Although Cyprus is not a big island, some places are much easier to reach by car or on an organized tour. In this article, I focus on day trips from Paphos that are relatively easy to do by public transport and do not require a lot of travel time. For example, Limassol is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Paphos by bus.
I also cover destinations that are better suited to organized tours, especially places that involve boat trips, lagoons, or more complicated connections. This way, you can choose between exploring independently and joining a guided tour, depending on the destination.
Day Trips via Public Transport
I will start with the day trips that are suitable for public transport. I have visited all of them except one beach, and I found them relatively easy to reach. However, if you are visiting Cyprus for the first time, the bus timetables can be a little confusing.
For local routes around Paphos, you can find information about routes, tickets, and the online journey planner on Pafos Buses, which also has an English version. Buses usually leave from either Karavela Bus Station or Tombs of the Kings.
One thing to keep in mind is that the timetable shows departure times rather than the exact arrival time at every stop. For example, if you take a bus from Karavela to Mandria, you will see the departure times from the main stops, but not necessarily a separate time for every stop along the route.
For longer trips to Limassol and Nicosia, you need to use Intercity Buses instead. These buses connect Paphos with other major cities in Cyprus and operate separately from the local Paphos bus network.
Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock)
- Best for: landscapes photography, swimming
- Approximate duration: direct bus 631 or 610, 40 min to one hour
Why go: Petra tou Romiou is one of the most recognizable coastal landmarks in Cyprus and a good stop if you enjoy dramatic coastal landscapes and photography. You can walk along the beach, have a picnic, or simply spend some time by the sea. There is also a viewpoint above the coast, with a short walk offering a different perspective of the rock and surrounding landscape.
The beach is not the best choice if your main goal is swimming. The sea can be rough, and strong currents can make the water unsafe at times. I would treat it more as a scenic stop than a traditional beach day.
Kouklia + Petra tou Romiou
- Best for: landscapes photography, history, archaeology, village atmosphere
- Approximate duration: Bus 631 or 630 also stops in Kouklia and the travel time is up to one hour from Paphos or only 20 minutes to Petra tou Rominou.
Why go: This is a good option if you want to combine Cyprus’s famous Aphrodite’s Rock with a more interesting inland stop. Kouklia is a small village built on the site of ancient Palaipafos, one of the most important ancient city-kingdoms of Cyprus. The archaeological site includes the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, the Lusignan Manor House, cemeteries, and the remains of a medieval sugar-cane refinery.
The local archaeological museum is housed in the eastern part of the medieval Lusignan mansion and contains finds from the Sanctuary of Aphrodite and the surrounding area. You can also see the remains of an ancient olive mill in Kouklia.
If you want to make the trip more active, you could also explore the area by bicycle. CWC Pro Cycling is based in Kouklia and offers road, hybrid, and mountain bike rentals, as well as guided and supported rides.
Foinikas + Anarita + Kouklia + Mandria
- Best for: urbex, landscapes photography, hiking, village atmosphere
- Approximate duration: This is a longer and more active day trip. Bus 601 connects Paphos with Anarita and stops near Ag. Marina Church. From there, you need to walk to Foinikas. The walk takes around 1.5 hours each way and includes some uphill and downhill sections. After returning to Anarita, you can take bus 601 towards Mandria (but doesn’t go very often). From Mandria, buses 630 and 631 connect with Kouklia, with the journey taking around 20 minutes.
Why go: I originally went to this area because I wanted to explore the abandoned village of Foinikas and its ruins. If you enjoy urbex, abandoned places, and less touristy parts of Cyprus, this is one of the more unusual day trips you can make from Paphos.
Anarita itself is a small village and mainly works as a starting point for the walk to Foinikas. You can then continue towards Mandria, a small coastal village with a more relaxed atmosphere. There is some interesting street art in the underpass before the village.
Mandria also gives you the option to continue to the coast. The walk along the coastline towards the airport takes about an hour, although much of the shoreline is rocky rather than sandy. The area can be more interesting for snorkeling and exploring the coast than for a traditional beach day.
If you do not want to visit all these places, you can easily shorten the itinerary. I have a separate guide explaining exactly how to get to Foinikas by public transport, including the walk from Anarita.
Limassol + Kourion
- Best for: landscapes photography, archeology, viewpoint, beach day
- Approximate duration: The Intercity bus from Paphos to Limassol takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. From Limassol, local buses 16 and 33 continue towards Kourion Beach. The second part of the journey takes around an hour, depending on the connection.
Why to go: I would not choose this trip just for Limassol itself. The city centre has some interesting areas and plenty of street art, but you will also see a fair amount of random tagging and urban vandalism. If you have limited time, I would spend more of it around Kourion.
