Paphos: Travel Guide
Airports. They can be a source of angst, anxiety, and lost time. But they’re also a necessary evil and the first port of call when you go adventuring. If, like me, you like to make the most of your time at the airport, this guide to Paphos International Airport in Cyprus is for you.
If flying from the UK, you’ll fly into one of two international airports in Cyprus - Larnaca (LCA) or Paphos (PFO). In this blog we’re going to focus on Paphos. Located 7km from the town of Paphos, around 1.5 million travellers pass through Paphos International Airport each year. If you’re travelling through Paphos, this guide answers the following questions:
☕ What facilities are in the departure lounge at Paphos International Airport?
🤓 Is there free Wifi at Paphos International Airport?
🔌 Are there plug sockets at Paphos International Airport?
🔋 Are there free USB sockets at Paphos International Airport?
👩💻 Does Paphos International Airport have desks for working?
🦠 Is there COVID testing at Paphos International Airport?
👮♀️ What’s the security like at Paphos International Airport?
😶🌫️ Can you smoke at Paphos International Airport?
There’s a lot more to Paphos than just the airport, so we’ll also answer some questions about travelling to/from Paphos International Airport, and getting around generally, too. Including:
🚌 What is the best way to get to Paphos International Airport?
🚖 Can you get an Uber from Paphos International Airport?
🗺️ What’s the best way to get around around Cyprus?
All you need to know about travelling from Paphos Airport
When you travel, all the stuff in departures at the airport remains a bit of a secret until you make it through security. But what if you’ve got a bit of a wait at the airport and you need to entertain yourself, or if you work while you travel and you need to get s**t done, this guide has all the info you need.
N.B. All information in this travel guide is correct as per my last trip to Paphos in December 2021.
Paphos International Airport
☕ 1: What facilities are in the departure lounge at Paphos International Airport?
I travel a lot and, to be completely open and honest, Paphos International Airport is fairly uninspiring. It’s pretty small and easy to navigate, and there are quite a lot of seats, but I can imagine that these fill easily in the summer. When I was there they also had social distancing measure in place too. With that in mind, if you can avoid waiting at this airport for a prolonged time it’s best to do so.
Food-wise, there are a few cafe-style restaurants: Food Village and Cafe Ritazza among them. But there’s not really anywhere special to eat at this airport.
There is an ATM machine with a fee payable for withdrawals - €3.95.
There is a smoking area at Paphos international Airport.
There are not many shopping opportunities at Paphos International Airport - there are just a couple of duty free shops with all the usual stuff, including luxury goods and magazines. There is also a shop selling typical Cyprus gifts and a small arcade. The duty free shop also has a substantial section dedicated to hand luggage cases, which is a bugbear of mine. Who are these people that rock up to the airport, get through to departures and decide they need a suitcase…? I don’t get it. Are there that many people out there who get to the point of departures and realise that they don’t have suitable luggage for their trip? My feeling is that these must be the same people who get on the plane and seem to have no idea what they want to get out of their flight and block the gangway while they get their s**t out. N.B. Please forgive my grouchiness; I’m tired.
Travel Tip…
If you go to Ritazza at the airport, try one of the lemon and vanilla muffins. It’s not a flavour combo I’d have thought of, but they have a kind of lemon custard filling and are a strong 8/10 on the muffin scale.
🤓 Is there free WiFi at Paphos International Airport?
Yes, there is free Wifi at Paphos Airport. The Wifi at Paphos International Airport is unlimited and easy to access. At the time of writing (December 2021) you don’t have to login. You don’t even have to agree T&Cs to access the free Wifi at Paphos Internatinal Airport.
I could not see any plugs available. Certainly not readily available in the cafes.
🔌 Are there plug sockets at Paphos International Airport?
Sadly there are no plugs or charging points readily available at Paphos International Airport. I checked the main lounge area and cafes on the hunt for plugs or a charging point. No luck.
My advice is to make sure that all your devices are well-charged before you travel to Paphos International Airport. I always carry my faithful Anker charger with me when I travel. I have this one. When it’s fully-charged I can get 4 full charges out of it for my phone. There’s also a larger version available to charge laptops. I used to travel with this, but since I upgraded to a new Macbook I get 16-20 hours battery life, so no need any more. However, it was useful. It is compact, just a little heavy.
🔋 Are there free USB sockets at Paphos International Airport?
There are no USB sockets or dedicated charging points available at Paphos Airport.
👩💻 Does Paphos Airport have desks for working?
Sadly there is no specific area for working at Paphos International Airport. Hence, if you need to work while you travel, you’re possibly better off leaving it as late as possible to head to the airport. This could mean arranging a late checkout from your accommodation or another great solution is to hang out in a co-working office for the day.
While I was in Paphos I discovered the Hugge Coworking Space. Daily, weekly and monthly passes are available, starting from €10 which includes access to a printer, plus tea, coffee and water. This place was amazing. Open 24/7, you just need to call in sometime Mon-Fri between 10am - 1pm to get a tour around and pay for your pass, then they give you the door code. There’s a coffee shop (open weekdays) and you can also get sandwiches and salads there. If you need to travel from Hugge Coworking Space to the airport a taxi will set you back around €20 (download the CABCY app).
