As one of the best, award-winning Cyprus resorts, the Columbia Beach Resort provides a wonderful home from home in Pissouri, a small village between Paphos and Limassol where you can relax and soak up the sun. However, our gorgeous Mediterranean island offers much more than just luxurious accommodation; when you visit nearby Paphos, you're visiting in one of UNESCO's world heritage treasures and the Roman capital of the island. This means that there's plenty to do especially for those who are interested in finding out a little more about Cyprus’ history. So if you’re joining us for a holiday, here are some of our favourite things to do in Paphos.

A trip down to Paphos harbour will provide the perfect opportunity for souvenir shopping or the purchasing of fine jewellery and handmade items made by local artisans. After enjoying some Cypriot food at one of the roadside cafes, you can head out on a boat to see a fantastic shipwreck (a firm favourite with the kids!) or perhaps even view our underwater landscape via one of the glass bottomed boats. Not far from the harbour you can also see some of the finest Mediterranean mosaics at the Villa of Dionysos, and while there you can also see more incredible examples of these incredible works of art at the House of Aion and the House of Thesus, both located in the same area.

Perhaps you'd like to take a trip to the fort which has been standing since 1592 and was built to protect the harbour from adversaries, or you could visit the limestone Odeon, built in the 2nd Century - if you visit in the summer time, you can even enjoy a musical or theatre performance at this archaeological masterpiece.

Another popular place to visit in Paphos is the 4^th Century Tomb of the Kings; these impressive rock-cut chambers are quite magnificent and give you a real sense of our area’s history. Of course, if you really want to absorb yourself in Cypriot history, you should visit the Paphos District Archaeological Museum which has a wide range of exhibitions dating from as far back as the Neolithic period.

The Paphos Bird and Animal Park is a great day out for the family but of course if you’re looking for things to do that will suit both young and old, you can always stay close to your hotel in Pissouri  and head down to the beach or simply dive into your Cyprus resort’s pool!

There’s never a shortage of things to do in Cyprus, whether it be in our very own village of Pissouri or nearby Paphos, the historical capital of Cyprus, and our staff are always on hand to offer you ideas and information. One thing you can be sure of is that by staying in one of Columbia’s luxury hotels, Cyprus and all of its attractions are nearby and just waiting to be discovered. We can’t wait to offer you a warm welcome here at the Columbia Beach Resort!