Last Updated on September 29, 2023
Paphos district in Cyprus is absolutely massive. When researching Paphos beaches myself, all the results on Google were coming up with beaches in the WHOLE of the Paphos District. So in this post I share the 7 best beaches in Paphos that are actually within walking distance of the main tourist area.
They are all connected together with the Paphos coastal walk path, which is lovely and well worth doing even if you have no interest in visiting one of the Paphos beaches! There are plenty of benches and bins along the route.
Beaches in Paphos
All of the municipal beaches in Paphos have received a โ3 Star Excellentโ rating for bathing water quality. It gets monitored during the main bathing season (between May and October) by the Department of Environment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment.
They are considered ‘Blue Flag beaches‘ which means they meet a high level of environmental, safety and accessibility criteria.
(โญ๏ธ5 star ratings are my own opinion. As a frequent beach visitor, my rating is based on nearby facilities, quality of the beach/access to the water for swimming and if I would personally choose to spend time there myself. I wasn’t that impressed with the beaches in Paphos, especially in the main town area.)
Lighthouse Beach (Faros Pafou Municipal Beach)
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So letโs start with the one thatโs slightly further out of the way. Lighthouse Beach, still approximately only a 10 minute walk from Paphos harbour, just the other side of the Archaeological Site of Nea Paphos.
It is still connected via the Paphos coastal walk which goes around the perimeter of the Archaeological Site and past the lighthouse. (However this section of the path was shut for building works during my visit).
Not going to lie, this was probably my least favourite of the beaches in Paphos. But maybe it gets better maintained during the peak season. It had hard compact stoney โsandโ, was covered in seaweed and was rocky near the waters edge. Not personally a beach I would pick for a beach day/swimming.
There was however a large parking area, sun bed rentals in the summer months, beach volleyball courts, a cafe (closed in winter) and public toilets (open, yay!).
Unless you fancy walking the coast path, Iโd be tempted to give this one a skip as it is a little further out of the way. The path comes out alongside Paphos Castle in the harbour.
Youโll then need to walk the full length of the promenade, past the shops, bars and restaurants to reach the next stretch of beaches (around a 20 minute walk between Lighthouse Beach and the Municipal Baths).
Paphos Municipal Baths
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OK, this one isnโt technically a beach, but it is a swimming area. Itโs right in the heart of the town, next to the promenade. If you are wanting convenience to a wide range of facilities, cafes, shops etc, this area and Alykes Beach, the next beach along, is your best bet.
There are wide concrete steps with plenty of space to sit. Access to the water is via steps, but it is very rocky, so water shoes are a good idea. This also may not be the best bet for those with children. During my visit there were a few โopen water swimmersโ using this area. There are no break walls protecting this area, so the water can be a bit rough.
HOWEVER the facilities along side the Municipal Baths are the best out of all the Paphos beach facilities that I used (in Paphos itself, Kissonerga and Coral Bay).
There are a lot of changing cubicles with hooks to hang clothes and towels while changing, toilets and even rain head showers (which are freeโฆunlike the ones at Coral Bay Beach…). Iโve never seen rain head showers at a public beach before, and Iโve been to a fair few all over the world!
Thereโs also free outdoor gym equipment along the sea wall, if you fancy a workout while looking at the water!
A lifeguard is on duty during the summer months from 11am until 5/6pm, covering both the Municipal Baths and Alykes Beach.
Alykes Beach
๐ป๐ฟโฑ๐ค | โ๏ธ๐๐ (nearby)
The next beach along is Alykes Beach. As mentioned above, itโs just around the corner from the toilet and changing facilities at the Municipal Baths, so you could easily use them while visiting this Paphos beach.
The beach itself is a very small stretch with sand and rocks. There is a raised area on the other side of the path with a sun bed rental area on either an artificial sandy section or on a grassed area. Individual sun beds, umbrellas, towels, safe boxes are each priced at โฌ2.50. Youโll also find free WiFi.
Thereโs a rocky break wall further out in the sea, which does protect this beach a little for rougher currents. Kids wonโt really find any space to play on the beach, but it does give a bit of access if they wanted to paddle in the shallower waters. It is more of a sunbathing ‘beach’, rather than a swimming beach.
Pafos Water Sports and Boat Trips operate from this area, with a wide section of rentals and activities. From Sea Bob experiences, pedaloes, paddle boards, parasailing and more. They open for the summer season on 1st April.
Vrisoudia II Beach
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Vrisoudia II Beach is the first of the beaches in Paphos that actually has nice sand and a small space to lay down a towel. Although it may be a bit damp, as the tide does cover most of the beach at high tide, so the sand is wet and compact. The beach is still protected by the break wall and has a lifeguard at one end.
Although the beach is sandy, there are rocks in the water, so be careful. This does just seem to be a common occurrence around the coast of the Paphos area. The geography of the coastline is generally quite rocky.
The nearest toilets are at Sodap Beach, but you could easily walk down towards the Municipal Baths area for more facilities.
The grass between the coastal path and the beach has sun loungers and umbrellas, but these are only for the use for the hotel guests at the Alexander The Great Beach Hotel.
