Our visit to Paphos, Cyprus

When we decided to holiday to Paphos, Cyprus, we weren’t really sure what to expect. I’ll be honest, the only thing I knew about the island was that it was split into two after a Turkish invasion in the ’70s. Not exactly the idea of a luscious holiday destination,  but I knew Cypriots and others who had been on holiday there so I knew a visit to the Greek side of the island was worth the trip. 

We booked the holiday as part of our new Christmas tradition! Sam and I always struggle with the perfect gift for one another but we have always loved traveling together so we decided to start booking holidays together as our new family Christmas tradition. We decided on a February trip since it’s the perfect getaway from the dreary English winter and it’s also one of the cheaper months for travel!

About Cyprus

In the 1970’s, Cyprus was split into two. Currently, the Turkish government has imposed rule over the north side that they call the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus while the Southern end of the island remains independent. Because of this conflict and the Greek influence (and abundance of Greek flags), it would be easy to assume that the southern portion of Cyprus is Greek or at least used to be. This assumption would, however be false. Cyprus was never a Greek island. It was a part of the ancient Greecian empire, however, and has gained fame as the birthplace of Aphrodite and halloumi!

Cyprus has been an incredibly important island throughout history and has been home to many invading peoples, most notably the ancient Greeks, the ancient Romans, the British (naturally), and many many many more. Remarkably, Cypriots have maintained their own separate identity and are very proud to be of Cyprus.

What we saw in Paphos, Cyprus

Kato Paphos Archaeological Park

This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. These are always top of our list to visit when we see them. The park encapsulates all of the harbor peninsula. We could’ve spent a couple of hours at least exploring it all.

Foolishly, we brought our travel pram/stroller (in our defense, this wasn’t our only activity of the day and it was the furthest ‘attraction’ from our hotel). We had to call it quits early as we were finding it quite difficult to navigate with the pram. We were also a bit disappointed by the lack of information describing all of the ruins. I’d recommend you do your own research if visiting to gain a basic understanding of these ruins.

Tombs of the Kings 

This is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and Sam said this was his favorite of the two we got to see (Cyprus is full of them as the island has played such an important role for so much of Mediterranean history). However, I’d recommend you, again, do your research as this site contains even fewer posted explanations of its features. It does include some QR codes scattered to help give some context but I found them confusing and, therefore, not very helpful. 

That being said, it is a beautiful preservation of history and the tombs are impressive. It gave us ancient Egyptian tomb vibes (which makes relative sense considering the relationship of the ancient Mediterraneans to the ancient Egyptians). We found it easiest to navigate without a pram/stroller but a steady foot is needed because, to see all the tombs, there is quite a bit of climbing involved. We strapped our baby to my husband with a baby carrier and they both loved it. 

Old Town of Paphos, Cyprus 

We weren’t sure of what to see up here (and be warned it is a steep climb up) but ended up finding this to be the center of Cypriot culture. We elected to go on Carnival weekend and found there to be a parade to celebrate! While we missed the parade, we did get to witness the ‘after party’ which was cool to be a part of. 

This was also where we found there to be the sit-down restaurant options and the best shopping. We also went to a wine bar here to try some local wines, although this was not really needed as all of the local restaurants served Cypriot wines. 

Where we ate in Paphos, Cyprus

Agora Tavern

I think Sam and I agree that this was hands down the best meal we ate while in Paphos. A meze-style meal, catered to your choice of vegetarian or meat dishes, the small plates were brought out as they were cooked and we were given plenty of dips and bread to eat them with. 

I could not recommend this place enough for a meal while in Paphos. However, you must book in advance as this place fills up quickly.

Hondros Tavern

This taverna boasts itself as the oldest traditional tavern in Cyprus. It has a lovely outdoor space (which was open when we visited in February—other outdoor spaces were not as this is their ‘winter’) and lovely food. The proximity to the attractions certainly made it a top spot for tourists, but I felt it was worth it for the price, the vibe, the food, and the location. We ate here for lunch after a morning exploring the Kato Paphos Archaeological Park and would recommend this. 

