A Week in Pissouri with Kids: Your Complete Family Holiday Guide

Pissouri might not be the first name that comes up when you search for Cyprus family holidays — but perhaps it should be. While the bigger resorts offer kids’ clubs and waterslides, Pissouri offers something that families often find even more valuable: space, calm, and the freedom to do things on your own terms.

A private villa with a pool in Pine Bay means you’re not constrained by hotel mealtimes or organised programmes. You can have a lazy morning by the pool, drive to the beach after lunch, spend the evening in the village square — and do the whole thing at exactly the pace your family needs.

Here’s how we’d suggest spending a week in Pissouri with children.

Day 1: Settle In and Explore Pine Bay

Your first day should be an easy one. After arriving and settling into the villa, take a walk around the Pine Bay development to get your bearings. The complex sits on the edge of a pine forest and the air is wonderfully fresh. There are communal tennis courts, and the club house has a pool for those days when you want to stay close to home. Pop into Pissouri Village in the evening for dinner in the square — most restaurants have children’s menus and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.

Day 2: Pissouri Bay Beach

Pissouri Bay is just five minutes by car and is ideal for families. The water is calm and clear, it’s a Blue Flag beach, and the beach slopes gently so younger children can paddle safely. Hire sun loungers and an umbrella for the day, and try the watersports if your children are older. There are a handful of tavernas and cafe-bars right on the beach for lunch. Head back to the villa in the afternoon before the sun is at its strongest.

Day 3: Aphrodite’s Rock and Coastal Drive

Drive west along the coast towards Paphos and stop at Petra tou Romiou — Aphrodite’s Rock. Children love the mythology of it (Aphrodite emerging from the sea at this very spot), and the dramatic rocks in the clear water make for fantastic photos. From here, continue to Paphos for the afternoon: the Tombs of the Kings is a genuinely exciting archaeological site for children and adults alike, with underground tomb chambers carved into solid rock. It’s free to enter and surprisingly impressive. Finish with dinner by Paphos harbour.

Day 4: Pool Day with a Village Evening

Every family holiday needs a completely unscheduled day. Spend the morning and afternoon at the villa pool, barbecue lunch in the garden, let the children play table tennis. In the evening, head back into Pissouri Village for the Wednesday Cyprus Night if your visit falls mid-week — traditional dancing and music in the village square, enjoyed by locals and tourists together. It’s a lovely and authentic experience that children particularly enjoy.

Day 5: Ancient Kourion

Head east towards Limassol and visit the ancient ruins of Kourion, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the whole of Cyprus. The clifftop theatre with its sea views is spectacular, and the scale of the excavations gives children a real sense of history. There’s also a beach at Kourion below the ruins which is less busy than the main resort beaches. Allow a full morning for the ruins, then head to the beach for the afternoon.

Day 6: Troodos Mountains

Cyprus has mountains, and the Troodos range is well worth a day trip. Drive north from Pissouri and within an hour you’ll be in a completely different landscape — cool pine forests, traditional mountain villages, and winding roads. The village of Omodos is a beautiful stop for lunch, with its cobbled square and excellent local tavernas. Children who have never seen a mountain village often find this one of the highlights of the holiday.

Day 7: Slow Departure

Save your last morning for one final swim, a slow breakfast in the villa garden, and a proper goodbye to Pine Bay. If your flight is in the evening, you might have time for a final visit to the village square for lunch before heading to Paphos airport — just 20 minutes away.

Practical Tips for Families in Pissouri

• Hire a car from the airport — it is essential in Pissouri and makes everything much easier

• Bring or hire a sun shade for the beach; the sun is extremely strong from May through October

• Supermarkets in Pissouri Village stock everything you’ll need for villa cooking

• The communal pool and tennis courts at Pine Bay are a great backup on very hot days

• Most restaurants in Pissouri are family-friendly and children are warmly welcomed

• Paphos airport is just 20 minutes away, making arrival and departure stress-free

The Retreat sleeps up to 5 guests across 3 bedrooms, with a private pool, garden, gas barbecue and table tennis in the heart of Pine Bay. Perfect for families. Visit homefromhomecyprus.com to book directly.