Pissouri Village
01 Aug 2017
The beautiful village of Pissouri dates back to the Byzantine era and was built on a green hillside, near Cape Aspro, offering stunning views of both mountain and sea.
There are a few theories concerning the origins of the village’s name, one theory is that it is derived from the resin (’pissa’) that comes from pitch pine, and was produced in the area during the Byzantine and Frankish period. In fact, the village was originally known as ‘Piseeri’, and is also referred to as ‘Pisuri’ on old maps.
The village was once a small port from where carobs were exported during Medieval times, and its stone-built carob warehouses have been preserved and converted into restaurants and residences. Nowadays it is known locally for its Halloumi cheese, and also for its small, sweet and seedless green grapes – Sultanina. Every September, a celebration is held in honour of Agios Andreas, whilst other annual summer and Easter events are held both in the village square and the open-air amphitheatre.
The beach area of Pissouri Bay has developed into a popular tourist resort, offering a variety water sports and hiking on its picturesque coast of fine golden sands, multicoloured small pebbles, and crystal-clear seawaters. Its naturally beautiful surroundings include the spectacular white cliffs of Cape Aspro (Cape ‘white’ in Greek), and there are five public footpaths for easy access and exploration of the area.
A sight to see in Pissouri is the incredible stone Gothic church of Apostle Andrew, where you can admire antique icons made in 1890. There is also a number of nice chapels in the area worth a visit such as that of Saint Mavrikios which offers amazing views of the hills and the bay, and that of Saint Spiridonas which was constructed into the side of an enormous rock. Furthermore, during summer months the Amphitheatre Pissouri – ideally located on the eastern slope of the Cape Aspro ridge – offers many entertainment opportunities such as music and dance shows and theatrical plays by local and international artists.
