We continued the European winter escape plan to Paphos (Pafos) Cyprus. Many Europeans and some Americans like to vacation in one big 3-4 week break if they have that kind of vacation time available. I prefer taking a week here and there over a season or throughout the year. Summers in Latvia are the best time to be here so winter is the better time to plan vacations.
February is the off-season in Cyprus with some resorts and restaurants closed for the season and some places under renovation. Our hotel was mostly full of other northern Europeans seeking some sun so even the off-season is somewhat busy. Some parts of town felt closed, but overall it was bustling enough. It felt comfortable instead of crowded which is what I imagine the summer season is there.
The weather cooperated for the most part with only one day of heavy rain keeping us inside. A very short trip in the winter risks having the whole trip with bad weather. We took a holiday weekend to add 4 days off and increase chances for some sun. Low 60s F with the sun shining was great for wearing shorts and short sleeves along the coast with a jacket on hand. Heading inland required pants and a jacket, but it was still nicer weather than the colder north where we live.
I naturally kept comparing this to last year's trip to Malta as another Mediterranean island. We didn't rent a car in Malta and saw tons of stuff there with the the Hop On Hop Off buses. Malta has a lot more sightseeing places to visit and very cool old towns to discover. We packed most days there with new things to see there.
In contrast, Cyprus was a good bit more relaxing. We spent many days enjoying long walks up and down the coastal path along the hotels and driving around to nature spots. I'll make another post for the archeological ruins in Paphos which are interesting to see but those were only 2 days of the week. We spent a day in Nicosia's old town area, but it isn't much of a destination compared to other cities in Europe. I'd say to skip it and just spend more time enjoying the coastal areas.
Cyprus is definitely a destination for a rental car. I was apprehensive about this bit because I've never driven on the left side of the road. However, sitting in the passenger seat with a steering wheel and pedals is enough of a mental prompt to keep the rest of the brain chanting "keep left" over and over when approaching intersections, roundabouts, or changing lanes. My feelings for where the outer edges of the car ended felt off at times so parking it always felt weird. Otherwise, it wasn't too hard overall.
A little look at our hotel area in Paphos
Avakas Gorge
Oleastro Olive Park
Petra tou Romiou (birthplace of Aphrodite)
waves cause the relaxing sounds of tumbling rocks - wonderful!
rain in the area but fortunately we missed it
parked in Paphos
Paphos Castle
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