The streets around Mayfair Hotel & Gardens in Kato Paphos brim with shops, archaeology, and sea air. Ten rewarding stops lie within about 25 minutes on foot, so you can leave your hire car in the shade and explore on foot while the Mediterranean shimmers at the end of many a side road.
Shop and refuel at King’s Avenue Mall
Less than ten minutes’ stroll (c. 500 m) from reception, King’s Avenue Mall crams more than 120 outlets into a bright, climate-controlled space. Regular opening runs Monday–Saturday 10:00–20:00 and Sunday 11:00–19:00, handy if you land late and need essentials. Dining courts, a multi-screen cinema, and family play zones mean the afternoon soon disappears. Staying so close to one of the largest retail hubs among hotels in Paphos lets you nip back with shopping bags, then head out again for dinner.
Quick kit for the mall walk
- Sun hat and factor 30 (the route offers little shade)
- Re-usable water bottle; refill stations are inside the centre
- Small rucksack for impulse buys
Distances from Mayfair: King’s Avenue Mall 0.5 km; Paphos Harbour 1.5 km
Marvel at Kato Paphos Archaeological Park
Follow Apostolou Pavlou Avenue seaward and the UNESCO-listed park appears in about fifteen minutes. House-sized mosaics such as those in the Villa of Dionysus still gleam despite 2 000 years in the ground. Entry is currently €4.50 (subject to change), and gates normally open 08:30–17:00 in the cooler months, extending to 19:30 during high season. Carry a hat: the five-hectare site is mostly open ground.
Linger by the Harbour and Medieval Castle
The flat promenade to Paphos Harbour (around 2 km) rewards with bobbing fishing boats, gelato stands, and the 13th-century castle that once guarded the port. From the battlements you can survey the sweep of shoreline that explains why Paphos all inclusive hotels cluster nearby Рsunsets frame the view perfectly. Caf̩ terraces line the quay, so order a Cypriot coffee, watch the fishermen mend their nets, and listen for the chug of excursion boats heading for Lara Bay.
Explore the Tombs of the Kings
North of the harbour, limestone outcrops hide Hellenistic burial complexes cut deep into the bedrock. The walk from Mayfair takes just over 20 minutes, or you can combine it with the Archaeological Park visit. The entrance fee is €2.50; arrive early to capture cool shafts of light filtering into the courtyards.
Swim at Lighthouse Beach
A gentle 1.6 km wander brings you to Lighthouse Beach, a broad crescent with a volleyball court, playground, and a laid-back beach bar serving iced frappé and souvlaki. Lifeguards patrol in summer and sun-lounger hire is modest. Walking back to Mayfair, you grasp why many rate it among the best hotels in paphos cyprus for families who like to split beach time with pool dips and short sightseeing bursts.
Descend into Agia Solomoni Catacomb
Look for the “rag tree” hung with knotted cloth just uphill from the mall; it marks the stairway down to a series of fourth-century rock-hewn chambers where early Christians once worshipped. The site is free and open-air, so you can drop by at dusk when candles amplify the quiet.
Walk the basilica boardwalk at Panagia Chrysopolitissa & Saint Paul’s Pillar
Wooden walkways skirt mosaic floors and column stumps at this 13th-century church complex, ten minutes from the harbour. Tradition says Saint Paul was flogged here before converting the Roman pro-consul. Summer access usually runs 08:00–17:00; there is no admission charge. The peaceful cloister contrasts with the bustle of the waterfront and reminds visitors that all inclusive resorts paphos sit beside millennia of history rather than in isolation.
Browse the renovated Municipal Market
Climb the steps into Paphos Old Town (20 minutes) and meet stall-holders selling halloumi, leather sandals, and painted ceramics. A new roof installed in May 2025 has returned welcome shade to the arcades, and the market opens every day except Sunday. Haggle politely, then pause on the view terrace for sweeping panoramas across the lower town.
Admire the modern frescoes of Agioi Anargyroi Church
Only 500 m from the hotel gate, this 1994 basilica dazzles inside with contemporary iconography in cobalt and gold. Being so close is handy when you fancy a reflective pause yet don’t want to stray far from one of the top hotels in paphos. Services are usually in the early evening; respectful dress is appreciated.
Hunt for Street-Art Murals in the Old Town
Paphos earned European Capital of Culture status in 2017, and the Street Art Square festival left dozens of monumental murals on lanes behind Kennedy Square. Keep an eye out for the Aphrodite piece by BillyGee, Alex Martinez, and Lune82er or the monochrome Usugrow dragon, both within a kilometre of the Municipal Market. Following this open-air gallery adds colour to paphos all inclusive holidays and rounds off a day that blends heritage with present-day creativity.
Walk these ten stops in any order, safe in the knowledge that a cool drink, shaded gardens, and the splash pool of Mayfair Hotel & Gardens are never more than half an hour away.
