Episkopi Lemesou

Episkopi Lemesou (Limassol) lies about 18 km from the homonymous town in the district of Limassol in Cyprus and just over 70 km from Larnaca, 55 km from Paphos, and 80 km from Nicosia.

Built on the foothills of ancient Kourion near the western bank of the river Kouris, the fertile plain of Episkopi Lemesou is interwoven with the history of the archaeological site of Kourion, while a large part of it belongs to the British bases of Akrotiri Lemesou. Briefly, during the first centuries A.D. the settlement was a Diocese when it was also given its name (episkopi in Greek means Diocese), in the 13th century it came into the hands of a noble family, while in the 14th and 15th century it belonged to the Cornaro family, from which came the last queen of Cyprus.

To the west of the large settlement of Episkopi Lemesou rises the steep hill of Kourion, with the homonymous ancient theater, which offers incredible panoramic views of almost the whole Limassol coastline. To the east of Episkopi you will find another two important historical monuments, the most important religious center of the island – the Temple of Apollo Hylates and the ancient stadium of the 2 century AD, while near the village one can also visit the Archaeological Museum of Kourion in order to complete the tour of the ancient city of Kourion.

Episkopi Lemesou has of course become famous because of the Kourion beach (or beach of Agios Ermogenis), which is flooded by both tourists and locals during the summer season. Most take the time to visit the stone chapel of St. Hermogenes, the miraculous Saint of the lovers, situated right above the beach.

In Episkopi you can find everything, from public services, agrotouristic lodges, alternative dining venues and community cafes, to a mosque, among the modern buildings of the locals.

The cultural attractions within walking distance from Episkopi Lemesou contributed to the rapid growth of the community and the about 3000 permanent residents now mainly engage in tourism. In the area also operate some modern livestock farms.