Things to do in Pissouri Cyprus
What is there to do and see in and near Pissouri village in Limassol, Cyprus.
Things to do in Pissouri Old Village
Visit the central square of the village.
The central square in the village is the place where both the locals and the visitors gather and socialize. During the day for a coffee and chat, and during the night for a nice meal and entertainment. The square is situated in the center of the Old Village and is only accessible on foot. Stone-built roads and shops, with flowers everywhere, colorful, it is a place to visit, and not just once. Have a refreshment or meal at the restaurants and cafeterias of the area. Visit the shops for memorabilia and small gifts for family and friends upon returning home.
Take a stroll in the village and discover interesting spots like the fountain at the village square, churches and chapels, shops, and busts of notable members of the community.
There are also a few interesting churches and chapels to visit near the village. I just mention three of them here.
Church of Saint Andrew, Agios Andreas, at Pissouri Old Village
The main church of the village, located near the central square of the old village, was built in Gothic style in the 19th century. It is famous for its beautifully wood-carved iconostasis. The church celebrates on the 20th of September and the 30th of November, if you are in the village on the dates just pass by, it is an interesting religious celebration.
Chapel of Profitis Elias (Prophet Saint Elijah)
Located on the pine-covered hillside west of Pissouri, it is built in a carved rock. The rock itself replaces one of the chapel’s walls. There are interesting ancient frescoes on the inside rock walls of the chapel. The chapel is about 2km from Pissouri, it is a nice walk, and, in addition to the chapel, you will enjoy wonderful views of the valley and the Bay of Pissouri.
Chapel of Agios Spyridon
The chapel is built in a cave, by stone-building the entrance of the cave. The chapel is located in Ampelochori area, near the bay of Pissouri. There is a second chapel close to this one, dedicated to Agios Mavrikios, and you can combine a visit to both. Agios (Saint) Mavrikios according to the tradition cures warts. Just take some soil from the church, mix it with water, add the mud to the affected areas, and the warts will disappear. Many people swear that they cured this way, so if you have a similar problem, just give it a try.
Enjoy the beach
The beach at Pissouri Bay is very nice, with clean waters and all needed amenities, as a Blue Flag beach. There are many watersports at Pissouri Bay beach, and close to the beach, there are places to eat or have a refreshment. Although there are other beaches in the greater area around the village, I believe that this beach is by far the best for swimming near Pissouri.
Walk the Nature Trails of Pissouri
There are 8 nature trails to walk. Some of them are available, in addition to hiking, to cycling them as well. For more information about the nature trails, see the Official Website of the Village’s Council at https://www.pissouri.org.cy/en/visitors/10
Other things to do in Pissouri
Wine tasting - In the Bay area, there is a winery, Theophanous Winery, which you can visit for wine tasting.
Visit the tavernas at the old village or at the bay, near the beach. There are very good restaurants in Pissouri. Visit them and discover Cyprus cuisine, a mixture of Greek cuisine with flavors from the Middle East.
Visit the Hambis Printmaking Museum
Located 5-6km from Pissouri, it is an interesting small museum for a local artist, Hambis, who is famous for his carvings and printable art. Sometimes the museum houses exhibitions from other artists, from both Cyprus and abroad.
Play golf
There are two golf courses about 15 minutes drive from the village, where you can enjoy a game of golf.
Day trips and excursions from Pissouri
Because of its positioning, you can visit from Pissouri a lot of attractions and interesting places. Here I suggest a few day trips (or half-day trips, this absolutely depends on you to decide) from Pissouri. The easiest way to go for them is to hire a car. But you can use the bus as well, although it will be a bit difficult to make some of these trips. You can still visit, for example, Limassol or Paphos in a more economical way, and take a taste of these cities, which are also very well-known tourist resorts.
Day trip to Limassol – full-day or half-day trip
You may visit Limassol either by bus or by car. Using the bus is cheaper but limits you in two ways: You must adjust to the timetable of the bus routes, and in Limassol you can only explore the area near the bus stations. Of course, even this way, you will enjoy your trip to Limassol, and you will discover many things to see and do. Depending on where you stop in Limassol, you may visit the Limassol Marina and the nearby Promenade and Castle Square. Or further down you may visit the Old Town and the main market of Limassol. Agiou Andreou Street is a very nice merchant road to stroll. There are hundreds of shops to do your shopping, as well as many restaurants and cafeterias for your coffee and lunch. Another option, although I don’t like personally, is to stop at Limassol Mall for shopping. It is a nice mall but not very different from other similar malls all over the world. The trip from Pissouri to Limassol by bus takes about one hour, while if you rent a car it takes less than 30 minutes.
Day trip to Paphos – full day or half day trip
Pretty much the same as with Limassol, you can visit Paphos by bus or by car. Using the bus you will face the same problems as with Limassol, where to stop and get off the bus, and what to see. I suggest, if you will use the bus, to go to Kato Paphos and explore it. Walk the promenade and explore the area around the small harbour and the Paphos Castle. You may also visit the Kato Paphos Archaeological Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located just behind the harbour. There are many restaurants and cafeterias next to the sea for your coffee and lunch. The trip from Pissouri to Paphos by bus takes more than an hour, while if you rent a car it takes less than 30 minutes.
Visit Kourion ancient theater and archaeological site – half day trip
You can visit Kourion only if you have hired a car. Kourion is towards Limassol, after the British military base, about 15-20 minutes drive from Pissouri. Pass the British base and you will see big signs guiding you to Kourion. Driving through the base is allowed, the road is in very good condition but very curvy. Just outside the base, on your left as you drive, there is a second archaeological site, Apollon Hylatis, which I suggest visiting as well. It is just outside the road and a 15 minute visit is enough to see the partially reconstructed ancient temple of Apollo and the nearby Olympic Stadium.
Kourion is a very impressive archaeological site with a wonderful ancient stone-built theater, which is used even today for concerts and performances. It is on an elevated position with fantastic views of the beach and the Mediterranean Sea below. The beach below Kourion is very nice for your bath as well.
Visit Limassol Salt Lake – half day trip
(Only with car hire) Not far from Kourion, about 5km to the east, i.e. towards Limassol, is the Salt Lake of Limassol. It is a biotope on the “leg” of Cyprus to the south. Every year thousands of migratory birds, including flamingos, either stay here for the winter, or use the salt lake as an intermediary station for their migration. It is a very beautiful and interesting area. If you like nature and the outdoors, you must visit the Salt Lake. Everybody and especially kids will love it.
Visit Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite’s birthplace)
This is a half day trip very close to the village. The wonderful Petra tou Romiou is less than ten minutes drive from Pissouri. It is a very beautiful area, surrounded by myths from the ancient times. Swim, admire the wonderful nature, watch fascinating sunsets for which the area is known. Read everything about Aphrodite’s Birthplace in this dedicated article here.
Visit the village of Anogyra – half day trip
(Only with car hire). Anogyra is about 10 km from Pissouri. Take the highway to Paphos, watch and follow the traffic signs to the village of Anogyra, a real hidden gem. Anogyra is famous for its local produce, pastelli (made from carobs), and organic olive. The two main attractions at Anogyra are the Carob Museum and Factory, and Oleastro Olive Park and Museum.
At Carob Museum and Factory learn about pastelli and teratsomelo, and taste and buy these delicious, natural local products. Then visit the Oleastro Olive Park and Museum. Watch how top-quality organic olive oil is produced. Between October and January, you can take place in activities like olive picking and watch the making of oil. Both places are very interesting, and you will remember them with nostalgia once you go back home. And if you are with kids, they will adore the two places!
The interesting Museum of Hambis Print Making is about in the middle of the route to Anogyra. It is a very interesting art center from a local artist, highly recommended to visit, and the entrance is free. You can easily combine the visit to Anogyra village with the visit to the museum.