Kalo Chorio Lemesou

Kalo Chorio Lemesou (Limassol) is a village in the district of Limassol in Cyprus and is situated about 20 km from Limassol, 70 km from Larnaca, 35 km from Nicosia and 90 km from Paphos.

Situated among the villages Zoopigi, Louvaras and Agios Pavlos Lemesou in the district of Limassol, is the Kalo Chorio Lemesou, at an altitude of about 700 meters, which now has about 450 residents.

With this name there are a total of five villages in the whole of Cyprus. According to the tradition Kalo Chorio Lemesou took its name from an old incident when a stranger met a local woman and asked her where she was from. The woman, because she was ashamed to tell him the real name of the village, Villirouthkia, replied that it was nevertheless a good village (kalo chorio in Greek means good village) and since then this is how its called.

The first inhabitants of Kalo Chorio Lemesou are estimated to have arrived in the area around 1865, because of an earlier cholera outbreak in their prior location, so the residents of Orogkou had to leave in search of a new land.

Built on the slopes of Papoutsa, Kalo Chorio Lemesou has the ideal climatic conditions throughout the year, so the locals have created huge vineyards that in the summer climb up to cover the open terraces of the houses. And for many years now in the village is produced the famous Nama (ancient original name of Commandaria) of Cyprus, Commandaria, and namely the variety “xynisteri”.

Kalo Chorio Lemesou is one of 14 villages in Cyprus producing this sweet wine. According to the legend, in 1310 AD Frankish monks settled on the island of Aphrodite and made Kolossi their seat, which they named “Great Commandaria”, and they also used the current settlement as their country estate. From there they visited the neighboring villages for the collection of the taxes, and produced as well the famous wine Commandaria.

Visitors to Kalo Chorio Lemesou can admire the genuine Cypriot architecture of the last two centuries, but also get a strong taste of the tradition of the island, wandering through the narrow streets, with the traditional stone houses built the one on top of the other and joined through a gallery all the way to the church of Agia Marina, hidden among the characteristic red tiled roofs. The bed of a tributary of the Amathos, “divides” the old and the new village which extends in a beautiful valley, while across from the village square, on the mountain, you can admire the village from above, as well as enjoy the surrounding nature.

But the tour of Kalo Chorio Lemesou does not stop there, since you can also visit the homonymous Commandaria Museum to see the oldest and most modern manufacturing process of this particular drink, as well as right across it you will find the homonymous Eliomylo (olive mill) with the picturesque chapel of Agios Georgio (St. George) Kalou Choriou Lemesou. There is also one of the dens of the EOKA fighters, also open to the public.

In Kalo Chorio Lemesou operates the regional kindergarten and elementary school, and there is also a big stadium. Guests can rest in one of the town cafes and taste local specialties in the taverna or in one of the local restaurants.