The village of Apsiou is found 23 kilometres north of the town of Limassol and it is built on the northwest shore of the confluent of Garylis. The community is divided into two, thus we have “Pano Apsiou” and “Kato Apsiou”. In terms of administration, it is a single community. “Pano Apsiou” is built on the peak of a hill, while “Kato Apsiou” is built on the slope of the hill.
There is no explanation about the origins of its name, apart some rumours that are “controlled” and “suffer” historically.
The houses of the old centres, at their most are built out of stone, just like many of the recent ones. There is no uniform architecture, thus we will see houses with the traditional vine tree at their entrance, as well as houses of another architecture with high surrounding walls, a big door and a big internal yard.
Nevertheless, both kinds of architecture “match” beautifully between them, thus creating very beautiful neighbourhoods where at some points, even the pavements are paved with the same stones as the houses.
In the centre of the lower village, there is a main church that is dedicated to Agios Epifanios. It is a very beautiful and “strange” construction in terms of architecture, while a hundred metres north there is a traditional stone built faucet in a small square. At a distance of another a hundred metres, there is a monument of the Heroes of the community, dedicated to its people who gave their lives for Liberty, such of Cyprus as of Greece.
In the past years, the village spread to the opposite shore of the of the river Garylis. New houses, built based on modern architecture “reveal” the wealth that the residents gained from cultivating their land.
When continuing your journey into the village, you will go uphill towards the Monastery of Panagia tis Amirous. The Monastery is built on a small plateau, on the southeast slope of the mount Kakomalli. It looks like a meteor, since there is nothing higher than the Monastery, until the shore that is more than 27 kilometres away. The view from the Monastery is unique. It is only 6 kilometres away from Apsiou.
When returning you will have a panoramic view towards the village. Stop on the side of the road to admire the landscape. The houses seem “drowned” in the green given by the different plantations as well as the different kinds of forests. The light green colour of the Olive tree is combined to the dark green of the Carob tree, while in other places the green of the Pine trees is competing with the gold green colour of the Latzia tree (golden oak). In the meanwhile, many different colours of wild vegetation, bushes and reeds “carve” the meandering course of the river. The vines “climb” on the slopes of the hills, with their geometrical shapes, thus adding gold and green “transparent” squares on to the “canvas”. The mosaic, or the painting that is formed by the natural environment of Apsiou, is something that can only be seen in this specific area.
It is possible that the great biodiversity of the area coming from the polyspermy of the plants and trees, is due to the rocks that make it up. In Apsiou, you will find almost all the stones that are found on the island, something which is found nowhere else. This can be easily seen from the diversity of the stones that were exported by the quarries and mines.
Huge slopes have been dug to offer the place and to Cyprus some kind of development. When the works will be finished, these areas will be able to be a pole of attraction for visitors who like to study and observe quarries, even if they will be reforested.
When you finish your visit to Apsiou, carry on to Limassol through Mathikoloni. When you reach the peak of the mountain dominating the whole of Limassol, from Zygi until Akrotiri, the view you will have at all the journey will take your breath away.
