Full of brilliantly green orchards and manor-houses reminiscent of times gone by harmoniously incorporated into the natural environment, Kampos works its magic on every visitor, leaving them speechless, lost in images of colorful beauty. The genovese influence on the traditional manor-houses of Kampos is fairly obvious. This valley was first populated by the wealthy noblemen of the surrounding area in the 14th century and soon 250 large orchards appeared in its fruitful plains. That’s when the Genovese moved their citrus trees there, in an effort to protect them from the humidity and the cold. They put up high walls using local stone, and at the edge of each orchard they built a two or three-storey country house.
A basic pre-requisite for the construction of these houses was the possibility to dig a well for pumping water, with the help of huge pulleys operated by animals. The water was stored in stone reservoirs and protected from the sun by pergolas. There are still quite a few manor-houses from the first construction period to be seen in the village, as well as some more contemporary ones. Many of them have been renovated and now function as guest-houses or restaurants. It’s worth taking the time to wander around the streets of Kampos, taking pictures of the arched gates and enjoying a cup of coffee in one of the manor-houses, now functioning as a bar-restaurant. It feels like taking a step back in time.