Paphos

Holidays to Paphos give you must-see ruins and dusk-’til-dawn nightlife. Throw in a Blue Flag beach and you’ve got the full works.

A clever mix

Paphos, over on the west coast of Cyprus, is a place that likes to mix things up. At the top end of the resort, you’ve got the hilly old town with its traditional Cypriot restaurants. Moving downtown, you’ll find a harbour surrounded by cafés and bars – an area that really lights up at night. There’s also a scattering of UNESCO sights in this part, too.

Blue Flag beach

Paphos has a tiny 150-metre beach all to itself. What it lacks in size, though, it makes up for in location – a Medieval castle overlooks the whole place. And you get a choice of sunbathing spots. The place is split into 2 strips – one’s got sand, the other’s got wooden decking. As for the sea, it’s worth pointing out it can get a little choppy sometimes.

Ancient history

You've got some UNESCO big-hitters in Paphos. Spare a couple of hours to get round the must-see Tomb of the Kings, where you can duck down stone steps into 1,000-year-old tombs. You also get prime examples of Roman architecture, with an amphitheatre and pretty floor mosaics.

Easy daytripping

About 10 minutes’ drive up the coast you’ve got Coral Bay. It’s one of the best beaches this side of Cyprus, with a generous helping of watersports and plenty of instructors to give you a hand. About 40 minutes on, you’ll get to the Baths of Aphrodite in Polis – the spot where the goddess did her bathing, they say. There’s a nature trail here, too, if you fancy a walk.