Published · 6 min read · Facts checked 9 October 2026 against the sources below
Cyprus wine is older than most people expect, and more varied. The island has its own native grapes, its vineyards climb into the hills behind Paphos, and some of the best of them are an easy afternoon's drive from Coral Bay, Paphos. The only real difficulty in visiting the wineries of the Paphos district is doing it without anyone driving home over the limit.
Winery opening hours change with the seasons, so check before you go.
A short history of Cyprus wine
Wine has been made on the island for about 5,500 years. Italian archaeologists found jars from the Chalcolithic period at Erimi, near Limassol, in the 1930s, and tests later showed traces of tartaric acid, a basic ingredient of wine.
The ancient writers noticed. Homer praised Cypriot wine, and the poet Hesiod called it "the Cypriot Manna". The island's best-known wine today is Commandaria, a sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes, which Visit Cyprus describes as the world's oldest named wine still in production. We cover it in our guide to Cypriot food and drink, so here we stick to the dry wines.
The recent story is one of revival. New winemakers have brought new styles, including wine aged in clay jars, and the established wineries are trying new things too. Much of that energy goes into the island's own grapes.
The native grapes to ask for
Cyprus has an unusual advantage: its vineyards are free of phylloxera, the vine pest, so at least one Paphos winery still grows its vines on their own roots. The oenologist Akis Zambartas, while at KEO, identified 12 native varieties in old vineyards, and a nursery to keep them was set up at Chrysorrogiatissa monastery in the Paphos hills.
| Grape | Colour | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Xynisteri | White | The dominant white and the island's flagship, prized for coping with heat. Also used in Commandaria. |
| Mavro (or Ntopio Mavro) | Red | The traditional red, behind Commandaria and the grape spirit zivania. The main grape of the Diarizos valley. |
| Maratheftiko | Red | Rare and ancient. Needs Spourtiko planted nearby to pollinate it. Notes of red fruit and violets. |
| Yiannoudi (or Giannoudi) | Red | Revived only recently and still made in small quantities, it is now competing with Maratheftiko. |
| Promara | White | A long-forgotten, thick-skinned grape for whites that age, about one per cent of the vineyards. |
| Spourtiko and Morokanella | White | Two more native whites among the newer contenders. |
If you only try two, make them a fresh Xynisteri with lunch and a Maratheftiko with dinner. If a wine list has a Yiannoudi or a Promara, order it: there is not much of either to go round.
What Paphos wines taste like
Visit Cyprus calls the Laona–Akamas whites "cool yet solid", with a fine aroma. The Xynisteri of the higher Vouni Panagias vineyards brings notes of green apple, peach and apricot. Put more simply, Xynisteri is a white with citrus aromas.
Maratheftiko is the red to remember. Expect red fruit, violets and roses, along with herbs, vanilla, cinnamon and black pepper. Mavro, the traditional red, is also the grape behind Commandaria and the grape spirit zivania, so you will meet it in more than one form.
Altitude varies a lot within one district. The Vouni Panagias route runs at about 800 m, while the Diarizos valley sits lower than the other main wine areas, with Mavro its main grape. Tasting a Xynisteri from each route side by side is an easy way to see the difference.
PDO areas and wine labels
Cyprus wine labels follow the EU system. The areas whose names may appear on a PDO (protected designation of origin) wine are Laona-Akama, Vouni Panagias-Ambelitis, Pitsilia and Krasohoria Lemesou, which has two sub-areas, Afamis and Laona. Commandaria is a PDO of its own.
The next step down is PGI, or "local wine", which carries the name of the district the grapes came from: Larnaka, Lemesos, Lefkosia or Pafos. So a bottle labelled Pafos PGI was grown in this district, and one labelled Laona-Akama comes from a smaller named area within it. In all, Cyprus has 11 entries in the EU's eBacchus register of protected wine names.
Two of those PDO areas are on your doorstep. Laona-Akama lies about 17 km north of Paphos, at the start of the Akamas, and Vouni Panagias-Ambelitis about 23.5 km north-east, on the edge of the district.
The official wine routes
Visit Cyprus has mapped seven signposted wine routes across the island. Three of them are in the Paphos district:
| Route | Where | Wineries | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laona–Akamas | Stroumbi, Kathikas, Arodes, Ineia, Drouseia, Polis | 4 | Xynisteri whites and Maratheftiko reds |
| Vouni Panagias–Ambelitis | Around 20 hill villages, at about 800 m | 10 | 27 grape varieties grown, Xynisteri the main one |
| Diarizos Valley | 17 villages east of Paphos, lower down than the others | 2 | Mavro is the main grape |
The other four are further east. The Krasochoria of Lemesos route covers 20 villages on the southern slopes of the Troodos, with 16 wineries, more than anywhere else on the island, and the Cyprus Wine Museum at Erimi. The Commandaria route runs through 14 villages at 500 to 900 m. Pitsilia and the mountainous Larnaka–Lefkosia route complete the seven. For a day in the hills with a winery or two, our Troodos Mountains guide helps you plan.
The Laona–Akamas route is the closest, and Peyia (also spelt Pegeia) is itself one of its villages. We cover its villages, including the Kathikas wineries, in our guide to Kathikas and the Akamas wine villages.
Wineries to visit in the Paphos district
All of these wineries welcome visitors.
- Vasilikon and Sterna, Kathikas. Both are on the Laona–Akamas route and open to visitors. Vasilikon has a restaurant; Sterna has a wine museum and asks groups of more than ten to book. Hours are in our Kathikas guide.
- Kamanterena, near Stroumbi. The winery of SODAP, a growers' co-operative founded in 1947, between Stroumbi and Polemi. In 2026 the tasting room is open on weekdays from 08:30 to 15:00, and at weekends by appointment.
- Vouni Panayia, Pano Panagia. High in the hills at about 1,000 m, with a 25-hectare vineyard among pine forest. It is open to visitors all year, with a short film, a small museum, a tasting room and a restaurant. It grows the native grapes from the table above, Yiannoudi and Promara included.
- Tsangarides, Lemona. A family winery about 22 km from Paphos, in the foothills of the Troodos, which describes its organic vineyards as the largest organic estate in Cyprus. Tastings and tours are booked through its website.
Ring or book before you set off, especially out of season and at weekends.
Wine tasting in Paphos and driving
Somebody has to drive, and Paphos wineries are spread out across the hills, so plan the day around the driver.
Our driving in Cyprus guide has the full rules, including those for newer drivers. A few more tips:
- Go in the afternoon if you plan to drive back, and leave time to eat before you set off.
- Spit, or use the bucket. It is a normal part of tasting.
- Take a cool bag in summer. A car parked in the sun is no place for wine.
The Limassol wine festival
Limassol holds a wine festival every year in its Municipal Garden. In 2026 it ran until 4 October, with stands from local wineries, food tastings and concerts. Our Cyprus festivals guide lists it with the island's other big events, and it is a good reason to come in early autumn.
Where to stay
Villa Prasino is a private villa in Peyia for up to 6 guests, about 5 km from the Akamas National Park and 5 km from Coral Bay beach. Peyia is one of the villages on the Laona–Akamas wine route, so the nearest wineries are a short drive into the hills. Bring a bottle back from the hills for the covered outdoor dining, the stone BBQ or the outdoor bar with its fire pit seating, then finish the evening in the hot tub, with a 6 × 12 m diving pool for the morning, all in 1,000 m² of gardens. See our villa for couples, check availability and rates, or send us a booking request and keep one afternoon free for the hills.
