Filousa Chrysochous

Filousa Chrysochous is situated about 40 kilometers north of Paphos in the homonymous province of Cyprus, about 100 kilometers northwest of Limassol and almost 180 kilometers west of Nicosia.

Located next to Lake Evretos, Filousa Chrysochous is adjacent to the village of Tremithousa of Paphos and is one of the small communities of the island, but it has many of the natural beauties of the Cypriot countryside. Specifically, the settlement is built on a green hillside with carob trees, olive and fruit trees, and overlooks from above the villages of the area.

There are two versions regarding the origin of the name of Filousa Chrysochous. The first and most prevalent view is that of the two large poplar trees that were very close to each other, and the settlement was named after the locals’ belief that these trees were almost kissing (filao means to kiss in Greek). On the other hand, it is said that the strategic location of the protected village, both from the northern and western winds, has given the specific name to the community (another meaning of the Greek word filao is to protect, to shelter).

The houses in Filousa Chrysochous follow the rules and the traditional architecture of Cyprus. Here the visitor can admire the characteristic two-storied mansions of the island, most of which have been renovated with stone or wood. In addition, the village’s main attraction is the central church of Agios Georgios, which “overlloks” the village, as well as the chapels of Agios Vichianos and Agios Charalambos, and a tour of the ancient bridge of Skarfou (where the homonymous river flows and is located near Simos), the oldest preserved bridge in Cyprus (1618 AD).

Finally, Filousa has very few permanent residents, although every September, when the annual festival is organized, the traditional café in the area is full of life.