Sodap Beach
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If you are looking for beaches in Paphos within walking distance for the main centre, Sodap Beach is in my opinion is the best beach IN Paphos. Itโs the largest of the Paphos beaches PLUS itโs sandy and protected with a section of break wall.
There are also some facilities around it (public toilets and showers). Youโll find a large parking area and the Antasia Beach Club. The beach club has โAnaolos Pointโ a strange spiral staircase with a view point at the top!
The rooftop and beach service is closed between December until February. The restaurant is open during year round until 6pm but is closed on Mondays. They also have free WiFi and request that no swimwear is worn in the restaurant and bar area (Bermuda shorts and t-shirts are fine). The menu has mostly salads, burgers, sandwiches and pizza.
The Antasia Beach Club also offers a package for โฌ20 which includes 2 sun beds, an umbrella, towels and a beach service for food and drink.
In the summer season there are sun bed rentals (same price as other beaches in the Paphos district) and a lifeguard. Access to the beach is via a ramp or a short set of stairs.
Poseidonos Beach
โ๏ธ๐ (nearby)
Once you pass a small park area, youโll come to Poseidonos Beach. It is accessed by a steps and is surrounded by cliffs. Itโs small and sandy but itโs not protected by a break wall, so during my visit it had larger waves and was a bit of a seaweed trap.ย Although like any beach, seaweed is natural occurrence and can come and go.
There are no facilities at this beach, however the parking area at Sodap Beach is just a short walk away. Suite 48 Grill & Lounge Bar is set a little further back from the beach.
This may be an option if you are after a drink or some food, a sit down and use of their toilets! Cocktails are a little more expensive compared to bars along the promenade, costing around โฌ9-10. Beer is between โฌ3-6. The Coffee & Dessert menu is huge though with a wide selection of coffee and juices (served between 9am until 9pm).
Pachyammos Beach
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Sandwiched between Nickโs Water Sports Centre and Octopus Water Sports is Pachyammos Beach. This is the last beach thatโs within a reasonable walking distance from Paphos harbour (around 30 minutes).
After Pachyammos Beach thereโs a large stretch of the โbeachfrontโ thatโs taken up by hotels with sun beds and facilities that are for hotel guests ONLY.
Pachyammos Beach isnโt the nicest of the beaches in Paphos. In all honesty, unless you were particularly looking for a quiet spot to sit, or wanted to try the water sports or rent a canoe etc from the two businesses that operate in this area, I would probably stop at Sodap Beach.
The beach is split into three areas. One area is hard compressed stone but access to the waters edge is a bit rocky and covered with thick seaweed. The next section is a large grass area that would be nice to sit. And the third area does have a large beach where itโs sandy close to the path, but the whole section next to the sea is flat rocks.
So if you wanted to attempt to get into the water, I would recommend water shoes and a lot of careful steps!
BEST BEACHES IN PAPHOS – 1st choice๐ฅ: Sodap Beach | 2nd choice๐ฅ: Vrisoudia II Beach
Nearby Beaches in Paphos District
Kissonerga
Potima Beach
A little further north of Kato Paphos is Kissonerga. It can be reached by taking bus 615 to Coral Bay (single ticket: โฌ1.50). The journey time is approximately 10 minutes. Potima Beach has the Sea You Beach Bar with sun lounger rentals, food, drink and sometimes live music (closed during the low season).
However the beach is stoney and there is a risk of swimming in the sea at this beach due to rip currents.
Kissonerga Coastal Walk
An alternative option for swimming is along the Kissonerga Coastal Walk. The walk itself is lovely and there are a couple of areas for swimming. The water is so clear and I loved the location. Therefore it is a spot where I personally would choose to swim, even though there isn’t many facilities around.
Coral Bay
Coral Bay Beach
25 minutes from Kato Paphos is Coral Bay (bus 615, single ticket โฌ1.50). It is home to 2 beaches that are nicer than the majority in the Paphos tourist area. Coral Bay Beach is a 600ft long sandy beach with facilities such as: toilets, showers (for โฌ1) and a food and drink kiosk. In the summer there are sun bed rentals and water sports.
Laourou Beach
Similar to the Kissonerga Coastal Walk, I would rate Laourou Beach slightly higher because I loved the colour of the water. It was blue and so clear! The sand was lovely and it was a calm area perfect for swimming. It is quite a small beach which in the summer gets quite full sun bed and umbrella rentals. There are public toilets and a restaurant.
You can read more about the beaches in Coral Bay here: Coral Bay Beaches Cyprus | A Guide To Coral Bay Beach & Laourou Beach
Beaches in Paphos FAQs
In my opinion, the Paphos city centre beaches are not that good. Some are OK but but there are definitely better ones elsewhere in the district.
Yes, Sodap beach is the largest sandy beach IN Paphos. Alternatively Coral Bay Beach, 25 minutes away, is a bigger and nicer beach.
Yes, there are 7 main beaches in central Paphos and many more throughout the district.
The beaches in central Paphos are quite small and rocky in areas. Water shoes may be a good idea if you want to swim.
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