My little man is now 2 years old and this is the third time we’ve been lucky enough to visit Cyprus with him, staying in the beautiful village of Anarita, close to Paphos. I’ve become pretty good at knowing where to go, what to do and the best places to eat with a little one, so if you’re planning a holiday to Paphos, here are my top tips.
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For practicality: Visit Jumbo in Kings Avenue mall in Paphos
First the boring but incredibly practical bit! Travelling with a family and trying to keep luggage allowance within the limit can be tricky, so my top tip, and what we always do on the first day of holiday, is head to the mall in Paphos and go straight for jumbo. I know, shopping isn’t the first thing on your mind when you arrive but take a coupe of hours out to set your holiday off to a good start. Jumbo is on 3 levels – it’s a massive store with bargains galore and can save you a lot of money buying beachside essentials (bucket and spade, inflatables, etc). The first level has an abundance of toys and all reasonably priced, so if you need to buy a few gifts to keep the little ones entertained (whilst you grab some quiet time on a sun lounger with a glass of the local wine and your kindle) this is ideal. There’s also clothes, beach chairs, beach towels, beach bags and all you can imagine. The top floor of jumbo is also really handy as it has cosmetics, meaning you don’t have to pack heavy shampoos, shower gels, etc. Below is a sample of what we bought this holiday to give you an idea.
Hot Wheels inflatable car (which Sam loved) €7.99, citronella candle €1.99, 900ml argan oil hair conditioner (for me) €1.99, Bucket and spade €2, Spiderman bubble bath and wash €1.99, Cars cup with straw €2.99. Beach shoes for Sam €5.99.
2. For fun: Pafos Luna Park
This is a must for any thrill seeking children and great for little ones too. There’s lots of rides for all ages including a surprisingly high big wheel that offers stunning views of the surrounding area. We went on the train, the caterpillar rollercoaster, the merry-go-round, the bumper cars and the big wheel (which made me feel a little peculiar at the top!). Prices are reasonable if you only go on a few rides and you can buy wristbands for unlimited rides, ideal if you have older kids. The train was 2 tokens for me and my little man. 1 token = 1 Euro. The caterpillar rollercoaster was 3 tokens for me but little man was free. It’s a great place to take the kids for a treat and there’s rides for all ages. There’s also a little cafe for food and drinks but we opted to eat at the fish taverna opposite the park where we enjoyed a fish meze that just kept on coming, whilst enjoying the view of the sea and watching the sun set. Perfect treat for us and Sam!
3. For meals out: Agios Epifanios Taverna
I find that eating out in Cyprus is actually quite stress-free as the restaurants are geared up for children. Most have high chairs, some also have plastic plates and colouring for the little ones, and there’s many restaurants with play areas. Our number one favourite place to eat out with Sam, based on the play area, quality of food, friendliness of owners and price, is Agios Epifanios Taverna. Located on the outskirts of Anarita village in the countryside, the restaurant not only has a play area, it also has a football pitch, basketball court and there’s sometimes a bouncy castle too. The food is delicious, I recommend the feta cheese with honey or the chilli prawns as a starter, and it’s one of those restaurants where they keep on bringing you free things too – including their delicious oregano bread, some chocolate biscuit treats for Sam and strong aperitifs at the end of the meal for the adult non-drivers i.e. (me).
4. For the sea: Bonamare beach bar cafe
This beach is our little secret – so don’t tell anyone. The beach is actually off the Paphos airport road, turn off at the sign for Bonamare Beach Bar and follow the little lane to the end where there’s a decent size fee car park. The beach bar is great – good food, cocktails and amazing views. It’s children friendly (although if you have very little ones you do have to be mindful of the steps down to the beach). There’s highchairs available, a baby changing room and the toilets at the bar/restaurant are very nice. They also have an outside shower cubicle for €1.
However, you don’t have to visit the bar to enjoy the beach. The reason we love this beach is because on one side you have amazing rock pools where my OH took little man rock pooling and he caught a crab, a fish, some prawns and winkles in his bucket from jumbo (all safely released back into the sea afterwards) whilst I laid back on the sunlounger and had a blissful hour to myself to actually relax – heaven. There are sun loungers with parasols and table to rent from the bar. There is a charge for this but it’s cheaper than some of the more busy beaches. On the other side of the bar there is a more traditional beach where you can go out and swim, big waves and, although the beach is pebbly, there is also plenty of sand to make sand castles here. There was a lifeguard when we visited in June. The beach also has beautiful views and it is much quiter than the likes of Coral Bay so if you prefer to have some space to yourself on a beach, it’s ideal.
5. For Ice cream: Aphrodite Hills Golf and Spa Resort
We love Aphrodite Hills and it’s only a 10 minute drive from where we stay. There is an amazing Häagen-Dazs ice cream parlour, that has the BEST ice cream in the world (IMHO). You can choose from a selection of ice cream and sorbets from a counter where it’s been kept at the perfect temperature and then sit back and enjoy it under their shaded seating area. It’s also worth having a stroll around the resort. There’s a few bars and restaurants (including a Costa Coffee), a couple of shops, a little chapel (where there are often weddings taking place), the spa and of course the golf course. You can also hire a segway here and there’s a great children’s play area including a pool with slides which non-residents can use if you enquire (although I believe a fee may apply).
So there you go, my top tips. If you’re visiting Paphos there’s so much to see and do and lots of convenient shops and restaurants, the ideal destination for families and I hope you have a wonderful time! Let me know your top tips for family holidays in the comments below.
Rowena B x
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