1. Order meze in a local taverna
We’ve all felt menu pressure – the waiter is standing politely over you, and you still can’t decide what to choose. Happily, Cyprus is the home of meze, which means visitors can try a bit of everything in one meal. Dish after dish of tasty morsels will appear on the table – sometimes up to 30 of them – and then it’s time to start feasting.
Olives, salad and fresh bread are first to arrive, with dips such as taramasalata and garlicky skordalia. Then expect octopus in red wine, snails in tomato sauce, and pork delicacy zalatina, accompanied by pickled cauliflower and lemon-dressed greens.
Leave room for kalamari, sardines, grilled halloumi cheese and meatballs, smoked sausages and moussaka. It’s not over – there are still souvlakia, kleftiko and grilled chicken to come. For anyone who miraculously still has room, dessert is generally some fresh fruit and syrup-soaked pastries.
Clients can find meze in any local taverna, but for a whole holiday filled with typical Cypriot flavour, book them into a traditional stone house. Try specialists Cyprus Villages: cyprusvillages.com.cy, +357 24 332 998
2. Listen to an al fresco opera
There are few more distinctive backdrops than Paphos Castle. This imposing building sits at the edge of the harbour, its stout walls descending into the bay.
Built, captured and rebuilt many times throughout history, it’s been used as a fortress, a prison and even as a salt warehouse during the British occupation. These days, one of its more decorative purposes is as the backdrop to the annual open-air cultural festival.
This year, the Aphrodite Festival runs from September 4-6, and visitors can sit outside as dusk falls and listen to an opera. The National Opera of Sofia will perform Lakme by French composer Leo Delibes, which tells the story of the doomed 19th century love affair between an English army officer and the daughter of an Indian Brahmin. British listeners may recognise the melody of one of the most famous arias from British Airways’ advertisements.
Tickets can be bought through the festival’s organisers: pafc.com.cy, +357 2682 2218
3. Hike through the Troodos Mountains
Stretching across much of the southwest of inland Cyprus, the Troodos Mountains are a stunning range of peaks. Pine-scented paths meander through river valleys and past quiet villages.
A trek along one of the many well-marked routes is a peaceful respite from the lively tourist areas on the coast, and the chance to visit some of the many Byzantine churches and monasteries that nestle on the mountains. Some are tiny, no more than four walls and a dome; others are large structures with ornate frescoes, glowing with gold leaf.
Four main trails cover the area: one following the slopes of Mount Olympus, the highest peak, another circling the Chionistra summit, the last two leading to a series of waterfalls, and the fourth up to a spectacular viewpoint.
The Cyprus Tourist Board has a brochure detailing these and other nature trails, available as a hard copy or downloadable from visitcyprus.com. 020 7569 8800
4. Take a ride on a donkey
Even those with no equestrian experience will enjoy a day at a donkey farm. Donkey rides are widely available across the island, but the tours bookable through Argonaftis come highly recommended.
These are designed to be fun for all the family and operate out of two locations, one near Paphos, the other not far from Ayia Napa. The donkeys are well treated, so kids won’t be upset by skeletal creatures covered in mange.
The day begins with a few snacks and a tour of the animal park to meet the donkeys, alongside the other waifs and strays who’ve been taken in, including goats, pigs, rabbits, squirrels, snakes, turtles, ostriches and monkeys.
Then it’s time to saddle up and get riding. There’s a demonstration and safety briefing first, before everyone is allocated a donkey according to their size. Donkeys have strong personalities, and the slow, sometimes tangential journey past countryside and churches is often full of hilarity.
Afterwards, adults can relax with a glass of wine as the kids rush off excitedly to groom the donkeys and put them to bed. After a boozy barbecue, it’s time for some traditional dancing – a real taste of Cypriot village life. Contact Argonaftis Tours: argonaftis.com, +357 2558 6333
5. Taste the local tipple
Archaeological evidence suggests the Cypriots have been making wine for the last 6,000 years, so they’ve had plenty of time to get it right. Vineyards are everywhere in the southwest, sitting on the sunny lower slopes of the Troodos massif.
The island’s main red varieties are Ofthalmo, Maratheftiko and Mavro, plus a white grape called Xynisteri. The two latter are combined to make the famous Commandaria, a sweet wine that is one of the oldest in the world.
There are plenty of opportunities to sample Cypriot wines, from village shops where staff are happy to offer tastes, to wineries and the vineyards themselves. The Cypriot tourist board publishes a guide to wine routes, so visitors can hire a car and explore, with groups of wine villages easily accessible from the Paphos and Limassol areas. There’s a wine museum in Erimi, and visitors to the villages of Omodos and Laneia can see vast ancient wine presses, which fill entire rooms of the old stone houses.
For a really wine-soaked experience, urge clients to travel during the annual Limassol wine festival. Staged in the municipal gardens along the seafront there are stalls, tavernas, fountains, music – and let’s not forget the free wine. This year’s festival runs from August 28 to September 6.
6. Have a seawater spa treatment
With 485 miles of coastline, the sea is never far away when you’re on the island of Cyprus. For those who want action and adventure, it’s possible to waterski, windsurf, snorkel, canoe, jet-ski and sail – or simply swim.
Sea temperatures are in the 20Cs from April right through to November. For paddling with a panorama, suggest they swim off the coast by Aphrodite’s Rock where, legend has it, the goddess of love rose out of the sea.
The sea is central to more relaxing pursuits, too. Cyprus is noted for its luxury hotels, many of which have extensive spas. In among the wide range of treatments on offer, most offer thalassotherapy, where mineral-rich seawater and seaweed are used to tone and revitalise body and skin, often improving circulation. From mud baths to hydro-massage and aromatherapy to algae wraps, there are sea-related treatments to suit just about anyone.
Le Méridien Limassol Spa and Resort features the only indoor/outdoor thalassotherapy spa in Europe. The spa at Aphrodite Hills offers Greco-Roman style thermae bathing rituals and a whole host of signature packages, from short, two-hour options up to five-day programmes for spa-obsessives. At Ayii Anargyri Spa Resort, a mineral-rich spring running down the hillside is channelled into the spa and used for treatments.
