Exploring Cyprus – and the Columbia Beach five-star resort – with our children
Leo is sauntering airily through reception like he owns the place.
“He’s the leader here,” says the receptionist.
Leo’s a cat and at Columbia Beach you share your five-star stay with a few furry friends.
We even find one stealing our sun lounger. But you can’t blame the cats – this five-star resort in Cyprus is a fantastic place to be.
And the owner has helped rescue and look after the local feline population since the hotel opened 20 years ago.
Indeed, this is a resort where they look after everything down to the finest detail.
Crafted into the hillside overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea in Pissouri Bay – about halfway between Paphos and Limassol – Columbia Beach is an upmarket family favourite.
There are three main pools, two outdoor ones on either side of the resort and another good size indoor pool.
There are also two toddler pools, a pair of tennis courts, swings and The Den children’s club.
If you don’t fancy a sun lounger by either pool you can get one on a quiet lawn area or on the beach itself that the hotel is set on.
A sunbathing area next to the beach
When the tide is high, the warm waters of the Med lap within a few metres as you relax.
The stony beach isn’t the most comfortable for children to play on but there is fun to be had skimming stones and walking along it – to the nearby village in one direction or – in the other – to the spectacular Cape Aspro hiking trail.
If you want to travel a little further, the popular Aphrodite’s Rock, reputed as the place where the Goddess emerged from the sea, is just a few miles away.
Aphrodite’s Rock
Or you could enjoy more Cypriot history at Kourion Amphitheatre and Kolossi Castle – both less than 30 minutes’ drive.
A similar journey gets you to the tourist hotspot of Paphos with the Tombs of the Kings archaeological site and the bustling harbour worth a visit.
More active families can enjoy the water park, Luna Park funfair or the zoo.
But it is hard to leave Columbia Beach Resort, especially in the evening.
We enjoyed all three restaurants on site. Fresh fish at Cape Aspro overlooking the sea, classic Cypriot meals at Apollo Taverna and fine dining at Bacchus.
Cape Aspro restaurant
There is a good children’s menu at all three (main courses around 10 euros) with pasta, pizza and more.
Adults are spoilt for choice – the food is divine. Similarly at breakfast with a large buffet and dishes cooked to order – we enjoyed the fresh pancakes every morning.
Despite its size, Columbia Beach doesn’t feel busy, there are only 169 suites and they are all large and spacious.
Our family suite was huge with two bathrooms, lounge, balcony and separate children’s bedroom. But even the standard rooms are a good size.
Our suite
We didn’t want to leave. As we enjoyed our final meal in the warm evening air, our table of four became – temporarily – a table for five.
Yes, one of the Columbia Beach cats had come to say goodbye by nudging each of our legs in turn under the table.
No wonder the cats are happy here. Even for just a few days’ stay, we felt like the cats who had got the cream.
Ten places to take your children around Pafos/Paphos in Cyprus
It may be slightly further on a plane than other European hotspots, but Cyprus is worth the four-and-a-half-hour flight from the UK for the year-round sunshine.
Other pluses make it easy to travel there with children – it is set up for families, English is widely spoken, the food is great and if you are nervous of driving abroad – well they drive on the left.
Once you’ve found a good base – we stayed at the sumptuous Columbia Bay Resort in Pissouri – it’s time to decide where else you want to explore.
There are waterparks, beaches, historical sites and more, including:
Tombs of the Kings
Our children loved exploring this World Heritage Site next to the sea.
Tombs of the Kings
There are seven excavated tombs, carved out of rock and spread out over a big site.
Despite the name, the chambers were not actually occupied by royalty but high-ranking officials and aristocracy of the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Top tip: Our children loved climbing here but there are some hidden drops so be very careful with little ones.
Tombs of the Kings
Where is it: North of Pafos/Paphos harbour
Address: Tombs of the Kings Ave 63, Chloraka, Cyprus
Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra Tou Romiou)
This site on the south coast of Cyprus is, according to Greek mythology, the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
Aphrodite’s Rock
We stopped off here, where she is said to have emerged from the sea, at sunset on our way back to the airport.
It’s a pebbly beach with big rock formations coming out of the water – one of them known as Aphrodite’s Rock.
Local legend says that anyone who swims around the rock will be blessed with eternal beauty.
Top tip: If you park in the car park opposite, you don’t need to cross the road, there is a passage under the road on to the beach. There is also a shop and cafe with toilets on the car park.
Where is it: On the main coastal road between Pafos/Paphos and Limassol
Pafos Zoo
This is the biggest zoo in Cyprus with over 500 mammals from all over the world, ranging in size from guinea pigs to giraffes.
Pafos Zoo
There are also a thousand birds including birds of prey, penguins and parrots along with reptiles like crocodiles, snakes and giant tortoises.
And there’s a playground, a shop and places to eat.
Top tip: Our favourite part was the parrot and owl show.
Where is it: About 20 minutes north of Pafos/Paphos past the resort of Coral Bay.
Pafos/Paphos Harbour and Port
It’s nice to have a walk around the harbour area to soak up the atmosphere, even if you are just passing through on your way to somewhere else.
There are restaurants and cafes, shops and boats to watch, a promenade to walk along and a small castle at one end.
Some boat trips leave from here too.
Water parks
The nearest water park is Paphos Aphrodite Waterpark.
Paphos Aphrodite Waterpark
We ran out of time to try it much to our daughter’s disappointment, but it sounds amazing and includes high speed water rides, a lazy river and a wave pool.
Where is it: In Kato Paphos on the coastal road.
Boat trip
A boat trip is a great way to see the island and there are various options available.
They have a pirate-themed one which children might enjoy called Pirates Adventure – Jolly Roger II, which includes a pirate show, lunch, face painting and more.
