Paphos Harbour

Paphos Harbour is the working waterfront of Kato Paphos, the lower coastal town on the southwest coast of Cyprus, and the social centre of the resort area. A stone quay curves around a small basin filled with fishing boats, pleasure craft and tour boats, and the medieval fort stands at the harbour mouth. The promenade along Apostolou Pavlou Avenue and the quay is lined with cafes, tavernas and kiosks selling boat trips, and it is open at all hours, with eating places generally operating from around 08:00 until late.

Visitors come to stroll, eat and watch the boats rather than to tick off a single monument. Fresh fish is served in several waterfront tavernas, and kiosks sell tickets for glass-bottomed boat tours, pirate-style cruises and coastal excursions toward the Akamas peninsula. Fishermen mend nets on the quay in the morning, and a small row of stalls sells ice cream and souvenirs. Close by lie the Paphos Archaeological Park, the castle, and the Karavella bus station, so the harbour acts as a base for walking to other sights.

A visit can take 30 to 60 minutes for a walk, but many people linger over a meal or coffee for much longer. Mornings are calm, with soft light and few crowds. Sunset is the most popular time, when the sky turns orange behind the fort and tables fill, so booking a table at a waterfront restaurant in summer is sensible. Evenings in July and August are busy, and music from the bars carries across the basin. Good photograph spots include the end of the quay looking back at the castle, and the breakwater side at sunset.

The harbour is free to enter and flat, and it is reached on foot from the Kato Paphos hotel strip. It is the departure point for most boat trips, so visitors should arrive a little early for tour departures.