Stroumbi village

Today, our path lies in the small village of Stroumbi, located 17 km from Paphos and 20 km from Polis. Since ancient times, this area has been famous for its good wines.

Name, history, demography

There are two legends about the name of the village: the first says that the name of the village comes from the name of its founder Strompulosa, and according to another, the name Stroumbi is derived from “strumpulos” (“chubby”) – which is the impression arised concerning the type of the mountains around the village.

In 1953, the old village was destroyed by an earthquake, which resulted in numerous casualties. Soon, the village was restored near the former location. And now here,  one of the largest wineries in Cyprus, SODAP – KAMANTERENA, is located.

Now the village is home to about 480 residents, and according to Cypriot standards it is large enough. In Cyprus, there are many mountain villages with a population of about 150 people, and one of them – Vikla – recorded just one single inhabitant.

Old and new parts of the village

Stroumbi, like most villages of Cyprus, consists of 2 parts. Pano Stroumbi (Upper Stroumbi), which is an ancient settlement, the construction of which may apply to the Middle Ages. For guests who are interested in history, it will be interesting to admire the traditional houses and the ruins of two old wineries, destroyed by the earthquake in 1953, and the corn mill.

The new part of the village – Kato Stroumbi (Lower Stroumbi) – was built by the local residents after the earthquake. Here you will find  more modern buildings and roads, adorned with fruit trees, already much wider than in the old part.

Right at the entrance of the new part of the village you will find a police station and a fire station. Going on, you will find yourself in the central square, where the church of the Holy Spirit is located. Before the earthquake, the village also had the church of Saint George, located in the old part of Stroumbi. When it was destroyed, the construction of the new church started, which was completed in 1956. For lovers of ancient icons it must be noted that in the Holy Ghost Church (Church of Holy Spirit), an icon dated in the XV century, is stored.

In the south of the village there is an ancient fountain, which has been providing drinking water to local inhabitants since ancient times. It has recently been renovated and now again pleases its guests and locals with fresh clean water.

The annual wine festival in Stroumbi

Not far from the central square there are two schools – primary and secondary, and next to them there is the place where the annual festival dedicated to the god of wine Dionysus takes place. The first festival was held in 1982 and has since become a good tradition. Do not doubt that on this day wine will flow like a river in the village. The locals and visitors of the island come to this festival, because this event has become one of the major summer events in the region. During the three-day festival you can not only taste the local wines, but also participate in the national dances, purchase traditional products of local artisans and sample local products.

The annual Tulip Festival in Polemi

Annually, in the neighboring village of Polemi, the tulip festival takes place in April. If you find yourself in the village during this period, try not to miss this amazing event, it is only in these local villages that fields of wild tulips exist. Wild tulips were brought to Cyprus during the rule of the Ottomans, and later they were safely grown in the mountainous villages. It is surprising that in the old days Cypriot tulips were exported to the European countries, including the Netherlands. Cyprus tulips are significantly different from their European counterparts: they are very thin and low, and the petals of these delicate flowers are pointy.

Guests of the festival are treated to a festive meal, flower exhibition, folk dances and music, and, of course, a walk through the flower fields. By the way, picking tulips from the fields in the village is strictly forbidden; they are protected by the local municipality.

Do not forget to have a meal in a local tavern or cafe!

In the village there are three taverns where you can taste traditional Cypriot cuisine. One of them is located at the entrance of the village, the second is in the central square, and the third is on the outskirts of the village. Also, in Stroumbi you can have a cup of traditional coffee in one of the two local cafes, located in the central square.

Fishing and / or golf

If you have already enjoyed lunch or coffee and have walked through the village, you can go fishing at the nearby dam Evretou or to the golf course in the village of Tsada.

Due to the location of Stroumbi, you can easily get to it from Paphos and Polis and enjoy the local attractions of Cyprus. Well, leaving this cozy village, one thing is for sure, we are definitely coming back here!