Where to stay in Paphos: the best areas and hotels

Kato Paphos, the lower town by the sea, is where most visitors end up, and for good reason. The little harbour, guarded by its medieval fort, is lined with fish restaurants and boat trips; the archaeological park, with its Roman villas and mosaics, is right behind; and a seafront promenade links it all to the hotels.

Hotels here are classics, close to everything: Annabelle, a grand old name in subtropical gardens a short walk from the harbour; the couples-only Amavi, looking straight at the castle; and Almyra, a design-led favourite with separate spaces for couples and families. After dark, the bars and clubs of the tourist centre are walking distance, and Louis Phaethon puts you right among them.

North of the harbour, the coast road runs past the Tombs of the Kings, a vast underground necropolis cut into the rock more than two thousand years ago. The hotels along this stretch are some of the largest in Paphos, each with gardens and pools running down to rocky coves and small sandy beaches.

Elysium sits right beside the tombs and is one of the town's smartest addresses; Venus Beach has its own natural sandy beach; King Evelthon is a resort-style option just outside town. Kato Paphos is a walk or short bus ride along the coast, so you get calm evenings with the action on call.

Beyond the Tombs of the Kings, the coast turns quieter. Chloraka and Kissonerga are villages that have grown into low-key resort areas, with small sandy beaches, rocky coves and some of the best sunset views in Cyprus.

Hotels are calmer and often more stylish than in town: Azia, a seafront resort with its own plantation supplying the kitchens and an award-winning spa; the studios of Louis Paphos Breeze, on a small sandy beach; and Serbellas, a boutique spa hotel in Kissonerga. Kato Paphos is a short drive away, and Coral Bay a few minutes further north.

About 11 km north of Paphos, Coral Bay has the best beach in the area: a wide curve of golden sand and calm, clear water, flanked by low cliffs and a sprinkling of tavernas and bars. Beyond it, the Akamas peninsula is the island’s great wilderness of sea caves, empty coves and the famous Blue Lagoon, reached by boat or jeep.

The hotels suit couples and families equally: the adults-only Cali beside the beach, Thalassa Boutique on the peninsula with sea views from every room, the sprawling Coral Beach resort at the water’s edge and family apartments at Panareti. Up in the hills behind, villages such as Peyia and Droushia offer cooler air and long views.

East of the harbour, Poseidonos Avenue follows the shore past a string of hotels towards Geroskipou, the village famous for its loukoumi, or Cyprus delight. Several hotels sit right on the beach, the seafront path makes for easy evening strolls, and the airport is close.

Expect mid-sized resorts with big pools and kids' entertainment, such as Constantinou Bros Athena Beach on the Pachyammos strip, Aquamare and Aliathon, plus the adults-only Ivi Mare for couples. Kato Paphos is a pleasant walk along the seafront or a short bus ride.

East of town, the hills above the coast have become Paphos's golf country. Aphrodite Hills spreads across two plateaux split by a dramatic ravine, with sea views down to Aphrodite's Rock, the sea stack of Petra tou Romiou where the goddess is said to have been born.

Stay in the resort hotel or a private villa, or head inland to Minthis, where two-bedroom suites look across the greens to the mountains. You'll want a car: the beaches and Kato Paphos are a drive away, but the space and the silence are the point.