🦠 Is there COVID testing at Paphos International Airport?
COVID testing is available at Paphos International Airport, but they ask that you attend 24 hours in advance of your flight. That is not to say that the test takes 24 hours (they offer rapid tests with results in just 30-45 minutes), but they want you to attend and take your test the day before you travel (assume this is to cover themselves in case of problems…which seems to defy the point of getting a ‘rapid’ test TBH).
Otherwise, reliable PCR and Antigen tests are available freely, without appointment, around Paphos. Most pharmacies and chemists offer COVID testing. The price is from €5 for an antigen test and €25 for a PCR test. There are labs offering the opportunity to book online, but PCR tests from these labs are often €50. So, while you can get the test at the airport, you are probably better off going to one of the testing labs in the town. The service from ‘Evangelismos Kings Medical Centre’ - by NIPD Labs - was speedy and professional. We took a test at 9am and received results by 5pm that day. The certificate provided is detailed and accepted by the airlines. They have other labs around Cyprus, too: find labs.
Check what you need before you travel and make sure you have it all to hand. If you are planning to show any health documentation digitally, make sure your phone/tablet has charge. I always carry a spare battery from Anker too.
👮♀️ What’s the security like at Paphos International Airport?
The security at Paphos International Airport was efficient - the staff there were perhaps more alert than some. My rucksack was randomly swabbed for drugs and they rifled through my GORUCK GR1 to find my razor - which apparently looked ‘funny’ on the scan. All was resolved quickly, professionally, and with a smile.
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😶🌫️ Can you smoke at Paphos International Airport?
Yes, you can smoke at Pahpos International Airport - there is an external smoking area.
🚌 What is the best way to travel to Paphos International Airport?
The bus is very easy to catch to the airport. For the buses you can pay €5 and get a day ticket - taking you all around the island on unlimited trips - or otherwise it’s €1.50 per bus. Buses between the villages might be very small mini buses, but the main routes are bigger buses, with separate luggage storage. At present, only cash is accepted on the buses - no card payment is accepted on the buses in Cyprus.
Alternatively, the island’s equivalent of Uber - CABCY - is a reliable way to travel to Paphos International Airport. From the main tourist areas of Paphos, it’ll cost you around €20-€25 for a regular-sized cab.
You can also return hire cars at the airport.
🚖 Can you get an Uber from Paphos International Airport?
No, Uber does not currently operate in Cyprus, instead, CABCY is a similar alternative . You can call a CABCY from Paphos International Airport; your driver will be able to collect you right outside. CABCY works in a similar fashion to Uber - you are able to see rides in your area in realtime, but the rides are priced in a more standard way - less fluctuations according to time of day etc.
CABCY is super easy to use, simply download the app (you can do so before you travel), add your contact and payment details, scan the area for cars available, enter your destination, and you will get an estimate of how soon your driver can collect you. Simply book the 'ride' and wait at the collection point you registered. You'll be able to see your driver's name, car type and numberplate. Then, simply ride.
It is also possible to pre-book with CABCY. In my experience this is efficient and effective.
🗺️ What’s the best way to get around around Cyprus?
Cyprus is pretty small! Excluding travel to Northern Cyprus, you can get from top to bottom 1-2 hours. Cypriots don’t love indicators, but they do love to use their mobiles while they drive - just a couple of things to be aware of! Other than that, they are quite restrained and considerate drivers.
Car hire in Cyprus
Cars drive on the left in Cyprus. They are pretty easy to hire, and are a popular way to get around Cyprus - they stand out because of their red number-plates.
Hire cars can be hard to come by in the peak of summer and the prices will be inflated, but in the winter you can get a hire care for less than €30 for 3 days. Parking doesn't seem too difficult, and is clearly signposted.
Buses in Cyprus
The buses are pretty reliable and really cheap. The drivers typically speak good English so they’re easy to navigate too.
Some routes - especially the airport route - can get busy, so be prepared to stand.
Contactless payment is not currently available so it is not possible to pay by card on buses in Cyprus. That said, it’s fairly easy to navigate the bus system because all single trips are €1.50 (regardless of distance, it’s just a fee per bus you catch), or you can buy a day ticket for unlimited bus travel around Cyprus for €5.
Taxis in Cyprus
Taxis are pretty reasonable, but avoid the kind you hail in towns - these are expensive. Uber does not currently operate in Cyprus, instead, there is CABCY, which works in a similar way.
Happy travelling!
The coastal city of Paphos is the birthplace of Aphrodite and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Cyprus. With sunbathing weather from March - November, you can stretch out on a sunbed or explore further to discover ancient ruins, hilltop towns, and majestic shipwrecks, and more. I hope this guide helps you to plan your travels and takes the stress out of your journey.
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Author: 🦸🏻♀️ Helen, Airport Aficionado
Have I missed anything? Is there anything else you’d like to know about travelling around Cyprus? Please feel free to leave your comments and questions below!