Koilani

The wine village of Limassol province

Today I will write about Koilani, a village that I especially love as it is my birthplace, the village where I lived my childhood and that every time I visit it fills me up with beautiful memories.

Location:
It is located in the province of Limassol and in the beautiful village of Koilani. Koilani is located 36km northwest of Limassol and belongs to the region of Krasochorion, borders with Omodos, Vouni, and Mandria and is one of the highest villages of Cyprus at an altitude of 820 meters above sea level.

Designation:
According to the villagers, there are 3 versions of how the village got it's name. The first version says that the village took it's name from the mythical kingdom of Cyprus Kiniras and that later during the Frankish rule it was renamed Koilani, the second version says that it was named because it is built in the Valley and the third version says that the first inhabitants were from the village of Kyllini, Peloponnese.

Churches:
The two main churches of the village are those of Panagia and Monogenis and in the old days when the village was inhabited by many people there were two priests who served the churches every Sunday while now there is only one priest for both churches.

Jesus the Only Begotten:
It is the only church in Cyprus dedicated to the god-man, the handwritten inscription on the north part of the church testifies to the renovation of the church in 1772. The church today operates only on Christmas and Easter Sunday and the rest of the days it functions as a museum as there are icons and relics invaluable of past centuries.

Panagia Eleousa:
The church of Panagia Eleousa is located in the centre of the village, between the traditional houses and it is one of the two churches of the community. It is built in the style of a basilica but influenced by Gothic architecture.

There are many chapels in the village where you can visit.
• Prophet Elias on Mount Afamis
• Agia Marina
• Agia Mavra and Timotheou
• St. George
• Timiou Prodromou
• Saint Paraskevi
• Archangel Michael
• Agios Mamas

What to see in the village?
Walking in the village you will be impressed by the architecture of the houses, the beautiful picturesque narrow or manicured inner courtyards and the smells that come from the houses as the housewives are famous for their delicacies.
The old primary school built in 1939 has been transformed into an Environmental Education Centre and students from all over Cyprus came to study at the college giving a youthful breath to the village.
In the village there are museums that you can visit such as: The ecclesiastical museum and the viticultural museum.In the village there is the mountain Afamis one of the largest mountains in Cyprus planted entirely with vineyards making the village famous for its wines and there are wineries that offer the visitor a glass of wine and free visit to the vineyards.

For information about wineries you can contact the following wineries:

Vlasidis Winery
Agia Mavri Winery
Erimoudis Winery

Entering the village you will find yourself in front of the huge 1,200-year-old Platanos and you are on the banks of the Cold River which in combination with the beautiful chapel of Agia Mavri, the coolness of the river and the rushing waters make the landscape enchanting from other times. It is worth a walk to enjoy the peace and quiet of the scenery.

What to try in the village:
But of course the famous gluten-free syrup dish named "glitzista" that you do not find anywhere else in Cyprus and the other traditional dish "palouze" made from local grapes.

Where will you eat?
In Koilani you will find 3 taverns. The first, 'Agia Mavri' is located opposite the homonymous church and opens on Saturday and Sunday at noon.
The other tavern 'Ta Tria Pefka' is open only during the summer months on Sundays until mid-November.
Also in the centre of the village operates the Tavern of Maria offering mezedes of the hour.
The village is known for two big events that attract hundreds of visitors every year.

Celebrations - Institutions:

The Aphamia that take place on the first weekend of October.
The Pithygia that take place in mid-November.

If you find yourself in one of these months in the village do not forget to go to the events!

And finally if you are looking for somewhere to stay the night there are many accommodations offered for overnight with their own cuisine such as: