Pissouri

Pissouri is a village in the district of Limassol in Cyprus, which is situated about 38 kilometers west of the capital city, 100 km from Larnaca, over 120 km from Nicosia, and almost 35 km from Paphos.

In a verdant area halfway between Limassol and Paphos, on the hillside you will find the third largest administrative village in Limassol, Pissouri, which extends all the way to the sea. Today it counts around 1400 inhabitants, while during summer its population increases.

For the origins of the name of the village there have been various versions. Pissouri has been associated with the ancient city “Voosoura” which is placed by the archaeologists at the boundaries of the settlement, while another explanation is the meaning of the Cypriot word Pissouri (that stands for very dark) which is believed to refer to the dark stories concerning the foundation of the settlement, like the one about the 300 Alaman Saints from Palestine that arrived to the island on a night. Others believe that the Holy Fathers came persecuted to that area one night, while locals say that during the Byzantium era or the period of Frankish rule, the region produced tar – hence the name of the village (tar in Greek is pissa).

The bay of Pissouri, with its steep hills that emerge from the water, is protected by the slopes of Cape Asprorotsos (meaning white rock in the Cypriot dialect) and to the east by the wild hills of Mafrorotsou, and extends all the way to the west (ie to Paphos) and its seas are awarded with the Blue Flag. In the last decades the coastal front of Pissouri has been developed, and its homonymous beach has been established as a favorite of both locals and foreigners. Nevertheless, many people continue to cultivate the famous sweet grapes of the region, the sultana variety, for which they hold a great celebration at the end of August, as well as some olive, carob and almond trees.

At the same time, the visitor to Pissouri can visit the archaeological site of Kourion, as well as make many religious stops in some of the chapels of the area. The church of Agios Andreas (St. Andrew) in whose honor is held the biggest festival in the village, the carved in the rock chapel of Prophet Elias, situated on a pine-covered hillside and with its very ancient frescoes, the chapel of Agios Spyridonas (Saint Spyridon), the church of Agios Georgios (St. George) found just 3 km from the center of the village and the little church of Agios Alexandros (St. Alexander), where in the old days there was only one large shrub for the locals’ prayers. Agios Mavrikios (St. Mauritius) on the other hand, built on the foundations of an old church, has incredible panoramic views over the bay of Pissouri, and is regarded as the “healer” of skanthari (calluses in the Cypriot dialect), because if you get some soil from inside the church, you can use it as a salve for your calluses. In addition, there’s the Panagia (Virgin Mary) of Akonopetra, on the homonymous hill and the walks are never-ending for the visitor around the village square, where you can find cafes, restaurants and all shops.

Finally, the ancient aqueduct (or chavouza, cesspool), and the cultural center of the village (the former police station) and the Community amphitheater with the unobstructed views of the sea are some other attractions for the visitor who wants to pass the time in Pissouri.