• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Rosanna ETC logo
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Writing portfolio and press
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Media
  • Ebooks
  • About
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Media
    • Ebooks
    • About
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Blog posts by Rosanna ETC » Travel

    5 Things to do in and around Paphos, Cyprus

    Published: Sep 22, 2021 · Modified: Feb 22, 2022 by Rosanna Stevens · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Cyprus is a second home to me, I have been going to Paphos every year since I was 13 years old and by popular request, here is my personal list of 5 things to do in and around Paphos. These are the places I go back to again and again, where I take my friends if they come out for the first time and the places I feel show off the island at its very best.

    First things first, I would recommend hiring a car because there are a lot of things to do in Paphos but even more within a 30-40 minute drive and it is well worth going to see them whilst you are in Cyprus. True to form, my list involves a lot of food and drink but if you're anything like me, that's a huge part of why you travel so it makes sense! Traveling and food go hand in hand in my family, I grew up exploring the world bite by bite and world cuisine is a huge inspiration to me as a chef. The food in Cyprus is delicious, I promise you'll love it!

    1. Marvel at The Tombs of the Kings

    The Tomb of the Kings is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Paphos. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and some of the tombs date back to the 4th Century BC. It only costs €2.50 and you can get the bus from Paphos Harbour if you don't have a hire car, or a local taxi will take you. There are seven excavated tombs to wander around, and it will give you an enormous sense of history. It won't take you that long, I'd allow an hour.

    The Tomb of the Kings in Paphos, Cyprus

    If you're wondering when to go to Cyprus, I will always vote for April when the weather is best. The sun is shining, the wildflowers are out and it's the sort of temperature where you can actually do things without the risk of heatstroke, like wander around hot and stuffy tombs. If you visit Cyprus in high summer, do things like this as early in the day as possible.

    Viklari The Last Castle Cyprus overlooking the sea

    2. Eat at Viklari The Last Castle

    This restaurant is perched on top of a cliff in a nature reserve overlooking the ocean and is only open during the day for lunch from April until October. I'd recommend it to anyone, it's my favourite restaurant on the planet, honestly. Zacharoula and her family serve a small but perfectly crafted menu of slow-cooked BBQ chicken and pork, enormous chunky potato chips and fresh salad. There is also a bean stew they can make for any vegetarians/vegans and will do fish if requested in advance. You'll sit under a canopy of vines and stare out to sea, and smell the best smells in the world as you wait for your food. I would definitely recommend booking in advance as they get very busy especially at weekends, and get there as early as you can as well, we always book our table for 12 pm. To contact Viklari The Last Castle, call their phone number on +357 26 991088.

    Oniro Beach Bar Cyprus

    3. Enjoy a cocktail at Oniro Beach Bar

    Coral Bay is also a nice place to stay near Paphos. It is much smaller but has some hotels and villas to rent as well as Coral Bay Beach and several cool things to see like the Edro III shipwreck which is conveniently located next to a really cool beach bar (or rather, the beach bar is conveniently located next to the shipwreck). Oniro Beach Bar is chic and perfectly positioned to enjoy a sundowner.

    They also serve food and only take reservations if you are eating. Get there early to bag the best spots with uninterrupted views of the sunset.

    To give you a taste of the view you'll get, I took some footage of the Edro III shipwreck with my drone. Stunning isn't it?

    4. Swim in the Blue Lagoon

    A hop, skip and a drive over the mountains brings you to the fishing village of Latchi, on the Northside of the island. From here, hire a boat from Latchi Watersports (you will need a drivers license) and turn left out of the marina, and zip along the water for 20-30 minutes until you reach the unimaginably beautiful Blue Lagoon. You simply won't believe how blue the water is, it is simply stunning.

