Weekend in Cyprus - 3 days roadtrip itinerary - Part 1
Filmed on : February 18th, 2023
Filmed in : Cyprus
After enduring endless grey skies and dreary rain in Paris, we were in desperate need of a change of scenery. That's why we decided to trade the gloom for some much-needed sun and head to the stunning island of Cyprus for a weekend getaway. With its crystal clear waters, sun-drenched beaches, and rich cultural heritage, Cyprus had everything we were looking for in a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Join us as we explore the sights, sounds, and tastes of this magical Mediterranean destination.
It's the first time there for both of us so we are very excited and ready to explore as much as possible in the two days and a half we have for this trip. We embarked on a 4h flight on Friday evening from Paris and arrived shortly after midnight to Paphos, a coastal city located on the southwest coast of Cyprus. Many tourist decide to spend their whole vacation here as the city is known for its beautiful beaches, historic sites, and vibrant nightlife. But we had other plans and for that we definitely needed a car!
Pol took care of it and booked our rental car in advance. Side note tip, especially if you are arriving to Cyprus late at night and all you can think of is bed, try to hurry up a bit in order to be first in line for a car rental. We managed and we didn't regret speeding up a little, since after us there was a huge line waiting for the same car rental company (Budget). They were offering the best ratio price vs quality and we must highlight that we have been incredibly satisfied with their communication and the overall service.
Renting a car in Cyprus was a great way to explore the island at our own pace, but we were definitely little taken aback at first by the fact that they drive on the left-hand side of the road. Pol soon got used to it and it wasn't a problem for us, but it is definitely something to consider if you are used to driving on the right side.
It was a short 20 minute ride to our hotel in city center of Paphos. We stayed in Dionysos Central Hotel, which had a parking for free as well as nice breakfast in the garden in the morning. Even though we didn't really want to spend too long in Paphos, since our roadtrip itinerary was packed, we still went for a short walk along Poseidonos Avenue.
At the end of the promenade, located on the outskirts of Paphos, lays UNESCO World Heritage site that contains a vast collection of ruins dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. The entrance fee is only 5€, so we decided to have a look. We haven't been particularly impressed with the site, but we really liked the House of Dionysos, a beautifully preserved villa with intricate mosaics depicting scenes from Greek mythology.
First stop on our roadtrip itinerary was Coral Bay, coastal area known for its sea caves and stunning scenery. We were amazed to realise that we had it all to ourselves, which I guess is the magic of travelling off-season.
Even though it's February, we are very tempted by the crystal clear water so after a short hesitation we decide to jump in. And no regrets there, the water was very refreshing and it felt amazing to be alone.
After the swimming, we sun dried on the limestone rocks and headed towards a ship wreck that we had seen from the main road.
We did a little research and here is what we found about the accident :
In 2011, the ship, which was carrying a cargo of plasterboard, was en route from Limassol to Rhodes when it encountered stormy weather and high seas. The crew attempted to seek shelter in the Paphos harbor, but the ship's engines failed and it was pushed towards the rocky coastline. After the ship ran aground, the crew was rescued by a helicopter and there were no injuries reported. The shipwreck has become a popular tourist attraction, as it is located near the shore and can be easily accessed by visitors.
You can find it on the map under Edro III Shipwreck.
Another tag on the Google Maps that caught our attention was Old Tree and since it was only 10 minutes away by car from the ship wreck we had to check it out. It turned out to be this gnarled tree. It was very interesting seeing how the sea wind combed the old tree! The view from the tree is also quite impressive, as it overlooks the surrounding countryside and the Mediterranean Sea in the distance. The only other people we met there were a musican with his family, shooting a video clip. It was a very nice moment.
Since we were getting hungry and quiet rightfully - it was around 13h, we started to search for a Taverna. And we found exactly what we were looking for in a nearby town, Kathikas. The restaurant is called To Stekki Tou Panai, we ordered a mix of grilled meat that traditionally comes with a mixed salad and a complimentary fresh grilled olive oil bread. We loved it!
After a late lunch we had one more thing on our list for the day and that was to catch a sunset somewhere cool. Originally we picked Aphrodite Bath's as a perfect spot since we were 30 minutes by car away and the sun was setting at 5h30 pm.
We parked the car at a free public parking right opposite a restaurant where we took coffee. Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant has a cool terrace with a scenic view on the beach. After the coffee we walked down to the beach, once again completaly alone, just us and some birds.
We still had some time till the sunset, so Pol came up with a hike. We planned to climb up a nearby hill and on the maps we could see that there was an actual trail, called Aphrodite Nature Trail.
The hike took us about 2h but we must have missed some turn because we didn't reach a viewpoint. Instead, we ended up on a beautiful meadow full of olive trees. This hike was our personal highlight of Cyprus, maybe because it was unplanned and it surprised us with its lowkey beauty. Going up, you encounter different biomes every 10 minutes, definitely gives you energy to keep pushing.
We reached the car just at dusk and found a hotel room for the night in Tylos Hotel in Kato Pyrgos town, which was still an 1h 20 drive.
TO BE CONTINUED.....
