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Stone properties and villas for sale in villages in and around Paphos and Polis, Cyprus.
A luxury, stone-built villa or a value for money stone-built property in Polemi, Giolou, Stroumpi, Simou, Drymou, Argaka, Pomos or Kili are all available or under construction NOW! |
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Giolou village LOCATION: Giolou can be reached on the B7 and is about 26 kilometres from Paphos and about 12 kilometres from Polis. As Giolou nestles on the edge of a valley at 368 metres above sea level, from one of the coffee shops the view is spectacular with the whole of the valley stretching out to the sea at Polis, and due to Giolou being situated on a hill, there is always a refreshing breeze. POPULATION: The population is approximately 770 of which about 15 families are non-Cypriots. In the summer, of course, this figure increases as holiday homes become occupied. ORIGIN OF NAME: Whether this story is true or not is up to you to decide but apparently, in the 1950s, there was a train service that operated from Polis to Famagusta and it stopped in Giolou. Giolou is the Turkish word for train station and so even when the trains no longer ran, the name Giolou stuck. AMENITIES: There are no kiosks (periptero) in Giolou but the three mini markets sell basic commodities and are open from early in the morning until quite late in the evening, depending on the season. There are three coffee shops mostly catering to the needs of the local male workforce taking a leisurely break from the heat of the day. This is also where the elders of the village while away their time, sipping coffee, playing backgammon (tavli) in the shade and generally putting the world to rights. The rarely-seen women of the village are either occupied with household tasks or sitting outside chatting underneath the pergolas laced with bougainvillea or grapevines. The sloping hills are dotted with grapevines and citrus groves. As well as growing seasonal vegetables, a lot of the locals make their own wine, zivania and halloumi. There are two schools in Giolou, one for the younger children and the larger one for the older students. Giolou does not have its own police station, the nearest one being in Stroumpi. However, as this is where quite a few of the local residents work, the village is virtually crime-free. The nearest hospitals are in Paphos and Polis but there are two first aiders living in Giolou and a doctor is available for home visits to the elderly on Saturdays. As with most of the surrounding village, there is a refuse collection twice a week in Giolou. If fishing is your game, then take the short trip to the Evretou Dam, or if you fancy a few rounds of gold, Tsada golf course is a short drive away. In the village itself, there are two churches. The smaller church was built in the 18th century and is currently undergoing restoration work. This church contains a 17th century icon of the Virgin Mary. Apparently the icon is used by the farmers in times of drought and taken round the fields in order to make it rain! The bigger, modern church was built in the new architectural style. For entertainment in Giolou, the football stadium is often used to host plays, festivals, and even the odd football match. Giolou has its very own football academy and the local team was recently combined with the team at Mesogi to become United Athletic. Stavros, the village headman (mukhtar) of Giolou, is very pleased to share a coffee with you and talk about his village. He can point you in the direction of any areas of special interest, like the nearby sulphur springs and the restored monastery of Agii Anargyri. The monastery was built in 1649 and is said to be one of the first ever on the island. It was founded by two brothers who used to care for the sick and dying without taking any payment for it. That is how the monastery got its name from the Greek meaning ‘without payment’. The popular resort town of Polis Chrysochous is a short drive away if you wish to experience a more lively environment or if you just want to while away the hours on the sandy beach. Giolou is not a touristy village as it is very quiet. Therefore, if it’s peace and quiet in a traditional village that you are looking for, Giolou is ideal.
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