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Paphos (Pafos) was voted as the European capital of culture in 2017. It is comprised of two parts, the new town which is the beachfront area with resorts and restaurants, and the old town with a more historic local atmosphere. While there are many places to explore within Paphos it is also a convenient city to be based to explore the surrounding area, such as Polis, Latchi and the Akamas Peninsula.

Paphos Old Town

What many refer to as the Old Paphos isn’t the original Paphos. The old Paphos is technically the village of Kouklia now, which is about 10 miles away from Paphos.

I stayed and spent time in the older part of of the newer Paphos, which is also sometimes called Old Paphos. It is about a 20 or 25 minute walk from the water, the new part. Confusing I know!

One area that my wanderings kept leading me through was Kostis Palamas Square with some official buildings and a few restaurants.

Another area that all my destinations seemed to lead to was Kennedy Square. A fairly big open area with a few restaurants.

I liked staying in the Old Town, but I didn’t really get the quaint feeling I get from many other European places. Similar to what I wrote about Polis, there were a lot of buildings that seemed to be run down or abandoned mixed in with places the average person visits frequently. It felt so empty. There would be people occasionally, but it definitely wasn’t a bustling city feel. Despite this it felt very safe and somewhat peaceful.

One thing I noticed was the number of cats. Not just in Paphos, but all throughout Cyprus. Cats EVERYWHERE I tell you!

Ethnographic Museum

The Ethnographic Museum is located within the old part of Paphos. I didn’t know what all the positive reviews of the museum were about, but check my full review to decide for yourself whether it is worth a visit.

Axiothea Hotel

I spent every night of my trip in Paphos. It’s fun to try different places when traveling around a country, but it is also easier to have a base to explore from without having to re-pack and haul luggage mid-trip. I stayed at the Axiothea Hotel, a family run hotel.

I couldn’t believe how much cheaper the hotel was than other places in the city. Breakfast was included, the room was very clean and staff were friendly and helpful. 

The only downside I can think of is that it is not right on the beach, but that did not bother me at all. It was easy enough to go for a walk down to the waterfront. I spent a lot of time going to other places anyway, which actually makes the location better because it is close to the main station. Also it makes it easy to explore all the winedy streets of Paphos and feel more like a local.

Kato Pafos (the lower new part of Paphos)

One day I ventured down to the lower part of Paphos along the water. Within the old town it can be easy to get confused with the twisting streets, but walking down to the water is pretty much a straight shot on Apostolou Pavlou Avenue. It’s not an incredibly scenic walk, nor is there a whole lot of places you would visit on your way. There are a few restaurants, stores and small grocery stores.

At the last major intersection before getting to the water is the new King’s Avenue mall.

As I already wrote about, I spent some time at the Paphos Archaeological Park. The rest of the day I mostly spent walking around and eating by the water. The harbour was touristy like waterfront areas usually are, but still worth the visit. There actually appeared to be quite a long pathway to walk along the water in both directions from my starting point.

Because it was the hottest day of my trip so far, the water was looking pretty inviting. I didn’t have my swimsuit with me and I just didn’t have another 60 minute or so walking trip in me, so all I could hope to do was wade in the water. I walked farther along the coast to find a nice beach for cooling down. There are quite a few different areas to enter the water. The beaches all kind of run together, but I think I was at Alkyes beach in front of the Alymra hotel. That hotel had some lovely pools with an easy access to any passerby. I have to say I was pretty tempted to give their pools a quick try….but I refrained and went down to the beach instead.

Having water shoes with me would have been really nice as it was quite pebbly in the sand. Just like my water from the day before at the blue lagoon it was rather chilly, so wading in the water worked out just fine.

On my day solely dedicated to exploring Paphos I walked 12.46 miles!

Check my Cyprus page for more information about exploring within and around Paphos. Make sure to read what and where to eat in and around Paphos!

Visiting Information

Where (Axiothea Hotel)

 2 Ivis Malioti Street, Paphos, 8047, Cyprus

How to get to Axiothea Hotel

Getting to Axiothea might be a little tricky the first time. I took a taxi and then after that I had no trouble getting to and from my hotel. Using the map in that area was actually more confusing to me. If you walk from the main bus station (about 10min) and go down the main street (Apostolou Pavlou Avenue) the only way to get to the hotel is up a set of stairs and then around a corner that looks like a park and then up a few more steps. The other way is through the curving streets. When you see Muse restaurant (lit up at night), you need to turn right and you will see the hotel. There are some steps to go down to the entrance (much less than the other way).

If you want a quicker way down to the water make sure to turn left when coming out of the hotel and go down the stairs.

Review of Axiothea Hotel

My only complaint would be that the towels are only changed every three days and on my four night stay they were never changed.

Recommendations

If you want more of a resort vacation it is better to stay in new Paphos, down by the water. Old Paphos is less touristy and handier for buses going to other stations. You can easily take a bus or walk between the two areas. If you are visiting during the hotter summer months you may want to take a bus and spend your outdoor walking time at one of the archaeological sites or along the water. 

FYI

Axiothea Hotel does not accept arrivals after 1am and between 11pm – 1am there is an extra charge.

There are public toilets and changing rooms near the municipal beach.

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