Highlights
Food & Drink
Cypriot food is a delicious mix of Greek and Turkish cuisine. Sample a traditional ‘meze’ platter of different little dishes, including delights like salty halloumi cheese, tangy dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), chunks of kleftiko (seasoned, slow-baked lamb) and delicious seasonal fruit – Cypriot strawberries, melons and grapes are simply divine. As for drinks, the Cypriots often socialise over strong, thick coffee, served in traditional coffeehouses called 'kafenios' – Nicosia’s café culture is well worth sampling. Alternatively, sample local grapes on a guided tour of Limassol’s wineries, famed for making ‘Commandaria’, an amber-coloured dessert wine.
Troodos Mountains
A sublime territory of mountains, where churches perch precariously on peaks and sleepy hamlets cling to terraced slopes, the impressive Troodos Range stretches across most of western Cyprus. The region has been known for its mines since ancient times while, in the Byzantine period, it became a great centre of Byzantine art, boasting churches and monasteries constructed away from the threatened coastline. Nine of the churches are included in the official UNESCO list of the world’s cultural treasures. During the summer months, the scented pine forests offer a cool sanctuary from the Mediterranean sunshine while, in the winter, the Troodos is a popular winter sports destination.
History
Discover a selection of UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, the Byzantine churches and monasteries in the Troodos and, a stone’s throw from Paphos’ main boardwalk, the ancient city ruins of Nea Paphos. Look out for the exquisite, mosaic-tiled floors of the Roman villas, depicting scenes from Greek mythology and considered among the finest examples around. West of Limassol, the ancient ruins of Kourion are a prime ancient kingdom, built on a series of hills, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and fertile river valley of Kourion. The ruins include a Greco-Roman amphitheatre, which today hosts impressive musical and theatrical events.
Aphrodite
Don’t miss a trip to Aphrodite’s Rock, a legendary sea stack outside Paphos that’s thought to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility. From here, you can follow the ‘Aphrodite Cultural Route’ to the Baths of Aphrodite where, according to legend, the ‘Lady of Cyprus’ met her lover Adonis. Located on the Akamas Peninsula, close to the village of Latchi, this famous mythological site is also where Aphrodite bathed, shaded by an old fig tree. Inspired by the goddess of love, you may even decide to tie the knot in Cyprus – where better place to say, ‘I do’?