The Kourion archaeological site is quite extensive, with ruins spread across the hillside above the coast. You can then continue down to Kourion Beach and spend some time by the sea. If you are interested in archaeology, I would allow plenty of time for Kourion rather than treating it as a quick stop. There is more to see than just the famous amphitheatre, and the elevated position gives you some excellent coastal viewpoints.
The whole Kourion area also feels more remote than Limassol, especially once you get away from the main archaeological site. This is one of those trips where having a car would make things considerably easier. The local buses do work, but they are not something I would rely on without checking the timetable carefully in advance.
What kind of tour to book:
Latchi / Polis
- Best for: beach day, portrait or landscape photography
- Approximate duration: Around 2.5 hours by public transport. Take bus 645 from Karavela Bus Station to Polis Chrysochous Bus Station, then change to bus 622 towards Latchi. The 622 stops at Latsi Marina and Latsi Beach.
Why to go: I took this route myself and found it worth the longer journey. Polis Chrysochous feels quite different from Paphos. It is smaller, quieter, and has a more local atmosphere, so it can be a good choice if you want to see a less resort-like side of Cyprus.
From Polis, you can continue to Latchi, which is better suited to a beach day. The beaches here are mostly pebbly or a mixture of pebbles and sand rather than the soft sandy beaches you might expect from a typical beach resort. The rocky seabed also makes the area interesting for snorkeling.
Latchi is also a good base for exploring the coast and taking boat trips towards the Akamas Peninsula and Blue Lagoon. If you are mainly interested in photography, the harbour, boats, coastline, and surrounding hills give you more variety than simply spending the day on the beach.
Keep in mind that the journey takes considerably longer than most of the other public-transport day trips from Paphos. You also need to plan the return carefully, as you have to coordinate two bus routes.
Better as Organized Tours
The next locations are also reachable by public transport or a combination of public transport and taxi. However, I recommend booking an organized tour for a more convenient experience. You will spend less time thinking about transport and more time enjoying the location.
Akamas Peninsula and Blue Lagoon
- Best for: hiking, nature, swimming, snorkeling, photography, boat trips
- Approximate duration: full day
- Available tours: jeep safaris, hiking tours and boat trips
Akamas Peninsula is one of the wildest parts of Cyprus, with rugged coastlines, hiking trails, sea caves and relatively undeveloped landscapes. The area is a good choice if you want to combine nature and outdoor activities in one day.
You can explore parts of Akamas on foot, join a 4×4 safari, or take a boat trip from Latchi to the Blue Lagoon. Boat trips are particularly popular for swimming, snorkeling and enjoying the coastline from the water.
If you are staying in Paphos, organized day trips can combine several parts of Akamas, such as the Blue Lagoon, Avakas Gorge or Aphrodite’s Baths. From Polis or Latchi, you can also book shorter boat trips if you want to focus mainly on the coast.
Recommended tours:
Wine villages
- Best for: wine, villages, food, photography
- Approximate duration: half day / full day
- Available tours: wine tours, small-group tours, private tours
The wine villages of Cyprus are a good choice if you want to combine wine tasting with traditional villages and mountain scenery.
The Troodos foothills are home to many vineyards and small wineries. You can taste both local grape varieties and traditional Cypriot wines. These include Xynisteri, Maratheftiko and Commandaria.
Omodos is one of the best-known wine villages in the region. It is also a good base for exploring the surrounding mountain landscapes and traditional architecture.
From Paphos, organized wine tours are the easiest option. They can combine several villages, wineries and scenic stops in one day. Some tours also include food tastings or lunch.
Recommended tours:
Nicosia
- Best for: history, architecture, street photography
- Approximate duration: full day
- Available tours: guided walking tours, day trips, cultural tours
Nicosia is the capital of Cyprus and one of the most interesting cities to explore on foot. The city has a mix of historic buildings, modern architecture, street art and everyday urban life.
You can also find plenty of interesting details for street photography. Look for murals, unusual buildings, small shops and less polished parts of the city. The atmosphere also feels more urban and lively than in Paphos.
Nicosia is reachable from Paphos by public transport, but the journey involves a change and takes longer than travelling from Larnaca or Ayia Napa. If you are staying in Paphos, an organized tour can therefore make more sense.
I visited Nicosia from Larnaca and continued towards Girne (Kyrenia) afterwards. You can also find organized tours from Paphos that continue towards Kyrenia, which can be a good option if you want to see more of the island in one day.
Recommended tours:
Final Words
Staying in Paphos doesn’t have to revolve around this one beach town. There are plenty of options for exploring nearby areas even without a car. Public transport in the southern, non-occupied part of the island works well and is usually on time. It might take a little while to get used to the timetables, but the system is generally reliable. If you prefer more convenience, you can also book guided tours to explore places that are harder to reach by public transport.
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