Visiting Paphos with kids
We did our first ‘package’ beach family holiday and it was to Paphos in Cyprus. We booked with EasyJet holidays, so flights, accommodation, baggage and transfers were included. This was a great option for travelling to Paphos with kids as it just made it very easy with everything being included. It was almost a 5 hour flight and Teddy was just under 2 years old so we paid for a seat for him as it felt like he was a little bit too big to be sat on our knees the whole flight.
We stayed at the Avlida hotel and did all-inclusive as the cost wasn’t hugely more than half board. have a look to see this hotel and others available if you are thinking of visiting Paphos. https://booking.tp.st/pALeHt3g
This was the first time we had done an all inclusive hotel as usually we are a city break kind of family. It’s not for us, however if you and your family enjoy sitting by the pool/beach and have kids that enjoy a buffet then it can be a good option. Of course for a large family the obvious point of knowing that food and drinks are pre payed can absolutely help you relax on your holiday.
The hotel itself was a little bit far out of the main harbour area where most of the restaurants and bars were located and whilst there was a lovely walk along the beach front it was quite a long walk as you had to walk around a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The other way was to head straight down the main road which was full of restaurants but quite set back from the beach so not the most scenic walk. Either way both walks were very pram friendly, which was great whilst exploring Paphos with kids, but we do wish we had been situated nearer to the Paphos harbour.
Every evening we would walk down to the harbour for drinks it was a lovely place to relax and there were always drinks and food offers on so the prices were not bad at all.
The beaches around Paphos themselves weren’t brilliant but there are some lovely ones which are a bus ride away. We decided against this as it was so hot and we thought a 30 min bus journey to Coral Bay wasn’t worth it with an almost two year old in baking weather and to add to that we are not particularly beach people anyway. We did find one just past the harbour, SODAP beach, this may not have been the largest but there was plenty of space for us and beautiful views across the Paphos harbour.
Best of all there were really nice toilets just at the entrance and also a tap to shower off after your beach day, which is wonderful if you’re seeing Paphos with kids in tow. It’s amazing how many hours your family can spend with just a bucket and spade.
There is a lovely bar just on SODAP beach in Paphos, the Sodap Beach Cafe. If you wanted to stop for a drink beforehand it has amazing views across the ocean. There are sun loungers and parasols available for a cost if you wish.
Another activity which is actually pretty fun whilst visiting Paphos with kids is the Tomb of the Kings. There is a small entrance fee, but it’s a good walk around the underground tombs of high ranking officials and aristocracy. Whilst it’s not the most pram accessible place, especially if you want to jump down and have a good look in each of the tombs, you could just park your pram as we felt nobody was going to touch it. They also have these brilliant piles of rocks that have been placed so carefully and Teddy loved looking at those. We spent longer than we thought here, and I think toddlers and older children would enjoy exploring each of the underground caves.
One last thing to mentioned about this holiday is having the drinks included in the evening and a balcony were great as we couldn’t really stay out for too long with Teddy so it meant we could sit out on the balcony in the evenings and not have to worry about buying drinks.
Secondly it’s the first time we have been away and had any kind of entertainment at night, the hotel had something different each night and you could sit outside and watch through the opened patio doors. Teddy had a blast watching the singers and dancers as it was something he hadn’t experienced before. The hotel also had a bouncy castle in the evenings which was again brill for kids as it kept them amused and let them burn off some energy whilst parents can enjoy a drink.
This wasn’t our most favourite holiday and whilst it was our first family beach holiday in Paphos (in the past we never really enjoyed beach holidays) we thought it may have been different with a toddler but the truth is we are city people (or Disney world!) and the fact that we enjoyed those holidays before just means we enjoy them in a different way with Teddy in tow.
That said we didn’t not enjoy it and it was much more relaxed and we could chill out and enjoy the sun and it was lovely to see Teddy playing on the beach. However I think more of an active holiday is 100% more what we need as a family just down to personal preference but I think the vast majority of people love beach holidays so I think the moral is stick to the kind of holiday you are used to and enjoyed pre children as it doesn’t always need to change how you holiday.
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