On Thursday the 4th of June 2026 George and I left home at 4am and drove to London Luton Airport to catch our 0710 hours flight to Paphos, Cyprus.
After a four and a half hour flight, we landed in Pafos International Airport and we were quickly through customs, collected our luggage and we were outside to catch the 612 bus. It was there outside as we got out, but the bus was full and we couldn't get on. Its about another hour for the next bus and at least 31 euros for a bolt cab. A driver of a Easyjet coach that took package deal passengers to their hotels approached us and offered a ride for 10 euros each, cheaper than a cab, obviously this money was going straight in his pocket but was a perfect solution for us!
A short while later we we dropped off across the road from our apartment. We walked across and was met by Kleopas the owner of Ocean Blue Apartments and showed us around the apartment and we were then settled in quickly.
Comfortable Accommodation: Ocean Blue Apartments in Paphos City offers a garden and terrace with free WiFi. Each apartment features air-conditioning, a balcony, and a private bathroom.
Modern Amenities: Guests enjoy a minimarket, family rooms, and free on-site private parking. Additional amenities include a kitchenette, washing machine, and sofa bed.
Prime Location: Located 8 km from Paphos International Airport, the property is close to Kefalos Beach (9-minute walk), Kings Avenue Mall (less than 1 km), and Tombs of the Kings (11-minute walk). Scuba diving is available in the surroundings.
We left the apartment to walk down to the local beach to our apartment.
We reach Harry's Cove and the Elysium Hotel short pier.
Harry's Cove is a picturesque cove in Cyprus that impresses with its unique rock formations and beautiful landscape. The place is famous for its jagged cliffs and dynamic coastline, where the sea has carved fascinating caves into the rocks.
The bay offers several vantage points from which to admire the boundlessness of the sea and amazing sunsets, as well as a small beach for swimmers.
We catch the 611 bus from the Tomb of the Kings Bus station down to Paphos Harbour.
Paphos is a coastal city on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, globally renowned as the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite. It seamlessly blends a rich history with a modern Mediterranean lifestyle, offering visitors a mix of UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites, pristine Blue Flag beaches, and a bustling, vibrant harbour.
We stop at The Wooden Pub on Poseidonos Avenue just off the seafront.
We have a chicken Gyros each and I have a local beer 'Restless Pilsner' by Radical Way Brewing from Nicosia made wit Mandarina Bavaria, Saaz and Ariana hops and George had a local Cypriot Militsa Strawberry and Lime Cider from Nicosia.
We walk up into the harbour for a look about.
Paphos port is one of the most ancient ports in Cyprus. It is found on the south west coast of Cyprus. It was the King Nikoklis, who was the last of the kings in Paphos, who had the original port constructed in 320BC.
The new port is actually in the same place as the old port was. The new port was done in order to improve the natural anchorage of the city. This was done by building 2 new breakwaters that make an inner basin within the existing protected area of the port. The port played an important role in the foreign trade as the new port was designed to have 3 anchorages to help with this. One anchorage for the foreign trade, another for smaller vessels for local trade and the third for warships visiting the area.
The prominent bronze statue just steps from Paphos Castle is called Sol Alter (often colloquially referred to as a "mermaid" or "siren" statue by visitors). It was sculpted in 2017 by local artist Yiota Ioannidou.
It depicts a young, reclining woman gazing out toward Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock).
The sculpture pays homage to Aphrodite. The figure represents a young woman aspiring to mirror the beauty and essence of the Goddess of Love and Beauty.
We walk over for a visit to Paphos Castle just a two and a half euro entry fee.
Standing grandly at the west end of the town’s harbour, Pafos (Paphos) Castle (Medieval Fort) was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbour, and was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, but then dismantled by the Venetians. The Ottomans rebuilt it in the 16th century when they conquered the island. What survives today is the 1592 Ottoman restoration of the western Frankish tower with its Venetian additions. An inscription above the only entrance of the castle bears witness to this restoration.
The main part of the castle is a big square tower that has an enclosed courtyard in the middle. The ground floor consists of a central hall with small rooms on each of its two long sides, which were used as prison cells during Ottoman Rule. There are 12 battlements on the roof, which received a corresponding number of cannons. The Ottomans removed the cannons in 1878, when they handed over the administration of the island to the British, who used the castle as a salt store until 1935, when it was declared an Ancient Monument under the Antiquities Law.
Climbing to the top offers panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea, the bustling Paphos Harbour, and the nearby archaeological park.
The large square in front of the castle frequently acts as an open-air venue for cultural festivals and world-class opera performances, such as the annual Paphos Aphrodite Festival.
Once out of the Castle we walk back along the front and pass the famous Pelican Restaurant and its Pelican.
The venue opened in 1957 as a small coffee shop and eatery named "Aphrodite" to serve local fishermen and dockworkers.
In 1967, an exhausted wild pelican washed ashore at the harbour after a grueling migration flight. Local fishermen nursed it back to health at the café. The bird recovered, refused to leave, and became an overnight celebrity.
Due to the immense fame of the bird—affectionately named Kokos—the restaurant changed owners and was renamed The Pelican Restaurant in 1969. Tragically, the original "Grandpa Koko" passed away in 1972 after being hit by a vehicle.
Over the decades, a succession of pelicans have maintained the tradition. A highly famous predecessor arrived in 2004 and lived for over 25 years before passing away peacefully of old age in 2021.
Today, a younger female pelican named Kokos continues the legacy. The owners emphasize that she is completely wild, uncaged, and free to fly anywhere around Paphos, but she chooses to return to the harbour restaurant because she considers it her home.
We had a look around both tired after todays early start we walk the coastal boardwalk back to the apartment. Much cooler now, we enjoy the views and the sea breeze.
We are back at the apartment for the night, looking forward to seeing more tomorrow as a new day starts.
