October Half Term Sunshine in Paphos

If there’s one thing I love about October half term, it’s escaping the UK as the autumn weather starts to turn and finding a little late-season sunshine!

This year, my husband, our 15-year-old daughter Freya and I headed off to Cyprus for seven nights, flying from Edinburgh Airport to Paphos.

Our departure from Edinburgh couldn’t have been easier. Bag drop was super swift, security was a breeze and before we knew it, we were on our way to some much-needed sunshine!

Our home for the week was the fabulous 5⭐ Coral Beach Hotel & Resort, situated in the beautiful Coral Bay area of Paphos.
And what a lovely choice it turned out to be!
Our hotel: 5⭐ Coral Beach Hotel & Resort
We arrived to sunshine, blue skies and that wonderful feeling of being on holiday!
The Coral Beach Hotel & Resort has a fantastic beachfront location overlooking beautiful Coral Bay, with plenty to keep both couples and families entertained.
Some of the facilities and features that make this resort worth knowing about include:
● A beautiful lagoon-style swimming pool.
● A separate swimming pool with water slides.
● A choice of restaurants serving international and traditional local cuisine.
● An on-site spa, gym and tennis courts.
● Its own picturesque harbour.
● Beautiful landscaped gardens.
● A stunning beachfront setting.
● Wedding facilities for anyone dreaming of getting married in Cyprus!

It really does offer a lovely combination of relaxation, activities and facilities, making it a great option for couples and families alike.

Its location is also ideal for exploring Paphos, the Akamas Peninsula and the surrounding coastline.

We had hired a car for three days of our holiday, which gave us the flexibility to explore further afield before returning to the hotel to enjoy some well-deserved downtime.

Exploring the Troodos Mountains
One of our first adventures was a drive into the beautiful Troodos Mountains.
What a contrast to the coast!
We swapped the 27°C sunshine around Coral Bay for a much cooler 15°C in the mountains. It was lovely to see a completely different side of Cyprus, with beautiful scenery, mountain villages and some spectacular views along the way.
We stopped off in the pretty village of Platres, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch before making our way back down towards the coast.
It’s easy to think of Cyprus purely as a beach destination, but the mountains are definitely worth exploring if you fancy something a little different.

An evening in Paphos Harbour

Having visited Paphos previously, some 16 and 30 years ago depending on the area, I was amazed by just how much the harbour has changed and developed.
It was lovely to revisit!
We wandered around the waterfront, made our way up to the top of the castle and stopped for a drink overlooking the harbour.
The evening skies were beautiful, and it was one of those simple holiday moments that reminds you why exploring somewhere new, or revisiting somewhere familiar, is so special.
We rounded off the day with dinner at Sense on the Beach, followed by cocktails at Kleo’s Bar. A pretty perfect combination!

Discovering the beautiful coastline around Paphos

Another day was dedicated to exploring some of the lovely places along the coastline west of Paphos. Our first stop was the Peyia Sea Caves, and what an incredible stretch of coastline! The rock formations are amazing, and this area is also important for the conservation of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.

From there, we headed to Agios Georgios, an interesting archaeological site with a fascinating Christian history. It was once an important early Christian settlement, and you can still see the remains of several basilicas and ancient buildings. We also explored the beautiful churches before stopping for an ice cream near the harbour.

Next up was Latchi, a lovely waterfront location where we enjoyed a drink overlooking the boats and had a wander around the shops. It’s a really chilled-out spot and somewhere I’d recommend adding to your itinerary if you’re exploring this part of Cyprus. For lunch, we discovered Moustakallis Tavern in Polis. I absolutely love finding little independent restaurants like this. Sometimes the best holiday experiences are the places you stumble across away from the main tourist areas!

On our way back, we stopped for photographs at the famous EDRO III shipwreck. The huge cargo ship ran aground in 2011 and remains stranded close to the shore. It’s one of the most recognisable sights along this stretch of coastline and well worth a quick photo stop.

That evening, we enjoyed dinner at Porto Antico, a beautiful seafront restaurant where both the food and service were fantastic. We finished with another drink at Kleo’s Bar before returning to the hotel for a little karaoke!

It was a brilliant day discovering just how much more there is to Cyprus beyond its beaches and hotels.

A little ancient history at the Tombs of the Kings

One attraction I was particularly keen to revisit was the Tombs of the Kings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site just a 15-minute drive from our hotel. I hadn’t been here for around 30 years, so it was lovely to return. These incredible underground tombs date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods and are carved directly into solid rock. Despite their name, they weren’t actually used for kings, but were the burial places of wealthy individuals and high-ranking officials. It’s a fascinating place to explore, and the scale of some of the tombs is incredible. Even better, entry was just €2.50, with children going free at the time of our visit.
For such an interesting historical attraction, I thought that was fantastic value for money.
Definitely one to add to your list if you’re staying in Paphos!

Afternoon at Venus Beach

After all that, it was time for a little relaxation.
We headed to Venus Beach, where we enjoyed some well-deserved beach time.
It’s a lovely option if you fancy a day away from the hotel, with free parking and sunbeds available from just €3.50 per bed at the time of our visit. The service was fabulous, there was a great choice of food and drinks, and best of all, everything could be brought straight to your sunbeds. A little sunshine, a beachside drink and nowhere in particular to be!

We also enjoyed some lovely evenings out during the week, including dinner at Andria Steakhouse, and Les Amis (the only restaurant where we ate twice at) in Coral Bay, followed by cocktails at our favourite Kleo’s Bar.
Another evening, we headed to Rio Grande Tex Mex Grill in Coral Bay, which was a lovely way to enjoy dinner locally.
There is a really good choice of places to eat around the resort area.

A little pampering when the weather changed!

Of course, even Cyprus can have the occasional change in weather in October, we had a few stormy hours one morning, with the sea looking rather different from the calm blue waters we’d been enjoying, but rather than let that spoil our plans, I took the opportunity to introduce Freya to her first massage and facial at our hotel! We also made the most of the lovely hotel spa, enjoying some time in the sauna, jacuzzi and steam room too.
Not a bad way to spend a cloudy morning!
Thankfully, the weather cleared in time for lunch out, and by the following morning the sunshine was back.
We were soon back to enjoying those gorgeous blue skies and temperatures of 24–27°C.

One of the things I loved most about this holiday was the variety.
We had the opportunity to enjoy a fantastic five-star beachfront resort, spend time relaxing by the pool and on the beach, explore ancient historical sites, discover pretty harbours and villages, drive into the mountains and enjoy some fabulous restaurants and all of this while enjoying daytime temperatures of around 24–27°C, just as the UK was heading into its autumn and winter months.

Having a hire car for three days was a great decision for us. It allowed us to see so much more of the island without having to organise excursions or rely on transfers, equally, we could have spent the entire week enjoying the hotel’s facilities and the beautiful Coral Bay coastline.
The Coral Beach Hotel & Resort is certainly worth considering if you’re looking for a Cyprus holiday with plenty of facilities, a lovely beachfront location and the opportunity to explore beyond the resort.

Paphos is a destination I’ve now experienced at different stages of my life, and it’s lovely to see how much it continues to offer. From couples looking for a relaxing sunshine escape to families wanting a combination of beach time, activities and exploring, there really is something for everyone.
And as for escaping the UK for October half term? I’d happily do it all over again!

Thinking about a sunshine escape to Cyprus?

Whether you’re considering October half term, an autumn getaway, Easter sunshine or a summer holiday, Cyprus is a destination I’d be delighted to help you explore.