It may be one of the most popular beaches in the Limassol District, a favorite destination, both for families and young people. The white, smooth cliffs are a landmark for Governor’s Beach and they may host several restaurants and modern beach bars, but a few decades ago it used to be a destination for shepherds with their goats.
As one of the oldest shop owners in the area recalls, Mr Christakis Sofroniou from Pentakomo village, the development of the beach side begun back in 1954 – 1955, when many British would visit the area for bathing in its gulfs, among them the Limassol British Governor himself, John Redaway. The locals started setting up some kiosks and huts, offering water and ice refreshments, even if they had to bring ice all the way from Limassol.
Back then, the British would bathe side by side with goats and billy goats from the herds of the locals. The rural economy was the main occupation in that area and shepherds, both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, were proud of their animals and they cared for them a lot. But, as the huts would grow larger, the visitors increased and the coast acquired the reputation of a popular summer destination, which changed the scenery. By the 1980s, the herds were removed for good from the beach, which resulted to the beach to evolve into an idyllic place, in a good distance from Limassol, Nicosia and Larnaca.
Source: Mimis Sofocleous, Scientific Director of the Limassol Historical Archives
* NOTE: The tributes of the Project "History of Limassol" present information that has emerged from historical research thus far. Any new data is embedded into the tributes, once it has been confirmed.
