Paphos, the popular resort situated on the southwestern coast of the Mediterranean island Cyprus, gets numerous visitors each year.
Most of them come to visit this place mainly for the sea and the sandy beaches. But you should not underestimate that there are a lot of historical attractions, too.
You can visit them during your vacation in this city southwest of the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Because not without reason, this city was the European Capital of Culture in the year 2017.
In this article, you will learn how you can best get to this dream destination on the Mediterranean coast of Cyprus. In addition, we tell you what you can do on-site and at what time your best visit.
How to get to Paphos
Out of Cyprus, the best way to get to your destination is by plane. Numerous airlines fly into the local airport, including budget carriers like Ryanair.
If you are looking for a cheap flight to the southwest coast of the island of Cyprus, you will surely find a wide range of airlines on Skyscanner. A lot of them will take you to your preferred destination from almost anywhere in the world.
If you are already in Cyprus, you can, of course, arrive by bus. There are several bus services to Paphos each day from many other larger cities in Cyprus, including the capital Nicosia and Limassol. For further information on the different buses that will take you to your destination, you should visit the website of Paphosbus.
Paphos Weather & Climate
Cyprus is most notable for its Mediterranean climate. For you, this means that you have to expect dry and hot summers. On the other hand, mild winters with quite pleasant temperatures await you, compared to other European countries.
If you love to lie in the sun and relax on the beach, you will especially enjoy the period from June to October. It gets warmest in August when temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius during the day. Especially that it hardly rains at this time, it makes Paphos a perfect destination for your summer vacation.
But even in winter, you do not have to freeze in this city on the southwestern coast of Cyprus. Although the coldest month is January, the thermometer rarely drops below the mark of 15 degrees Celsius.
What to do in Paphos
Of course, you will not want to just lounge around on the beach. After all, this popular destination on the third-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea also has some wonderful activities for you to indulge in during your vacation.
Visit the Archaeology Park: You will find numerous buildings and structures whose age dates back several thousand years in this excavation site. Especially from the Roman period, you can discover numerous remains. Among them are the four villas, which today are ruined. Despite this, you can still admire the detailed mosaics. On it, you can see various scenes of Roman mythology.
Among the highlights of the Archaeological Park are the Odeon and the tombs of the kings. The first is an ancient Roman theater, which is still used today for various events. On the other hand, in the Tombs of the Kings, you will find traces of history that are over 1,500 years old. Particularly impressive are the Doric columns inside, which are still in perfect condition today.
Explore the Panagia Chrysopolitissa: This place is worth a visit mainly because of the Anglican church. This was built on the site where there was previously a basilica. A popular destination among pilgrims is the column on the site. At this, the apostle Paul got punished with 39 lashes.
The fact that he was punished so severely had the background that in 45 AD, Christianity was not yet very popular. The Cypriots at that time were more inclined to the pagan faith. However, the apostle Paul wanted to convert them to Christianity.
Today, although, the column eroded quite a lot. Despite this, you will find it still in excellent condition. You will also find some ruins in the surrounding area, where you will discover numerous detailed mosaics.
Besides these interesting attractions, the southern Cypriot coastal city offers a lot of other interesting sights. Moreover, you can book numerous tours and guided tours on GetYourGuide if you want.
Besides, you should not stay only in this part of Cyprus. The island is quite diverse, you will also discover plenty of interesting sights in other cities like Larnaca.
If you want to see the island from its Turkish side, you should definitely consider a trip to Northern Cyprus as well.
Resi, the regional dish of Paphos
One of the traditional dishes that is brought to the table in the Paphos region is Resi. Especially in rural areas, the preparation of this dish is an impressive ceremony at Cypriot weddings.
However, you do not have to hope that someone will invite you to a wedding. If you ever want to try Resi, you can, of course, do so in a restaurant. On TripAdvisor, you will find a wide selection of eateries where you can try this specialty and a lot more Cypriot dishes.
Located in the southwest of Cyprus, the city is accordingly ideal for a vacation. You can expect pleasant weather all year round, only in winter, it can rain from time to time for a few days.
And if you feel like discovering some traces of Roman history, sites like the Archaeological Park are sure to delight you, even if you are just coming to sample some.