WELCOME to Pissouri. We are based on the beach right here at the stunning Columbia Resort in Pissouri Bay - a gem on the south coast of Cyprus miles away from the hustle and bustle of large tourist towns.
The windsurfing is right on your doorstep. We are in a beautiful enclosed bay so it's protected from big winds for beginners and improvers, but experts can go beyond the headland and play in the higher winds and big seas. Something for everyone! (Click on The Windsurfing page for more info)
Pissouri Bay and the five-star Columbia Resort and the Columbia Beachotel. You will find us right on the beach, just to the left of the palm trees!
The Columbia Resort and Beachotel are linked, offering guests a wide range of four and five star luxury, including an incredible spa and beauty centre. They are the only hotels on the beach in Pissouri, making this the perfect place for couples with kids, were mum wants luxury, while dad goes windsurfing (or the other way round!) That's a 90m splash pool with heated indoor section. The Columbia Resort offers rooms in rustic-style villas surrounding the pool with its own wet bar - a touch of tradition with a twist of hi-tech luxury.
Check out the Columbia Resort by clicking on this link and its sister Columbia Beachotel next door at this linkor at www.columbia-hotels.com. You can also book through Olympic Holidays at www.olympicholidays.com. Click on this link to Olympic Holidays offering great deals right now.
Rustic villas surround the main pool at the Columbia Resort.
Waiter! Another sundowner please! The main pool at the Colubia Resort. The Columbia Beachotel is right next door and guests can use the Resort too.
MORE PLACES TO STAY IN PISSOURI BAY near the beach:
There's a huge range of accommodation in Pissouri from boutique hotels to villas and village rooms.
Olympic Holidays also offer the excellent Hylatio Village resort which has villa-style rooms around a pool, restaurant and bar within easy walking of the beach and bay shops.
Hylatio tourist 'village'
Olympic Holidays can fix up flights and hotel bookings with great package deals at the moment that are often much cheaper than you could get by doing it yourself. They also handle bookings for the Hylatio 'village' resort. link
If you want to rent your own villa - Kotzias apartments in the bay can be booked through Olympic Holidays. The Agamemnon have holiday apartments right on the beach 00357 25221246/99454682. Himonas Apartments are a bit further from the beach 25567264 (mob 00357 99604658) and you'll probably need a car. Villas include Marinas Villa on the beach road near the bay 00357 99474280.
Eve Villas are a row of smart bungalows with pools handy for the village, but a stiff walk up the hill. They are on the beach road, about quarter of a mile below the Ampthitheatre. Check them out at this link to Eve Villas. Tel: 00357 99649440. Durmast Travel also have a range of private self-catering villas around Pissouri on their website on this link
Aleg planing past the private villas of the Odysseus Village complex on the hill, and tavernas in the trees by the beach.
RESTAURANTS IN PISSOURI BAY:
Limanaki on the first corner near the Columbia Beachhotel for sophisticated Cypriot cooking with a real classy twist. Tel 25221288. Small so it's wise to book!
Yiallos is tucked away behind the shops in Pissouri bay, but it's the top place for fish - try the fish meze (a taste of everything) for just 20 euros a head and make sure you have the fanatastic fresh kalamari . And it has tables with bay views.Tel: 25221747.
Castros and Captain's Bay have views over the sea. If you prefer PIZZAS, Jack has fantastic flavours at Pizza Venetto (25 222122). It's next door to Michael's sports bar, so you can eat a pizza and watch a football match on Sat TV over a pint !
Agamemnon beach taverna, Pissouri Bay - great for pitta sandwiches, or try the daily special for lunch. They also have villa rooms to rent, and beach beds.
Cyprus sunsets come with a sundowner!
Beach Beds: When it's hot, you'll need a brolley and a beach bed. The beach beds in front of the Columbia Hotels are intended for hotel guests but there are plenty to rent in front of the Captain's Cabin and the Agamemnon from beach operators.
Banks: there's the Co-op Bank of Cyprus on the road to the Columbia Beach Hotel and it has an ATM but it may not take UK cards. There are three more banks with ATMs which do accept UK cards in Pissouri Village.
Supermarkets: there are three in the Bay area for all your self-catering needs, including bread, eggs, bacon, cornflakes and booze! There's also a brilliant butcher and Andros supermarket up in the hilltop Pissouri Village. There are loads of corner shops, and a big supermarket on the B6 opposite the petrol station at Pissouri Police Station.
BUT THAT IS ONLY HALF OF THE STORY - THE TALE OF TWO PISSOURIS.
Many visitors think the Bay is all there is to Pissouri. This is the road up the hill to Pissouri Village. The Bay which is beautiful, but if you haven't been to PISSOURI VILLAGE you haven't tasted the REAL Pissouri!!!
Cyprus night in Pissouri Village Square - unbelievable!
lunchtime in The Square, Pissouri Village
YOU'D BE MISSING OUT IF YOU DIDN'T DISCOVER THE REAL PISSOURI - the village is 3kms up the hill at the back of the Columbia Resort. The locals put their houses on a mini-mountain because it was cooler in summer. The result - a picturesque traditional Cypriot village with a square and loads of tasty tavernas to choose from, plus some lively pubs where you can watch a football match on the Sat TV. You can eat out under the stars and try out a meze, a taste of everything, and on Wednesday nights, you can watch Cyprus Night with dancers and an incredible balancing act absolutely for free. It's wise to book early for the buffet barbeque.
Zenos the village barber - a cut above the rest!
Bougainvillea - it's everywhere.
Restaurants around the square in Pissouri village: Vraka Tavern 25 221940, Pissouri Square Tavern 25 221 579, The Vinelands 25 222688. They all have tables in the square for Cyprus Night. Just around the corner are more lovely tavernas - Hideaway 25 222310 is tucked away down the side of the Sparti pub. There's also a Chinese restaurant with take-aways (Panda Restaurant 25 222205) and a great pizza place Pizza Da Costa (25222286) with tables in the street or upstairs on an open deck. The Pissouriana (25 221027) near the ampthitheatre is a favourite for the local ex-pat Brits. Like the pubs, it has sat tv football matches. The Two Friends run by the 2 Panicoses is in a square with handy car parking outside, and breathtaking views over the Bay (25 222527)
The aptly named Hideaway restaurant. The pork chops are to die for, until you taste the Kleftico (lamb cooked in a slow oven for hours - delicious).
THE Bunch of Grapes Inn (Tel: 25 221275), round the corner from Pissouri Square, offers a real taste of traditional Cypriot cooking in lovely surroundings. We can recommend the warm duck liver salad starter and the fish pie! Scrumptious. The Bunch of Grapes is also a hotel, with rooms overlooking this beautiful garden through the archway just off the village main square. You can book through Olympic Holidays or contact them direct on (00357) 25221275
The Hillview has one of the best restaurants on the island with tables boasting spectacular views over Pissouri Village to the distant beaches of the Akrotiri Peninusla.
The Hillview is also a boutique hotel with rooms and apartments. It's handy for the nightlife in the village, with a steep walk down into the square. You'll need to rent a car or hire a taxi to the bay and the beach, a couple of kms away. The Hillview (00357) 25221972 or check out their website via this link
Taxis - Kypros 99615695, John Pangeras 99545038
Car Hire - Tarantos rent-a-car, Amplehori Pissouri Bay (00357) 25221416/25222414. And don't drink too much! Otherwise you may end up like this!
Only joking. Eleas is grabbing hold of a float...we think! Have fun.
You find out more about Pissouri on the village's own great website at http://www.about-pissouri.com/