Paphos, Cyprus. Ancient sights and attractions to see in Paphos

• Paphos is a popular resort in Cyprus
• It has about 40,000 people and is the fourth largest city on the island
• It offers unique UNESCO attractions dating back to ancient times
• The city's tourism infrastructure is abundant, with hotels, restaurants and beaches
• In Paphos, there are lots of parking lots for every experience, and they're free
• Traffic in Cyprus is left-handed

Paphos is one of the most visited places in Cyprus. Located charmingly on the coast, in the western part of the island, it hides antique monuments inscribed on the UNESCO list. The discovery of one of them is associated with Polish scientists. The city has been the capital of Cyprus since the 2nd century BC. And what is worth visiting in Paphos?

Accommodation in Paphos, Cyprus

When we were in Cyprus, we slept in Paphos, at the Nereus Hotel. It is very conveniently located, about 1 km from the nearest beach, not far from the promenade. It looks very nice, it is large and very decent for its reasonable price. It provides a very good and quite rich breakfast, also warm. The only drawback is that the same products are available every day. It offers a bar, billiards and even a swimming pool. The room is lovely and includes everything you need, a bed, wardrobe, desk, chair and armchair, as well as a kettle with a set of coffees and teas. Plus, of course, a private bathroom with a bathtub. There's also air conditioning, and it didn't work on the first day, but the next time we reported a problem, we were offered another room with a working air conditioner. We ordered the hotel in advance by booking, it cost about PLN 250 per night per room. We had to pay only a few days before leaving for Cyprus.

Paphos is a good place to stay on the island, because the city itself is very attractive, lies on the coast, and is also close to other interesting places around it. Limassol, located in the central part of the coast, may be even better, from where it is easiest to reach almost every corner of the island, but this city is louder, more entertaining, with skyscrapers, so not exactly in our style. Larnaca is slightly worse located, although this one, in turn, allows you to easily reach Cape Greco. In Larnaca, we landed and took off for Poland, to the airport in Pyrzowice (Katowice).

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

Attractions in Paphos. What to see in ancient Paphos?

The city hides such amazing attractions that it is a great loss not to see them. Ancient archaeological sites with 2,000-year-old mosaics, unusual tombs carved in rock, beautiful beaches and the place where Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and fertility, was born. Here is a list of the most beautiful attractions in Paphos, check out our city guide!

Nea Paphos Archaeological Park (Kato Paphos)

The Nea Paphos Archaeological Park is one of the main attractions of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing the ruins of an ancient city that existed from the 4th century BC to the Middle Ages. Here you will see the ruins of a villa with stunning mosaics. They decorated houses and baths. The most famous of them are located in the House of Dionysus. They depict mythological scenes and the everyday life of the inhabitants. They are hidden under a roof, just like those in Aion's house. Others remain under the cloud and some can even be touched. To admire such treasures, it is worth going out into the world.

For us, the protagonist here is primarily the Villa of Theseus, which was discovered in the 20th century, or more precisely in 1969, by Poles, scientists from the University of Warsaw. This large estate hid as many as 100 rooms, and the icing on the cake is a preserved mosaic that depicts Theseus with the Minotaur. It dates back to the second century, i.e. the Roman period, and is almost 2000 years old. It's really something amazing. The town is very extensive. You will also find an agora and an odeon, which is a smaller equivalent of Roman theater.
Info: Entrance ticket €4.5 (less than PLN 20), free on-site parking

Paphos Lighthouse

In the area of Nea Paphos, a lighthouse also stands out in the landscape. It is not ancient, it comes from the 19th century. The British left it here. It adds a lot of charm to this place and the white tower stands out beautifully against the blue sky and the grenade of the sea.

