During Hanukkah (December) 2017 we decided to take a very short winter holiday inCyprus (5 days in total). The decision to fly to Cyprus in winter was mainly about cost: the flights, accommodation and car rental were so cheap that we felt we had to see whether Cyprus has anything to offer besides lazy beach days in summer.
We booked our round-trip flights directly on the website of Ryanair. The planes are small and crowded. As with all low-cost flights, there’s an extra charge for luggage beyond a small trolley bag, and there’s no food (not that you need it on a flight of under an hour).
We planned the itinerary in advance. A link to our post on how to plan a holiday abroad.
Car rental in Cyprus:
We booked the car before we left home, through HERTZ.
In Cyprus they drive on the left. We chose to rent an automatic: driving on the left is challenging enough, so why add gears? The locals are courteous to tourists and know that driving on the left isn’t what we’re used to (rental cars get red license plates rather than the yellow ones locals have).
Fuel policy: Their policy is to pay for a full tank, and if you return it full you get a refund.
We paid 60 euros for the tank.
Cost: The car rental cost 30 euros at the desk and 30 euros on the website.
In addition, they took a deposit of 290 euros when we picked up the car.
First Night in Paphos:
After landing we drove to the Basilica Holiday Resort hotel. We’d booked the hotel for two nightsPaphos through Booking.com. A fairly basic hotel with an outdoor pool (not relevant in the season we were there) and a gym.
From the hotel we headed straight for the promenade. We sat at a café called Pingouino for dinner and of course drank a little ouzo.
After that we moved on to a pub further down the street called Hogshead. It was really nice, and the barman treated us to some shots. The pub has a snooker table and a dartboard. We played and drank beer for an hour.
Day Two: A Day Trip in Paphos
The next day we woke up to a beautiful day, so we decided to go for a walk.
We went down from the hotel to the promenade and stopped at the first café we saw for breakfast, Tea for Two. We ordered a Cypriot breakfast.
A Cypriot breakfast, it turns out, includes beans, halloumi and mushrooms. My palate had a hard time accepting this surprising breakfast.
After that we decided to explore Paphos on foot because of the excellent weather. First we walked toward Paphos Castle, skipped going in, and then started walking toward the Tombs of the Kings. It’s not a short walk, but it’s along a stunning stretch of coast!
The walk wasn’t short (about two hours with many stops for photos and drinks). When we reachedthe Tombs of the Kings, entry cost 2.5 euros per adult. A nice place with an amazing view; if you’re coming in summer, bring plenty to drink, because there’s no shade at all. We spent about an hour and a half there.
We started walking back toward the hotel, and on the way decided to play it safe and have lunch at McDonald’s. After an afternoon rest at the hotel, we went on an afternoon outing to the supermarket outside the hotel: a huge supermarket, with prices not that cheap compared to Eastern Europe. In the evening we got ready and went out to a pub on the promenade called Ta Mpania. Compared to the rest of the promenade it had lots of people, so we decided to sit there. A nice place overall. After that we went back to the hotel.
Day Three: The Drive to Limassol
We drove toLimassol, where we’d booked two nights in a centrally located hostel. On the way we decided to drive through the Troodos Mountains and pass through the villages. The drive was fairly easy, with few cars, and the locals are courteous to tourists and know that driving on the left isn’t what we’re used to (by the way, rental cars get red license plates rather than the yellow ones locals have). The first village we stopped at was Omodos, a beautiful village with a main street of souvenir shops, local food and restaurants. In the village center parking lot it was just us and about three other cars, and it felt a little deserted. We sat for coffee at one of the restaurants in the village center
After visiting Omodos we continued to Pano Platres. We parked in the village center and set off for the Millomeris Waterfall.
It’s a short walking trail that starts with a steep descent and continues with a pleasant, level walk along a beautiful stream, with a nice view of the mountains further on. We continued along the trail and saw that it reaches the top of the waterfall. The trail isn’t a loop, so you have to walk back the same way.
We retraced our steps, got back in the car and drove to the other side of the waterfall. We parked right at the entrance to the waterfall, a few minutes’ walk from it.
After that we continued driving to Limassol. In the city we parked in a lot in the center for 3 euros for 7 hours. The hostel was OK.
After an intensive search for somewhere we could eat pasta, we found this café on the Limassol promenade: Yellow Lounge Cafe Delice The food wasn’t cheap, but it was very tasty.
After that we walked along the promenade toward the marina. The place was empty and looked deserted, but it was decorated for Christmas. There was even a playground for kids like a Christmas fair, but it was just us and one other Israeli family.
Day Four: A Day in Limassol
The next morning we strolled along the Anexartisias shopping street and stopped for breakfast at a local restaurant called CAVO: a really tasty breakfast and a great tzatziki. After that we walked along the promenade toward the Limassol municipal garden. Then we booked the Puzzle 3041 escape room for 38 euros per couple. There are 3 rooms, and on the recommendation of the guy at the entrance we did Inception. The room was hard and not relevant, with unsolvable puzzles that relied not on logic but on trial and error. We weren’t close to finishing after an hour. Frustrated with the room, we decided to go and sit at a restaurant right opposite and eat pizza.
After that we wandered through the alleys of the center a bit and discovered the nightlife 🙂 There were several pubs and dance bars, very busy, on a few side streets. We went into one of the dance bars to dance and have a drink.
After that we looked for a taverna with Greek music. Everything was either empty or packed to capacity.
Day Five and Last: The Drive Back to Paphos
The next day we got up and drove to the mall in Limassol, and after I found nothing to spend money on, we started driving toward Paphos. On the way we decided to make two stops: Kourion and Aphrodite’s Rock.
The Kourion archaeological site:
Cost: 4.5 euros per adult. Children free. There’s parking at the site.
A charming site on the road from Limassol to Paphos, above a very beautiful stretch of coast.
The amphitheater overlooks the beautiful coast. It’s an interesting archaeological site.
Recommended for a short tour and the view (no doubt I connected more with the view). The site isn’t small, and you can easily spend two hours there.
Aphrodite’s Rock:
Another stop on the way from Limassol to Paphos: a stretch of beach with parking where Aphrodite’s Rock stands. It’s actually a rock that juts out of the water, and according to Greek mythology this is where Aphrodite, the goddess of love, rose from the sea foam.
Don’t forget to bring a coffee kit or a beer to sit there. There’s a snack bar in the parking lot, but it’s a real rip-off.
After that we drove to the mall in Paphos, Kings Avenue. We booked tickets for A Bad Moms Christmas (a really nice film, in my opinion) in English. The cinema there was honestly rather old-fashioned. We had dinner at Pizza Hut (they have an all-you-can-eat deal on a range of pizzas and a build-your-own salad from 16:00 to 22:00 for 8 euros). It was worth it, but not healthy at all.
After that a last walk on the Paphos promenade and then back to the airport to wait for our 6 a.m. flight.
Summary of expenses (for a couple):
| Item | Cost |
| Flights | 340 ILS |
| Insurance | 45 ILS |
| Car rental | 280 ILS |
| Fuel | 20 euros |
| Accommodation | 525 ILS |
| Spending | 1,000 ILS |
Have you visited Cyprus?
I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments.
Happy travels,
Shir-Yam