Kourion Archaeological Site
We enjoyed looking around the archaeological remains of the city of Kourion, which was destroyed in an earthquake in 365 AD.
The mosaic floors at Kourion Archaeological Site
It includes mosaic floors and a Roman theatre which has been restored and is used over the summer for performances.
Where is it: West of Lemesos/Limassol on the road to Pafos/Paphos.
Beaches
Of course, a family holiday in Cyprus would not be complete without trying out the beaches.
And this, the third-largest Mediterranean island, has loads of Blue Flag beaches.
There are pebbly and sandy ones – one of the best being Coral Bay.
Coral Bay beach
This lovely, long, white-sand beach is surrounded by cliffs so the waves don’t get too big.
There are umbrellas and sun loungers over the summer months but not when we went and we could have done with somewhere to shade from the sun.
It was also fairly busy, unlike the pebbly beach, our hotel was on.
The beach at Columbia Beach Resort
Avakas Gorge
This dramatic gorge (a deep valley between hills or mountains) was created by a stream flowing over limestone for thousands of years.
Stepping stones at Avakas Gorge
It is quite a challenging walk better suited to older, fitter children.
We tried it on a hot day which made it harder so try to go when it’s cooler.
The mountain roads to get to it are not great – several people arrived in hired jeeps – we parked quite far away but this made for a longer walk.
Top tip: There are slippery rocks, so make sure you wear good footwear – not sandals or flip-flops – and look out for some steep drops.
Where is it: West of Pafos/Paphs
Kolossi Castle
We made a flying visit to this 700-year-old castle, birthplace of the world’s oldest wine, Commandaria , said to have been drunk by Richard the Lionheart at his wedding.
Kolossi Castle
The castle was first built in the 13th century and rebuilt in the 15th century.
It only takes around half an hour to look around but the entrance fee is low and it’s worth a stop-off on your way to somewhere else.
The rooms are empty but when you climb the steps, there is a great view from the top.
Where is it: Kolossi, 14km west of Lemesos on the road towards Pafos (Paphos).
Have we missed your favourite family attraction?
We would love to know of anywhere you recommend, please comment below.
Our review and all you need to know about Columbia Beach Resort in Pissouri Bay, Cyprus
Name
Columbia Beach Resort
Where is it?
Pissouri Bay on the south coast of Cyprus.
What is it?
It is a five-star resort with 169 suites, two outdoor pools, an indoor pool, spa, gourmet restaurants and beach front location.
The beach in front of the hotel
Is it family friendly?
Yes, there were lots of families when we went.
There’s a lovely kids’ club offering a range of activities each day.
The restaurants have a separate children’s menu including pizza, different pastas, fish and chips, burgers etc.
A pizza from the children’s menu at Apollo Tavern.
There are two tennis courts plus the hotel is on a pebbly beach with sunbeds.
The rooms
The 169 suites are spread out over this sprawling complex in different areas.
We had a family suite in the main hotel building – it was one of the nicest rooms we had stayed in – big with a fabulous layout and two bathrooms.
The lounge in our family suite
The children’s room with large twin beds could be closed off with sliding doors, which they loved.
Children’s room
There were kitchen facilities too including a sink and fridge and a lounge area, plus desks/dressing tables.
The main bedroom
I’ve never seen so many lights and lamps – we spent a while searching for some of the switches, eventually asking at reception to discover the room had its own lighting control panel!
Lighting control panel
From the balcony we could see both the pool, the sea and the hills that surround the site.
The view from our balcony
Food and drink
The food was divine and beautifully cooked and presented. There are a choice of restaurants and we tried all three.
A crab salad starter
We were half-board and had breakfast in – and on the terrace of – the Bacchus restaurant. The restaurant is a nice size and never felt overly busy or with the cafeteria feel of some breakfast areas in larger hotels. It was buffet style but you can order freshly prepared pancakes, waffles and eggs etc.
We tried this restaurant for dinner one night too and it was the most elegant of all. We asked for a table outside where we could relax with the children while still enjoying the first-class food and service.
The other two restaurants we tried were the Apollo Taverna which offers a traditional Cypriot dining experience.
And the stunning Cape Aspro with a fabulous terrace overlooking the sea.
Cape Aspro restaurant
All of the adult menus were different with the children’s menu the same at Cape Aspro and Apollo Taverna. Prices were around 10 euros for children’s main courses, 20-30 euros for adults mains depending on what you ordered. The portions were very generous, sometimes our starters would have been enough.
For dessert there is a special menu with lots of ice cream sundaes and other children’s favourites.
Dinner with.a view
Our highlights
*The outdoor pool nearest to the main hotel is beautiful and a fabulous size.
Our favourite outdoor pool at Columbia Beach Resort
*The indoor pool is slightly warmer as it’s heated so we had a lot of fun in it.
The indoor pool
*The food – I had some fabulous meals including a delicious prawn risotto and a gorgeous crab salad plus some fantastic desserts.
*The layout of the resort is pleasing and the views on to the sea are gorgeous.
A sunbathing area next to the beach
*Its location on the beach.
Top tips
*While we were there, children could only use the indoor pool until 2pm.
*I am rubbish at getting into cold water – so acclimatized in the indoor pool first before plunging into the outdoor pool and it’s really worth it.
The other outdoor pool
*There is live music in some restaurants some of the time which really adds to the atmosphere, so you can ask when booking to secure the evenings when this is on – or not on if you prefer. We enjoyed a saxophonist on one night and a guitar duo on another.
*If you walk one way from the hotel, you can do the Cape Aspro hiking trail, be careful of the steep drops though with children – the other way leads to the village with restaurants, bars and a small store.