Paphos Promenade

On the seafront, you can stroll along the pleasant promenade in Paphos, where the harbour is also located. It is a promenade more than 8 kilometres long. Perfect not only for a pleasant walk, but also for a bike ride. There are many restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the views of the Mediterranean Sea. On the seaside promenade in Paphos, you will feel the atmosphere of a Mediterranean island. This picturesque tourist attraction attracts a lot of visitors, also from Poland.
Info: free parking

Paphos Castle

By the sea, on the promenade, near Nea Paphos, there is a medieval castle in Paphos. It is a very modest and austere stone building, exhibited in the 13th century as a defensive fortress. His fate varied, at one time he even served as a mosque and a salt warehouse. Today, the castle is open to visitors, available after buying a cheap ticket. From above you will see a beautiful view of the city, the port and the sea. The beautiful picture of the stronghold itself looks wonderful from a nearby vantage point on a metal platform. Apparently, it is especially beautiful here at sunset. The interiors themselves do not represent a particularly great curiosity, so you can give them to yourself if you do not have too much time. 

It is worth mentioning here an unusual curiosity with a Polish accent. In the Middle Ages, Cyprus was a kingdom and messengers from the Cypriot king came to Wiślica, to King Władysław Jagiełło. They wanted to borrow money from him to fight Muslims. They were to seal it with the marriage of King Janus' son to our king's daughter, Hedwig. However, this cooperation did not take place, because the Poles were busy fighting the Tatars, and Jagiełło's daughter had been dead for a year.
Info: €2.5 ticket, free parking

Paphos Royal Tombs

The Royal Tombs is a place that I highly recommend to you. It is unique and delighted us. It dates back to the pre-Roman times, i.e. ancient Greece. These are monumental necropolises carved in rock, dated to the second century BC. There are about 100 of them here. Mainly wealthy citizens, officials and the aristocracy of the ancient city were buried here in the period from the 4th century BC to the 3rd century AD. So they were used for 700 years! 

Some tombs are so lavish that the term "royal" stuck. They delight with impressive chambers and columns, and their architecture resembles ancient Egyptian tombs. They reminded us of the catacombs of St. Paul of Rabat in Malta, especially since the first Christians also found shelter here. The place is inscribed on the UNESCO list.
Info: €2.5 ticket, free parking

Panayia Chrysopolitissa Church in Paphos

The church of Panayia Chrysopolitissa is an interesting medieval temple. Currently (2024) the footbridge around the building is closed due to renovation. However, we managed to look inside, because the service was about to begin. Interestingly, it was an Anglican service in the Chrysopolitissa church, which also hides the Catholic parish of St. Paul. And the most fascinating fact is that there used to be an early Byzantine temple here, which was much larger than the present one. In the area of its ruins, there is a pole at which St. Paul was whipped. He went to Cyprus on his first mission.

Paphos Zoo

If you are traveling with children, I recommend the Paphos Zoo. Largest in Cyprus, it is home to many animal species such as giraffes, tigers and crocodiles. The collection of parrots and snakes is one of the largest in Europe. Young tourists will surely be delighted with this place.

Kuklia (Palepaphos) - temple of Aphrodite

Not far from Paphos is the town of Kuklia, and in it the sanctuary of Aphrodite. Aphrodite was so venerated in Cyprus that she was dedicated to the sanctuary that Homer himself wrote about in his works. It was the center of the cult of the goddess of fertility in pre-Hellenistic times. And in antiquity it was in the city of Palepaphos, which was part of Paphos. Today, the ruins of the temple have been entered on the UNESCO list and can be visited for a fee. Next to the excavations, you can admire a magnificent mosaic with the image of a woman. However, this is not Aphrodite, but Leda, the Spartan queen. The mosaic was created in the 2nd century AD.

As part of the same ticket, it is worth visiting the medieval castle or the Luzynianów manor house. A dynasty that had ruled Cyprus since the 12th century. The sights inside are unprecedented, such as the amazing limestone bathtub from the 11th century BC. It has a grooved seat and space for a sponge. Human comfort and ingenuity are indeed old qualities. There are many more ancient monuments here, so it is a must for lovers of ancient times.

