Imagine a traditional village, with its heart in the most magnificent church, with men seating around and talking politics, with women coming and going from the shops, with traditional tavernas...: this is a great image of Peya. Peyia is a town in Cyprus, located essentially on the sheer slopes of the coastal hills inland from Coral Bay, at end of the Akamas Peninsula, only 14 km north of Paphos. Peyia's area stretches from the Peyia Forest on the hills above the village in the north, to the sea in the south, and from the Bay of Maa in the east to the Akamas Peninsula in the west. The name of Peyia is supposedly derived from the Latin word Baia (meaning Bay) and it has been given to the place because of its closeness to Coral Bay: in the antiquity, this bay was used as a natural safe docking for Egyptian cargo vessels. The village was first established by Venetians, during the Venetian domination of Cyprus (1489-1570); it was settled perhaps by Venetian merchants and or by sailors of the Venetian fleet in conflict with the Ottomans over Cyprus rule. With the Ottomans' control of the islands (1571-1878), many of the Venetian settlements, including Peyia, were incorporated in the Orthodox Christianity as well as in Greek-Cypriot way of life. One sign of this is represented by the dialect of this region characterized by fluctuating tones of speech similar to Italian way. This town has a quite big population of British expats and an increasing number of holiday homes and apartments. The centre of Peyia is featured by a town hall, a church, police station and several small shops, restaurants and banks. Here, the old and new are mixed together in a particular atmosphere: local men are seating in the Kafenes (traditional coffee shops) and drinking their coffee; and now often a tourist seats near them and chat with them. The church stands proudly in the hub of the village and it plays the role of life force of Peyia, attracting locals and now also tourists to find comfort and to celebrate the life. Due to its hillside location, many parts of the town offer stunning views over Coral Bay and Paphos. From the church and the surrounding areas, the look of the visitor can lose itself in the sea, and catch the Paphos lighthouse, the Sea Caves and the busy Coral Bay resort. The celebrations in the village are very traditional. During Easter and Christmas, the whole centre of the village is lighted with fairy lights stretching the whole main road from Coral Bay to the Church, completed by displays appropriate to the season, placed in the Municipal gardens. The place feels magical! Twice a year, the locals are invited to free BBQ or night of celebration, where food and drink is provided for them by their village and everybody (even tourists) is invited to dine and dance. During a holiday in Cyprus, Peyia of course deserves a visit offering an unforgettable experience in a growing village with special atmosphere and character, wonderful views, several places where to eat and beautiful beaches less than 2 km away. A particular place in Peyia is the local spring or "vrisi", from where in the past the villagers were collecting their water. It was here that everyone met, particularly the young men of the village who would assemble to watch the young girls collecting water in their red clay jugs. A legend says that to drink the Peyia spring water makes the girls beautiful and several songs were written about the vrisi, one of which ,'Spring of Peyia Woman' is still sung today. The vrisi is still visible and today it is a trendy place where to celebrate wedding ceremonies. The vrisi is located in a paved area in one side of the municipal car parking, in the centre of the village. One of the best things in Peyia is the huge choice of places to buy different type of food: fresh fish and meat or the typical Souvlaki can be bought in various places and cooked at home. If someone prefers to go out, there are a lot of spots for all different tastes: a pub where to enjoy a glass of wine, such as The Mill or The Jail; a place where to eat kebab, such as Fitos; a pizza takeaway; a deli with rich menu such as La Frescoe; a cafe' such as The Mediterranean caf?; or one of the traditional tavernas.
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Peyia is a town in Cyprus, located essentially on the sheer slopes of the coastal hills inland from Coral Bay, at end of the Akamas Peninsula, only 14 km north of Paphos.
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