Cyprus IS Safe to Visit. Returning to Paphos After 32 Years
- Martin Hesp
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
It’s funny how a single word or a name can conjure all manner of instant thoughts, which is particularly relevant in the world of leisure because those instantaneous ideas can have a massive influence.
Is Cyprus Really Safe for British Tourists?
Think about foreign holidays, for example, and then add the name of a well known location. Cyprus has for a long time been a hugely popular destination with UK tourists, but point to that island today and you might well see a person’s face cloud with doubt because of the war with Iran. But there has only been one confirmed direct hit and that was on a military base in early March. Yet advance reservations for the peak summer season are down by nearly 60 percent according to some industry reports.
Well, I went to Cyprus a week ago and can report that no one is walking about in fear, there are no air-raid warning sirens, and people in the western part of the island feel as isolated and distant from war as we do here in the West Country. There was one hit from a rogue drone in early March that put a small hole in the side of an RAF building, but it occurred on the third biggest island in the Mediterranean! Cyprus is huge. There’s a sizeable mountain range and vast valleys and plains between Paphos and the Easter shores. And there has been no direct threat since.
What It Feels Like to Visit Cyprus in 2026
Did I feel safe during my six days on the isle? Absolutely. Safer than I’d feel in many places I’ve visited down the years. Not only did I feel safe, but I was extremely comfortable - because Cyprus is one of those Mediterranean destinations that’s been hosting visitors for so long, they’ve honed their Greek-style hospitality down to an art-form. Moreover, I was staying in one of Paphos’s most luxurious five star hotels.
Returning to Paphos After Three Decades
I was there for a convention organised by the British Guild of Travel Writers and I’d been looking forward to the trip, as it has been 32 long years since I last visited. A great deal has changed. For a start, back in those days most roads north of the town or inland were not much more than dirt tracks. That is very much not the case now.
How Paphos Has Changed: Ancient History Meets Smart Tourism
Paphos has been moving with the times. Yes, there are still ancient ruins with Roman mosaics and UNESCO-listed tombs - and they still sit just a short distance from the historic harbour which still feels like the heart of the town. But the place has grown and has redesigned itself to become a tourist Mecca with the aim of making life easy, comfortable and enjoyable for the many thousands of northern Europeans (mainly British) who visit.
In some ways Cyprus is a Greek form of little England. Because of our lengthy historic connections with the island there is a sense of Britishness everywhere you go - not in an overwhelming way - I’m not talking about Union Jacks, fish-n-chips, or English-style pubs, but in a rather comforting, underlying sense.
Why Cyprus Still Feels Comfortable for British Visitors
For example, they drive on the same side of the road. They use the same three-pin plugs. Just about every local you meet will be fluent in English. I’m pointing all this out to underline not only the safety and security angle, but also that comfortable sense of knowing what’s what.
They’ve hit a nice balance, especially for older tourists. You have no doubt that you’re somewhere very foreign indeed - there’s all that wondrous Greek-style food, those warm seas, coasts filled with ancient history and scenic mountains dotted with quaint and rustic villages. Fabulous. A great place in which to explore.
The Constantinou Brothers and a Different Kind of Cyprus Holiday
But then there’s that polished hospitality - and no one in Cyprus is better at it than the Constantinou Brothers. I refer to a well known family-run outfit, founded by the family of that name in the late 1970s. The Constantinou presence in the Paphos area is impressive, they have four major properties, but what sets them apart is their focus on the adult market. They’ve moved away from the noisy, family-resort model, opting instead for a quieter, more refined style of hospitality. It’s an approach that suits the Paphos temperament well - all about good food, unhurried service, and a rather welcome level of calm.
Review: Asimina Suites Hotel, Paphos
We were staying at the newly revamped Asimina Suites Hotel - a five-star, all-suite property that has just undergone a significant six-month revamp. It reopened just this month with new top-floor sea-view suites that offer the kind of uninterrupted Mediterranean views you’d expect. There’s also a new rooftop bar where you can enjoy sundowners along with other new bars and restaurant areas.
Food at Asimina Suites: Better Than Expected
Talking of which, let’s mention that food. All those years ago when I was last in Paphos with two small children, you did everything you could to get out of the seaside hotels into the towns and villages so you could escape the mass-produced package-tour offering and enjoy good local dishes - even if it meant driving along dirt roads.
The roads are now paved but there’s no need to move an inch. I’d go as far as to say the Asimina Suites has some of the best large-seaside-hotel food I’ve enjoyed anywhere. If it wasn’t for my sense of adventure and need to get out and explore, I’d have happily dined there night and day for a week. There’s a superb buffet and also a lovely a la carte restaurant just above the beach.
As I will be writing about the amazing food of Cyprus next week I’ll skip any more mention of it here. Suffice to say, I must have returned home a stone heavier.
An Adults-Only Escape on the Cyprus Coast
That might be because I did a lot of lolling about. The hotel is an adults-only haven - the sort of place where you can take a morning swim in the interconnected pools, wander through gardens to the beach, or spend an hour in the spa. A place without the usual holiday clamour. For a journalist looking to relax after the trauma of his car breaking down on the way to the airport, it certainly hit the mark.