The food here was delectable. As the birthplace of halloumi, we both knew we needed to try the grilled halloumi when we saw it on the menu. It was just as yummy as we’d hoped. For our mains, Sam enjoyed the chicken kebabs (another Cypriot staple) and, for myself, the fried calamari (again, another Cypriot fav). Being an island nation, the seafood in Cyprus is top-notch and cannot be missed.

The New Kings Of Aphrodite Tavern

We ate here for lunch after exploring the Tombs of the Kings. While it was in a touristy part of town, we found we were joined by some locals while we ate. And, after some interactions with the owner, we saw why. The owner here was perfectly hospitable and just as lovely as his food! He even set up a baby changing station for me on the ground level so I didn’t have to climb the stairs to the toilets (where the actual baby changing facilities were).

Sam had their seafood spaghetti pasta and I tried one of their Cyprus specialties, sheftalies! We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals.

Antigo Mezedopoleio

For our last dinner, we wandered into here and were met by the owner who was able to seat us (we didn’t have a reservation and they had a full schedule). My favourite dish we had here was fried feta covered in honey and sesame seeds. 10 out of 10 would recommend this. Honestly, I’d recommend coming to get just this to enjoy as an afternoon snack with a glass of Cypriot wine.

We also enjoyed the hummus, pita, chicken kebabs, and their seafood risotto. It all was very yummy and the vibes were great. While I’d eat here again, I’d recommend prioritizing Agora Tavern over this place. 

Things to know on a visit to Paphos, Cyprus

Cyprus island time

One thing that I’d recommend paying attention to is the culture around the timings of the locals. This advice goes for every trip abroad. In Cyprus, they definitely follow the Mediterranean culture of timelines, or lack there of I should say. Everything is a bit slower and later than in Northern Europe, and this goes for meal times as well. This actually worked out in our favor as we were able to get tables because we were eating earlier than the locals. Most Cypriots don’t eat lunch until 2pm and dinner is usually around 9pm. So if you are truly wanting the Cypriot experience, prepare to eat a bit later. 

Prices in Cyprus

Another reason Cyprus can be such a great option for families and budget travelers is the prices. Now, keep in mind our reference is London, located on what my husband calls ‘Treasure Island’. Our fancy dinner (we try to give ourselves at least one ‘fancy’ dinner while on holiday where we put price aside) at Agora astonished us. For the best meze for two we’ve ever eaten in our lives and two cocktails, we were shocked to see the bill was only about 60€ when we were sure it was going to be easier 160€.

Glasses of local wine and beer regularly amounted to only 3-4€ and massive plates (honestly I struggled to finish some) for less than 15€.

As we went during the off-season, we managed some cheap-ish Ryanair flights for around 160€ for both of us and a wonderful, sea-view balcony room at Capital Coast Resort and Spa for around 180€.

Of course, these aren’t the cheapest prices we could’ve paid but with an 8-month-old baby, ‘as cheap as possible’ isn’t necessarily our goal.

Baby friendly Cyprus

One thing I was so excited to experience when visiting Southern Europe was the child-friendly culture and Cyprus didn’t disappoint. Even the stern border agent couldn’t resist a cheeky wave to our baby.

The streets weren’t terribly pram/stroller friendly. The main centers were fine, but walking from area to area we found difficult. Pavements/sidewalks would just end or be gone entirely and the roadworks made navigating with a baby difficult as well. This could just be because we went during ‘off-season’ though.

The eagerness to cater to our baby was unmatched though. Our hotel had a cot set up for us when we arrived (even though we didn’t ask!). Every restaurant had a ready supply of high chairs. Even when our baby was crying, we were never made to feel a burden. In fact, staff or locals were keen to help us try to calm him when possible. For parents traveling to Cyprus, I’d say it’s a fantastic place to go with children. 

Off-season in Paphos, Cyprus

While traveling to summer destinations during the winter can be a great way to save money, beware that many businesses and attractions close or have modified hours during the off-season in order to rest, renovate, or restore. For example, one of the main attractions in the Kato Paphos Archaeological site was unavailable to visit during our trip due to restoration works. It is worth paying extra attention, and perhaps even calling to speak to someone, to ensure what you want to see and do is available. Also, have a backup plan in case, despite your best efforts, it is still unavailable. 

Planning to take a trip to Cyprus with your little one? Check out our article for help dealing with jetlag. Also, make sure to grab our free packing list!