Papayannis, Florina.
Altitude 670m. Population 581.
Rocky and mountainous, surrounded by 4 lakes.
Continental climate, the coolest in Greece.
Subsoil rich in coal and carbon dioxide.
Small water streams, generated from the snowy mountains, benefit the rich flora.
Magical scenery.
This is the blessed ecosystem that gives live to our inexhaustible source of natural carbonated sour water. “Piyi” means “water spring” in Greek. Combined with our family name it derives our logo: ‘Piyi Dinaki.
All of us, the inhabitants of the Papayannis village, we have learned to satisfy our thirst with this particular water. In the old days, many houses had their own well but there were also public ones available to everyone. The image of women waiting in a queue to fill their clay jugs – the traditional ‘boucle’- with fresh sour water was very common, especially just before midday. The way to the well from home and back was part of the everyday routine. At home they would transfer the water to larger clay pots with handles in order to retain its cool temperature until they drunk it. There were only a few wells that had ‘sweet’ – as they used to call it – water, but no one really preferred it! It was just the new comers that were looking for it at first, but not for long. Soon after they got used to the local “sour” one, even they wouldn’t change it for the world!
Sour water has been acknowledged for its benefits since ancient times. Aristoteles refers to it at his ‘Meteorologika’ [«έστι δε και περί Λύγκου κρήνη τις ύδατος οξέως»]. Alexander the Great is said to have been drinking regularly this unique water. During the Byzantine times, sour water is becoming famous for its ‘healing’ attributes. At 1st World War the United Nations acknowledged and utilizes its benefits. Until now, the sour water’s reputation as synonymous to delight and having valuable digestive properties has remained unchanged.
It is the undisputable gift from the subsoil of this magnificent place to its people. Rich in coal and carbon dioxide, it gets naturally filtered by the rocky underground which ensures the cleanliness, the acidity and the high value of its elements.
This naturally carbonated water is the basic ingredient of all our soft drinks. We respect the ecosystem which generously gifted us with it and we make sure to apply mild pumping when we get it from our private, Dinaki family source at 101 meters depth.