Cyprus Car Rentals
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Car Rental & Airport Transfers
Paphos Car Rental Options: How to Get Around and What to See With Your Own Car
Paphos is one of those places in Cyprus where the best moments happen off the main road — a quiet cove past Coral Bay, a taverna in a hill village with no bus route in sight, a viewpoint over the Akamas that you’d never reach on a tour bus schedule. If you’re planning a trip to the Paphos region, sorting out your Paphos car rental before you land is, hands down, the single best decision you can make for your itinerary.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through your Paphos car rental options — both at Paphos International Airport (PFO) and in Paphos town — plus practical driving tips for Cyprus, and a full rundown of what to see in Paphos and the surrounding area once you’ve got your own wheels.
Why Rent a Car in Paphos?
Paphos International Airport sits around 15 km southeast of the town centre, and while local buses do connect the main tourist areas, they won’t get you to the places that make Paphos special: the Akamas Peninsula, Avakas Gorge, the hill villages around the Ezousa and Diarizos valleys, or the string of beaches beyond Coral Bay. A rental car also means you’re not tied to shuttle timetables or tour groups — you decide when to leave, how long to stay at each stop, and which back road to take on the way home.
If you’ve already read our guide to things to do in Paphos, you’ll notice almost everything on that list is easier, cheaper, and more flexible with your own car.
Paphos Car Rental: Airport vs. Town Pick-Up
You’ve generally got two good pick-up options in Paphos:
Paphos Airport (PFO) rentals — Most major and local suppliers have a desk in or near the arrivals hall, so you can pick up your car within minutes of landing. This is the most convenient option if you’re heading straight to your hotel or out to explore on day one, and prices are usually most competitive here since most operators are represented.
Paphos town or Kato Paphos rentals — If you’re staying centrally and don’t need a car for your first day or two (say, you’re settling in near the harbour, Kato Paphos, or Universal/Tombs of the Kings area), picking up locally in town can work out cheaper and saves you returning to the airport mid-trip.
For both options, I’d recommend comparing rates and vehicle types before you travel rather than booking on arrival — prices swing a lot by season, and the best small cars and SUVs get booked up early in summer.
👉 Compare and book your Paphos car rental here:
Both let you filter by pick-up location (airport or town), compare small cars, SUVs, and automatics, and lock in free cancellation on most bookings — handy if your flight times shift.
What You’ll Need to Rent a Car in Paphos
- A valid driving licence (an International Driving Permit is required for some non-EU licences — check with your rental company before you fly)
- A credit card in the main driver’s name, with enough available credit to cover the security deposit/excess
- Minimum age is usually 21–24 depending on the company and car category, with a maximum age limit around 70–75 for some suppliers
- Your booking confirmation, printed or on your phone
Driving in Cyprus: Quick Tips
- Cyprus drives on the left, same as the UK
- Mobile phone use while driving is illegal unless hands-free
- The legal blood alcohol limit is low (0.05%), so plan a designated driver if you’re visiting a winery
- Yellow road markings usually mean no parking — illegally parked cars do get towed in busier areas
- The main roads (A6 motorway, B-roads) are excellent and toll-free; some coastal and inland routes toward Akamas are unpaved in sections, so a small SUV is worth the upgrade if you’re heading that way
- Fuel stations are plentiful around Paphos town but sparser once you’re deep into the Akamas or Troodos foothills, so fill up before heading out
What to See in Paphos With a Rental Car
1. Paphos Old Town, the Harbour & Paphos Castle
Start close to home. Kato Paphos harbour, the 13th-century Paphos Castle, and the Paphos Archaeological Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of the best-preserved Roman mosaics anywhere in the Mediterranean — are all walkable once you’ve parked up. Combine this with the nearby Tombs of the Kings, an atmospheric underground necropolis carved straight into the cliffside just north of the harbour.
2. Coral Bay
About 12–15 minutes’ drive northwest of the town centre, Coral Bay is the easiest beach day trip from Paphos — a wide, sheltered, sandy bay with sunbeds, watersports, and plenty of places to eat. It’s a natural first stop on the road toward the Akamas.
3. Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou)
Around 20–25 minutes east of Paphos along the coast road toward Limassol, Petra tou Romiou is the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite and one of the most photographed spots on the island — best visited around sunset when the light hits the sea stacks. There’s a roadside viewpoint and café on the hillside above, and a pebble beach you can walk down to.
4. Akamas Peninsula & Avakas Gorge
This is where a car really earns its keep. The Akamas Peninsula, roughly 40–60 minutes northwest of Paphos, is a protected area of rugged coastline, sea caves near Peyia, and the dramatic limestone walls of Avakas Gorge, a fantastic short hike for most fitness levels. The final stretches of track into the peninsula’s interior are unpaved and better suited to an SUV or 4×4, but the paved roads will get you to the main trailheads and viewpoints in a standard rental.
5. Lara Beach & the Blue Lagoon
Further into the peninsula, Lara Beach is a protected nesting site for loggerhead and green turtles (best chance of sightings May–September) and one of the most unspoiled beaches in Cyprus. The Blue Lagoon nearby is usually reached by boat trip or 4×4 excursion rather than directly by car, but Lara itself is accessible via track from Agios Georgios.
6. Baths of Aphrodite, Latchi & Polis
At the northern edge of the Akamas, the Baths of Aphrodite is a shaded natural pool and the trailhead for the easy Aphrodite Trail. Continue on to the fishing harbour town of Latchi and the relaxed town of Polis — a good lunch stop and a completely different pace from the Paphos resort strip.
7. St. Neophytos Monastery
A short drive inland (around 15 minutes from Paphos), this working monastery is built around a cave hermitage with 12th-century frescoes — a peaceful, low-key stop that pairs well with a morning in the Archaeological Park.
8. Wine Villages & the Troodos Foothills
Head into the hills behind Paphos — villages like Omodos and the wider Troodos foothills are roughly an hour’s drive and are home to boutique wineries producing Cyprus’s indigenous grape varieties, along with mountain scenery and traditional stone architecture that feels a world away from the coast.
9. Golf & the Aphrodite Hills / Minthis Resorts
If you’re travelling with golf clubs, Aphrodite Hills Golf Club is just east of Paphos, and Minthis Hills Golf Club is about 15 minutes north — both easy additions to a road-trip itinerary.
Sample Paphos Road Trip Itineraries
Half-day trip: Coral Bay → Sea Caves at Peyia → Avakas Gorge (short hike) → return via Aphrodite’s Rock for sunset.
Full-day Akamas loop: Paphos → Coral Bay → Avakas Gorge → Lara Beach → Baths of Aphrodite → lunch in Latchi → Polis → return to Paphos via the inland road.
Culture & history day: Paphos Archaeological Park → Tombs of the Kings → Paphos Castle & harbour lunch → St. Neophytos Monastery in the afternoon.
For a longer stay, our 3-day Paphos itinerary builds all of this into a full trip plan, and our Akamas Peninsula guide goes much deeper into the hiking trails and gorge routes if that’s your focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth renting a car in Paphos? Yes — while central Paphos and Kato Paphos are walkable, almost everywhere else worth seeing (Coral Bay, Akamas, Aphrodite’s Rock, the wine villages) is difficult or impossible to reach conveniently by public transport.
Do I need a 4×4 to explore the Akamas Peninsula? Not for the main trailheads and viewpoints, which are reachable by paved or well-graded roads in a standard rental car. The deepest interior tracks and the route directly to the Blue Lagoon are better suited to a 4×4 or an organised safari tour.
Where’s the best place to pick up a rental car in Paphos — airport or town? The airport is most convenient if you need a car from day one and generally has the widest choice of suppliers. Picking up in town can be cheaper if you don’t need a car immediately after landing.
What documents do I need to rent a car in Cyprus? A valid driving licence (plus an International Driving Permit for some non-EU licence holders), a credit card in the main driver’s name, and your booking confirmation.
Ready to Book Your Paphos Car Rental?
Compare vehicles, pick-up points, and prices before you fly so you can walk straight off the plane and onto the road:
