A Weekend Break in Paphos, Cyprus

Last updated: 17 July 2023

The grey skies over London loom for days on end in January. So we did what anyone in our position would do. Set off to chase some winter sun in the heart of the Mediterranean, spending a weekend in Paphos, Cyprus!

If you’re a regular reader of Roaming Required then you know that Roma enjoys sunshine like a fish needs water and I love immersing myself in world history so a visit to Cyprus seemed like the perfect destination.

Getting There

Depending on your budget, you have a few airline choices when flying from London to Paphos. If you’re looking at the budget airlines then EasyJet, Ryanair, and Thomson have daily flights to suit everyone’s timetable. The best place to start with flights and see what your options are is Skyscanner.

We flew out of Gatwick airport with EasyJet on a Friday morning flight. The 4.5 hour flight had us land in Paphos just after 1pm in the afternoon.

One thing to remember is that if you decide to take an early morning flight then you’ll need to arrive painfully early at the airport which raises another question; breakfast choices. When flying budget airlines like EasyJet you can purchase breakfast on board.  However in-air options are often limited so we decided to use our early arrival as an opportunity to visit the No 1 Lounge at Gatwick South courtesy of Holiday Extras.  It just made such a great start to the day and allowed time for a nap on the plane. 

Bacon rolls, pastries, coffees, and juices were consumed whilst taking advantage of the included WiFi.  All thoroughly appreciated in the oh-so-early morning. Personally, I love a good bacon roll and these were delicious so the next time you’re at Gatwick then don’t miss a visit to the No 1 Lounge.

Despite our flight being full, it was relatively smooth the entire way. My highlight of the flight was when we passed over the Austrian mountains and all I could see was snow-covered mountains. We’ve visited both Austria and Switzerland before so we’re no strangers to the alps but seeing the mountains from this vantage point was like looking at another planet. Simply spectacular.

Arriving in Paphos

Arriving in Paphos airport, you’ll disembark the plane on the tarmac and walk to the terminal. Did I mention that the walk is in full sunshine under nothing but blue skies?

It may be possible that in the 5 min walk from the plane to the airport terminal that we received more vitamin D than the entirety of last month in London.  I can totally understand why so many British expats live in Cyprus. If you had the choice, wouldn’t you?

I hope that when it’s your turn at the front of the immigration line that you get the same officer we did because he was a great ambassador for Paphos. He loudly encouraged the line of waiting visitors that they could “smile now, you’re in Cyprus. Everyone’s welcome”

Getting into Downtown Paphos

Once you’ve collected your bags, the next thing you need to know is how to get into town. The good news is that you have a few options;

Bus

The 612 bus is available right outside the front of the airport. The cost is €1.50 and takes about 30 min. On average, the bus runs from the airport approximately every 60-70 minutes. It’s great value and will drop you off at the famous Paphos Harbour.

Taxi

Outside the front of the airport you will see a variety of different taxis, drivers, and pop-up taxi kiosks which you can utilise to take you into town. As with most taxi around the world, make sure your driver uses his meter to ensure you pay the correct fare. The fare from the airport should be no more than €30.

Airport Shuttle

An airport shuttle is a good option if you’re looking for a transfer directly to your hotel with a minimum of fuss. The shuttle can take up to 6 passengers which helps keep the price reasonable.

We used a Speedy Shuttle on both legs of our journey and found it to be a quick, reliable, and on-time service. Our drivers had our details and there was minimal time spent with the paperwork.

On our trip into Paphos we chatted with the other passengers in the shuttle who were only too happy to share recommendations and why they keep returning to Cyprus over the years.

What to do in Paphos?

Once you’ve checked into your hotel, AirBnB, or friend’s couch, it’s time to start exploring the many things that Paphos has to offer.

Tombs of the Kings

This is pretty much THE thing to do in Paphos and there’s a very good reason for that, it’s simply incredible.

The Tombs of the Kings is a UNESCO world heritage site which contains a series of well-preserved ancient tombs that you can explore. And when I say explore, I mean you can actually walk through the tombs and touch ancient artefacts from 2300 years ago!

One interesting fact about The Tombs of Kings is that no actual Cypriot Kings have ever been buried in the site! Instead it was aristocrats and high-ranking public officials who were once buried in these remarkable tombs.

There are 8 tombs throughout the site, all of which offer a different perspective. They are all different sizes with contain various burial chambers and some have stood the test of time better than others. However, make sure that you take time to explore Tomb 3 because that’s where you’re going to have the first real WOW moment.

Tomb 3 is the most well-preserved of all the tombs and is a great example of Doric style Greek architecture, which is the most ancient of Greek architecture (the most famous example is the statue of Athena in the Parthenon).

If you’re planning to visit the Tombs of the Kings then make sure you take;

• Sturdy shoes because the ground is uneven and at some points difficult to navigate
• Sunglasses and sunscreen. I feel like such an Australian preaching the virtue of sunscreen but even during our winter visit the direct sun had a bit of bite to it
• Sufficient time. Apparently most people spend an hour at the Tombs of the Kings however we spent 3 hours. Plan more time than you expect because there’s plenty to see

The Paphos Archaeological Site

What makes the Paphos Archaeological Site so amazing isn’t just the ridiculously well-preserved ancient mosaics and columns, it’s the fact that this site is still being excavated. The site continues to be unearthed today because there is a degree of certainty that more historic treasures await discovery.

The most well-known of the ancient treasures at the site are a series of mosaics dating back to the 4th century BCE and they are honestly remarkable to behold. The mosaics would have formed part of the tiled floors of wealthy Romans and their opulent residences. What is mind-blowing is that these mosaics were discovered by a farmer whilst ploughing his field in 1962! The majority of the mosaics are located in the largest of the display houses; House of Dionysus.

On approach to the House of Dionysus (The God of Wine, the building was named due to the number of mosaics featuring him) you might be wondering about the building’s design, since it’s certainly a little too modern to have been preserved from ancient Cyprus. The building you see is a structure created to preserve the ancient mosaics inside.

Upon entering the building you will walk along an elevated wooden footpath allowing you to peer down at the tiled mosaics on the floor. Both Roma and I were struck silent by how well-preserved the mosaics were and couldn’t quite comprehend that they dated as far back at the 4th century BCE.

In addition to the House of Dionysus, there are two others to visit to see the mosaics; The House of Aion, and the House of Theseus.

From the House of Dionysus, we headed towards the House of Aion, impressive as the housing structure was made out of stones located on the site, however we became distracted by the House of Theseus, a large open area (originally thought to be a residence from the 2nd century) containing a combination of ancient ruins, columns, and mosaics. It turned out to the best decision because we saw some EPIC mosaics;

The First Bath of Achilles

Theseus and the Minotaur

Before we knew it, a couple of hours had flown by and we were being asked to leave by security.  Our recommendation for you is to plan more time because chances are you’re going to stand longer than expected.

Read More: More Things to Do in Paphos

Sunset at Paphos Castle

A sunset is Paphos is guaranteed to be beautiful but how about adding a castle to that beautiful sunset? Wouldn’t that just make it epic?

If you’re like us and stay at the Archaeological Site until closing then sunset won’t be that far away so we suggest heading down to Paphos Castle, a short 10 minute walk away for some postcard-like scenery.

What to eat in Paphos?

I hear you asking about the food. What about all the delicious food you can eat in Paphos? Don’t you worry, my friends, we’re getting to that delectable part right now.

Kyra Frosini Tavern

There is only one restaurant I want to talk about and this is because it was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best meal we had during our entire stay! A big call? Nope, not even close.

The Kyra Frosini Tavern restaurant is a family restaurant which is run out of the owners house.  From the moment that you walk in you can tell that you’re in for a home cooked meal. It is worth noting that the Kyra Frosini Tavern is already highly rated on TripAdvisor so we’re not the only ones who have dined there and had a delicious experience.

When we arrived the restaurant was completely empty, we couldn’t see anyone. We entered cautiously and said our best yassas but no response. We walked in a little further and could see a family card game in action in the other room and we waved. The owner came out and warmly greeted us and showed us a table. We were given menus but asked for a recommendation and when everything  sounded too good to pass up, we were advised that the Meze would be the best choice for us. Done. Sold.

Our Meze Selection

Out meze selection was honestly amazing and if we had a chance to return today then we would! Some of the simply divine dishes included in our meze platter included; Chicken Al’Athinea, Moussaka, Kleftiko, Souvlaki, and Sheftalia.

It was quite simply the best meal we had in Paphos. We cannot recommend it highly enough. You won’t regret it.

Wrapping Up a Weekend

If you want a nice relaxing end to your visit to Paphos then you can’t go past just simply finding a nice quiet spot and watch the waves roll in along the Mediterranean Sea.

Don’t believe me? How relaxing does this look?

Given that Paphos is located on the Cyprus coastline, you won’t have a shortage of place to go and admire the calming waters.

We spent some time watching the waves along the coast at Capital Coast hotel. This is a good spot because you have a good view of the MV Demetrios II shipwcareck (this is a fleeting moment in time beuse the wreck is expected to be fully submerged by the end of the decade)

Final Thoughts

A weekend in Paphos cannot be recommended highly enough with its jaw-dropping views of the Mediterranean, well-preserved ruins from thousands of years of ancient history, and glorious food which makes you want to keep eating long after your waistband has given way.

What are you waiting for? Cyprus is waiting for you.

Have you visited Paphos before? Did you enjoy it?  Tell us in the comments below

Disclaimer

Our visit to Paphos was in partnership with our friends at Holiday Extras. Whilst travel & accommodation was provided, all activities in Paphos were selected by us. All opinions expressed in the post content and videos remain, as usual, our own.