Cypriot Wineries: Paphos – Travel Route and Reviews of Wineries We Visited
As long as I can remember my travels in Cyprus, I’ve always wanted to leisurely explore the wineries of Cyprus. Something always distracted me – whether it was the sea and sun, company, plain laziness, or an overly packed itinerary. There were occasional trips to the nearest wineries in the vicinity of Limassol, and we had long formed an impression of local wines.
Where Most Wineries in Cyprus Are Located
Wineries are spread all over the island, but the main concentration is found above Limassol and in the mountainous surroundings of Paphos.
This winter, everything fell into place. We toured the wineries in the Paphos region, and I’m eager to share the route with you. In just a couple of days, we visited more than 10 wineries.
I understand that our format may not suit everyone, where you meticulously plan to visit each winery using Google Maps and spend anywhere from half an hour to three hours there. Choosing the best wineries based on reviews is a good idea if you have the time. Often, our evaluations didn’t match the ratings on Google Maps. It happens; everyone has different interests.
We evaluated wineries based on the following criteria:
- Scenic Views
- Comfort and Interior Appearance of the Winery
- Logistics (we skipped a couple of wineries due to challenging roads)
- Price and Wine Taste
- Communication
How to Organize a Winery Tour
You can purchase a standard tour, but that wasn’t our choice. Why? We enjoy planning our own schedule. If we spent no more than 15 minutes at one winery, we lingered for 1-2 hours at others. No standard tour offers this option. So, my recommendation is to go for a self-guided trip.
You’ll need a car for this. We use LocalRent for car rentals – over the years of traveling in Cyprus, we’ve used this website dozens of times and have never regretted it. Although you can rent a car on-site, there are ads all over the island. In my opinion, that’s quite an adventure.
Winery Tours – It’s Always About Tasting; Can the Driver Drink?
Yes, officially, the legal alcohol limit is 0.22 promille. This equates to a couple of glasses of dry wine, which is sufficient for tasting at one location. After a break, I allowed myself a little more. The optimal approach is to taste, buy what you like, and continue in the evening with the sound of the waves.
According to our route, you can depart in the morning, allowing you to comfortably visit 4-6 wineries throughout the day. Going beyond that is not recommended, as it can dilute the experience.
I specifically selected those wineries along our route that provide a comprehensive overview of winemaking in Cyprus.
Winery Route – Paphos
Cyprus Winery Route Including Nearby Attractions
Our Cyprus winery route also incorporated some nearby attractions worth mentioning. Here’s a brief overview:
Short Route:
In bold, you’ll find the wineries, while regular text indicates other attractions along the way.
Paphos – Fikardos Winery – Kamanterena Winery – Kannaviou Reservoir – Asprogia Village, St. Sozon Church (Agios Sozon) – Vouni Panayia Winery – Panayia Village and Secret Garden Café, church – Kolios Winery – Kalamos Winery
We thoroughly enjoyed this route and are eager to repeat it. It offers diversity, with each winery distinct in format and surrounding scenery. We particularly enjoyed the white and local Rosé wines at Kolios Winery and the reds at Vouni Panayia.
The route covers a relatively short distance, approximately 55 km, forming a circular loop starting and ending in Paphos without retracing the same roads.
Detailed Route:
Now, let’s delve into each of the wineries and other attractions along the route.
Fikardos Winery
Fikardos Winery is the first stop on the route, located on the outskirts of Paphos along the road. It essentially resembles an industrial zone. The tasting room is small and cozy, and you can arrange a tour of the winery.
They offer a wide selection of white and red wines.
One of the advantages of this winery is its easy accessibility from the center of Paphos. If you want to spend some time and gain insight into Cypriot wine production, this is a good place to visit. The tasting room is approximately 50 square meters with a small outdoor area, though it lacks a picturesque view. Taking a tour is recommended to enhance your experience.
Drawbacks include the lack of a scenic landscape as it’s in the suburbs of Paphos, and the tasting room is small, which may get crowded during peak seasons.
Our rating: 3/5
It’s worth a visit as it’s the closest winery to Paphos, offering delightful wine and a warm tour experience.
Kamanterena Winery
Next on the route is Kamanterena Winery, situated further out of town, closer to the mountains. Here, you’ll find a more spacious and relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by vineyards and open spaces.
The winery itself lacks any glamorous façade, with massive factory buildings for wine production right by the parking area. Adjacent is a large tasting room, capable of accommodating tourist groups and delegations.
Tastings are complimentary, with the expectation that you’ll purchase wine or leave a tip. However, there’s no pressure to buy everything you taste. They offer over a dozen dry and dessert wines.
Initially, it may not strike you as cozy, but the situation improves thanks to the reasonably priced local white wines and the wonderful host of the tasting room. What’s wine without a heartfelt conversation?
This winery offers the most budget-friendly prices while maintaining wine quality compared to others.
Recommended for those seeking affordable, high-quality wine combined with a social experience not far from Paphos.
Our rating: 4/5
Vouni Panayia Winery
A classic European-style winery, Vouni Panayia Winery boasts a large scenic restaurant, an open terrace, and a sommelier who will enlighten you about each grape variety and wine brand.
Tastings are paid, starting from 7 Euros per person for a small set. We particularly enjoyed the dry red wines made from local grape varieties. Highly recommended.
The winery is located in the village of Panaya. You can explore the village, visit the church, and dine at the Secret Garden café. We recommend both locations.
The winery appears fresh and stylish, although such places shouldn’t be excessively polished. The commercial aspect is somewhat evident, but overall, it’s a worthy spot with excellent wine.
The sommelier tended to be a bit too formal in discussing the wines, lacking a more casual approach. Hence, we’ve reduced the rating by one point.
Our rating: 4/5
Kolios Winery
Continuing into the mountains, as we return towards Paphos, we encounter a beautiful winery just 8 minutes away. You can expect magnificent views here. The suspicion of a luxurious vista leads us to stop, and we’re not mistaken.
Kolios Winery stands out as the best winery on this route. It features a large, well-organized tasting room with floor-to-ceiling windows, and in winter, they have a fireplace to create a warm and cozy atmosphere. Instead of our planned hour, we ended up spending nearly two hours here.
The highlight is the open terrace with views of the valley and mountains. In the distance, you can see Paphos and the coastline. Add pleasant prices and excellent Rosé to the mix, and you have the perfect winery.
Our rating: 5/5
We recommend it to everyone, whether as part of a circular winery route in Paphos or for a separate visit of a few hours.
Kalamos Winery
After the luxurious Kolios Winery, it seemed like we could head back home to Paphos. However, we had other plans.
Kalamos Winery is located in a typical Cypriot village, somewhat on the outskirts. Beyond it lie fields and vineyards.
If Kamanterena is a large winery, then Kalamos Winery is a small family-run establishment. The tasting room is essentially a room with tables covered in checkered tablecloths – a typical rural style. There’s no scenic view, but it exudes a rustic charm.
The owner provided a free tour of the production area and a brief overview of the winery. You’ll find medals on the walls for some of their wine brands, which they earned at local wine festivals.
In addition to wines, we enjoyed the strong liqueurs made from mandarins and oranges. We had already tasted quite a bit, so we were extra cautious on the road back home, nearly at dusk.
Had there been a view of the vineyards in the village courtyard, it would have earned the highest rating.
Our rating: 4/5