Exploring Paphos on Foot
There’s a wonderful pedestrian promenade that takes you all the way from the Asimina Suites up along the coast to the old harbour area - and that is the main way in which I attempted to keep down those pounds and ounces. It’s a pleasant half hour stroll past all the hotels until you reach the busy hub of lower Paphos.
The town is split between the old quarter which is situated right up on the hill and coastal, or “Kato” (lower) Paphos - and, as I said earlier, it has successfully redesigned itself to being what’s known in the trade as a ‘smart tourism’ hub. It somehow manages to blend its rich history with a sophisticated modern infrastructure.
Roman Mosaics, Tombs and Ancient Paphos, Cyprus
The Kato Paphos Archaeological Park remains the big draw for those interested in the past. Here, the impressively preserved Roman mosaics of the House of Dionysos offer a kind of masterclass in ancient storytelling. Nearby, the Tombs of the Kings - monolithic chambers carved directly into the bedrock - provide a stark, silent contrast to the bustling harbour just a mile away.
What Happened to the Old Paphos Market?
It was up in the “Old Town” that I was to get my biggest surprise. I recall taking my kids up there in a hire car to visit a busy crazily hot market, where donkeys and mules lined the un-paved streets and fish-stalls stood next to purveyors of local meat. I loved it and rather mourn its passing. Very little of that remains. A massive multi-million-euro regeneration project, launched when Paphos became a European Capital of Culture, was designed to “strip away the grit to reveal a neoclassical gem”.
The revitalisation transformed Kennedy Square into a sophisticated urban hub, while once-dilapidated landmarks like Ibrahim’s Khan have been reimagined as cultural centres for local artisans. Pedestrianised streets now lead to the renovated municipal market, where traditional leatherwork meets modern boutiques - without a local vegetable, or a fish, or a hunk of meat in sight. Yes, I know, it has to be done. I imagine the old market would be a modern food safety expert’s nightmare - and the blend of ‘smart city’ tech with historic preservation does work. But I missed the colour and the frantic buzz of the old place.
North of Paphos: Discovering Polis, Latchi and the Akamas Peninsula
For the traveller willing to trade the resort bustle for a tank of petrol, the drive north to Polis Chrysochous is a revelation. Leaving Paphos behind, the road climbs through hills before dropping toward a coastline that feels remarkably untouched by the hand of modern development.
The appeal here is the Akamas Peninsula, a rugged wilderness where the paved roads eventually give way to dust and juniper. Here you’ll find the Baths of Aphrodite, where cool freshwater springs meet the sea, and the nearby Smigies Nature Trail, offering panoramic views across the great curve of the bay.
Polis itself retains the sleepy, authentic rhythm of a traditional Cypriot town. Just along the road lies Latchi, a small harbour where the catch of the day goes straight from boats to the grill. The Polis Bay area is the island’s quiet secret - uncluttered, breezy, and calm. We went almost all the way to the border with the Turkish part of Cyprus to a little harbour in the Pomos area, it was a gem with a fantastic bar full of locals. We were the only foreign tourists there. After we found a little beauty spot known as the Dragon’s Cave - and couldn’t image that anyone from the crowds of Paphos had ever been near the place.
Returning to Luxury After Exploring Wild Cyprus
Even so, it meant a long day out for me and one of my travel-writer mates, and we were both glad to be back in the luxurious confines of the Asimina Suites Hotel that evening where a large cool suite and a welcome glass of quality wine awaited.
Booking Information and Flight Options to Cyprus
The BGTW were guests of Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites Hotel and the Paphos Tourist Board. Prices from only £1399 per person for 2 people sharing a Junior Suite Land View on bed and breakfast in the Asimina Suites Hotel, for Gatwick departures for 7 nights in June and includes 22 Kg luggage allowance and private transfers - available through Jet2Holidays www.jet2holidays.com
Website: https://www.Asimina-CBH.com/UK sales office 01924 380 160
The Constantinou Bros Hotel Collection also includes Athena Royal Beach Hotel, Pioneer Beach Hotel and the family friendly Athena Beach Hotel, all located along the Paphos shoreline. Flights to Paphos are available from a wide choice of UK airports with Jet2.
Jet2 has a new flight from Gatwick and regular flights from many regional airports.
FAQs
Q: Is Cyprus safe to visit right now?
A: Tourist areas such as Paphos remain calm and many visitors report feeling extremely safe despite wider regional tensions.
Q: What are the best places to visit near Paphos?
A: Polis, Latchi, the Akamas Peninsula, Baths of Aphrodite and Kato Paphos Archaeological Park are all worth exploring.
Q: Is Paphos suitable for older travellers?
A: Yes. English is widely spoken, infrastructure is modern and many hotels focus on comfort and quieter experiences.
Q: What is Asimina Suites Hotel like?
A: It is an adults-only five-star all-suite hotel offering sea views, pools, spa facilities and multiple dining options.
Q: Can you explore authentic Cyprus away from resorts?
A: Yes. Areas north of Paphos around Polis and Pomos offer quieter and more traditional experiences.
I’ve recently launched a Substack - https://martinhesp.substack.com/ - featuring new travel writing, old columns and observations from life on the road. If you’ve enjoyed this piece, you can find more there — and perhaps even support the venture if the mood takes you.
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