    Blue Lagoon Cyprus

    The boats are hired out in 4-hour blocks for either the morning or the afternoon. I would recommend taking the early morning slot, and going from 8 am or 9 am until lunchtime. The Blue Lagoon gets busier throughout the day (especially at weekends and during school holidays) and this way you will get it almost all to yourselves for a precious couple of hours before people start arriving. There are a couple of big tourist boats that go there, but they don't arrive until 11 am hence why we go early. Take a snorkel and explore the reef, it's beautiful. Why not make a picnic to take with you like this peach and feta salad?

    swimming in the blue lagoon in Cyprus
    No filter on this pic of me swimming in the Blue Lagoon, the water truly is this colour!

    Alternatively, you'll get back to Latchi still with time for lunch and there are a lot of really cute restaurants along the marina where you can get a bite to eat. I love going to Nicandros.

    5. Have lunch by the harbour in Paphos

    In Paphos itself, there are lots of shops, bars and restaurants, but I prefer the ones along the harbour that look over at the castle. This old Byzantine fort has been through quite a lot since its first incarnation, it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 12th century and even spent some time as a prison. Parts of it are half-submerged and it's a real Cyprus landmark. Every September it forms a rather dramatic backdrop to the annual cultural festival, which is well worth going to if you visit Cyprus in Autumn.

    If you visit Paphos be sure to let me know! I love going back each year and discovering new places to visit, and seeing the wonderful Cypriot people. The food in Cyprus is also amazing, and I make a lot of it when I get back to remind me of my time there, like this Cypriot Pastitio which is a traditional dish made with pork mince and macaroni. You'll also find food like fresh fish and moussaka, kebabs, halloumi cheese and Greek salad. You should also try a Cyprus coffee after your meal which is made in a very special way but be warned, it's like rocket fuel.

    Beach in Cyprus

    And one final note on the beaches in Cyprus, they are beautiful places to relax and the coastline is full of nooks and crannies to discover. But if you see any metal cages on the sand, it denotes a Sea Turtle nest full of eggs so be sure to stay clear to keep them safe as they are endangered.

    Enjoy my precious Cyprus, and send her my love if you go!

    « Art Deco wonders at Eltham Palace
    Authentic Cypriot Pastitsio »

    Share this post

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Rosanna Stevens

    Hi!

    I'm Rosanna, a trained chef, published writer and food fanatic. I believe in using food and drink to make every day an event with fresh and seasonal produce, wine pairings and a perfectly styled plate.

    I write for publications in the UK, USA and Central America on food, travel and the destinations I love and have also created several recipe ebooks and Stop The Scroll, a beginner's guide to food styling and photography. Thanks for being here!

    Learn more about me →

    Recent posts

    • Beer-Battered Egyptian Peas With Spicy Harissa Chorizo Dip
    • Homemade Habanero Pineapple Hot Sauce
    • BBQ Black Garlic Chicken With Feta And Melon Salad
    • 10 Edible Flowers You Can Eat

    Trending recipes

    • Smoked Mackerel Croquettes With Beetroot Puree
    • Asparagus Mousse Amuse Bouche
    • Asparagus And Crispy Prosciutto Quiche
    • Easy Salmon En Croute With Dill Cream Sauce

    As seen in

    as seen in the media

    Download your free guide to what's in season

      We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
      Built with ConvertKit

      Check out my ebook

      Front cover of Stop the Scroll

      Featured posts

      • Cheesy Beer Soup With Cheddar And Crispy Bacon
      • Spicy Biscuits With Parmesan Cheese
      • Easy Salmon En Croute With Dill Cream Sauce
      • Lazy Gnocchi Al Forno With Homemade Sauce
      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • About
      • Writing portfolio and press

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • About me

      Newsletter

      • Sign up

      Contact

      • Contact

      View privacy policy

      This site uses affiliate links

      Copyright © 2022 Rosanna ETC

      Manage Cookie Consent
      To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
      Functional Always active
      The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
      Preferences
      The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
      Statistics
      The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
      Marketing
      The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
      Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
      View preferences
      {title} {title} {title}
      Manage Cookie Consent
      To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
      Functional Always active
      The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
      Preferences
      The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
      Statistics
      The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
      Marketing
      The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
      Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
      View preferences
      {title} {title} {title}