And do you know what it was like with this Aphrodite? She is considered the most beautiful goddess. It was Paris who was to choose the most beautiful between her, Athens and Hera. And here Aphrodite showed perversity. She promised Paris that if she called her the most beautiful, she would help him get Helena. Paris did the same and helped him kidnap her, which later contributed to the outbreak of the Trojan War.
Info: €4.5 entrance ticket, free parking on site

Aphrodite's Rock (Petra tou Romiou) in Cyprus

Aphrodite's rock, although lying south of Paphos, is often associated with this city. I strongly recommend visiting this magical place, because in our opinion it is the most beautiful part of Cyprus. Maybe that's why he charmed us so much that he appeared to us in the light of a wonderful sunset. It is the legendary birthplace of the goddess of love, surrounded by beautiful beaches and cliffs. This is where Aphrodite came out of the foam. At the entrance to the beach in a tree, you will see handkerchiefs. They are hanged by women who want offspring. They seek support from the goddess of fertility, who reportedly came out of these waters as a virgin again after each of her intoxicating nights.

The Greek name Petra tou Romiou literally means Roman Rock and comes from the hero Basil Digenis Akritas, who was supposed to defend Cyprus against the Arabs here. He threw huge stones towards them, and the rock lying in the water was pulled out of the mountain massif by the hero.

Legend has it that every daredevil who circumnavigates the rock three times will receive immortality, eternal youth and true love in return. But even if you do not dive, you will get a great aesthetic experience, because the beach surrounded by rocks looks magical. Although there is no fine sand here, only stones, this place is fantastic and tourists take a bath here. The site is protected through the Petra tou Romiou National Forest Park.
Info: Admission to the beach is free. There is also free parking and a souvenir shop where you can also eat.

Akamas Peninsula

The Akamas peninsula covered by the national park lies in the north-western part of Cyprus, north of Paphos. It's a fantastic place to visit, too. It stretches over an area of 230 square kilometers and is crossed by many roads and paths. Go through a few of them and you will see how beautiful it is here. What is worth seeing on the Akamas Peninsula?

• Aphrodite Baths
• Aphrodite Trail and Adonis Trail
• Avakas Gorge
• Lara Beach, where giant turtles lay their eggs in the sand in the summer

Where to eat in the area?

I really liked the restaurants on the promenade in Paphos. They have a unique atmosphere and invite you with a beautiful view. However, we were here in the morning after breakfast and although I wanted to experience the atmosphere of this place, we had neither the desire to eat nor especially the time. However, I recommend it to you. 

We had the most pleasant moment of the day, when you can sit down, relax and taste local specialties in the town of Kuklia near Paphos, from the sanctuary of Aphrodite. In antiquity, it was the town of Palepaphos, which was part of Paphos. We sat at Gabriels Tavern Kouklia. We wanted to take meze, a tasting menu consisting mainly of local specialties. However, we were surprised that you have to order two servings, and this is too much for us. So we took grilled meat with lamb at the forefront, halloumi cheese, as well as salad and fries. The food was delicious, and we got dessert for free, i.e. orange cake with tangerines. We saw ripe oranges on the trees here many times. We bought Cypriot coffee, which perfectly matched this dessert. It is unique because it is made from fresh beans, not roasted beans. The milk is never used and is brewed in a special vessel. I was surprised by its taste, I would describe it as herbal coffee. We paid 26 euros for the whole thing, including 16 euros for a set of grilled meats, 5 euros for a salad, 2 euros for liter water and 3 euros for two coffees. We ate a similar cuisine with Greek specialties in Crete.

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What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

• Cyprus, distance: 0  km
• Wreck of the Edro III ship in Cyprus, distance: 14.6  km
• Cypriot cuisine, distance: 16.2  km
• Avakas Gorge in Cyprus, distance: 19.6  km
• Aphrodite's Rock in Cyprus, distance: 22.4  km
• Aphrodite Baths and Aphrodite Trail in Cyprus, distance: 34.1  km
• Troodos Mountains Cyprus, distance: 46.5  km