies or terraces, and the option for parents to pre-order everything your baby might need – from buggies to bottles.

Set close to the Tombs of the Kings, Elysium Hotel feels palatial with its Byzantine-inspired architecture and magnificent gardens featuring multi-level pools. There’s a stylish spa and a small private beach. Louis Paphos Breeze is an all-inclusive hotel providing the ultimate sanctuary, nestled among extensive gardens, with access to a small sandy beach, and offering panoramic views. Or Amavi - MadeforTwo Hotels, Paphos is an adult-only hotel offering half-board dine around with drinks included, sea views from all rooms, and two charming outdoor pools surrounded by landscaped gardens and towering palm trees.

What are the best things to do in Paphos?

1. Paphos Harbour’s origins stretch back to around 321 BC when it was built by Nikoklis, the last king of Paphos and successor to Alexander the Great. Today it’s a thriving tourist hub popular with boat trippers, anglers and beachgoers. Highlights include Paphos Castle, well-preserved Roman villa the House of Dionysus, St Paul’s Pillar, where the apostle Paul received 39 lashes for preaching Christianity in AD45, and the Panagia Chrysopolitissa basilica, once Cyprus’ largest church.
2. Paphos is blessed with an abundance of beautiful beaches. Rugged and remote, the Blue Lagoon offers calm teal waters ideal for swimming. You can only reach it via boat or 4WD, which keeps the hordes at bay. Another isolated treasure is Lara Bay, a thin sliver of sand where loggerhead and green turtles nest in summer. Lara Bay is on the Akamas Peninsula, perhaps one of Cyprus’ last great remaining wildernesses. Its diverse range of flora and fauna includes 168 varieties of birds, 20 reptiles, 16 species of butterfly and 12 different mammals. There’s also the mystical Baths of Aphrodite, a natural grotto where, according to legend, Adonis first saw Aphrodite and promptly fell in love with her. The relatively remote peninsula is best explored by trail bike or 4WD.
3. Paphos Aphrodite Waterpark is perfect for all the family, with high-speed water slides, an extensive lazy river, a wave surge pool, plenty of swimming areas and a stunning kids’ play area, complete with a food court and all set within a lush, tropical environment. Look out for the jaw-dropping Kamikaze adrenaline ride, the twisty and exhilarating Adventure slide, Nautilous Screw, a thrilling plunge slide and more.
4. The wreck of the Swedish cargo ship Zenobia, which sank off Larnaca Bay in 1980, is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top leisure dives. The wreck provides a variety of fascinating dives to suit all levels of experience, ranging from a 16-metre scuba dive to the starboard side for beginners to challenging dives to the lower car deck or the engine room for highly experienced divers.