Cyprus has a way of romancing simplicity. Here, the most basic pleasures in life – from a salty sea breeze blowing across your face to working with the land to produce wine, cheese, and honey – take on a magical quality.
In late October, I joined a group of tour operators and media members on AdventureWeek Cyprus to learn about this island way of life, and we found abundant offerings for sustainable adventure tourism on the island.
A deeply rich and complex cultural history, temperate Mediterranean climate, and natural wonders at every turn are nearly impossible to capture on the page. So, with a little help from my fellow travelers, and a few select snapshots of the experiences we encountered, I hope this gives you just a taste of what to expect when you visit Cyprus.
“Everyone arrived in the small village of Lefkara, which once had a population of a few thousand citizens. Currently, Lefkara is home to only several hundred people. Efforts by the government are aimed to support local home owners in the upkeep of their houses and to use them as agrotourism accommodations for tourists. This afternoon, we explored Lefkara and learned about the generations-old tradition of making lace, and we were invited to make our own biscuits following lace patterns.”
– Gergana Nikolova, ATTA
“Today we got our first ‘taste’ of Cyprus; we were introduced to a several generations’ family-owned flour mill and were immersed in the evolution of flour production in Cyprus. We also learned how to make a local, sweet bread. Then we enjoyed the warm sea in mid October by exploring the only underwater sculpture museum in the world, which is being created to remind us about the importance of the relationship between and respect shown by humankind to marine life.”
– Gergana Nikolova, ATTA
“Snorkeling in Ayia Napa offers a mesmerizing underwater world to explore, with crystal-clear waters and vibrant marine life.” – Antonio Giannandrea, Ottima Reisen
“We started the day with a very exciting visit at a honey farm; it is a family-owned business, and with the next generations inheriting it, they have decided to split the responsibilities for easier management. One brother is responsible for the beekeeping and the other handles packaging and sales. We learned how bees are kept and cared for, a lot about their living habits, their importance to healthy ecosystems and growing crops, and the health benefits of honey products. The entire group received special beekeeping suits in order to get very close to the bees and we were given the opportunity to make our own beeswax candles!”
– Gergana Nikolova, ATTA
“The Aphrodite Trail in Akamas Peninsula was one of the most memorable experiences I had in Cyprus. During the trail, there are numerous viewpoints to appreciate the beauty of the Cyprus Coast. The sea has a greenish blue colour that you fall in love with, and I couldn’t stop gazing at it!”
– Cristina Vila Mare, Agrotravel Turismo Responsable
“Today, we dove into local food and wine with a cooking class, where we learned how to prepare a traditional villager salad and Cypriot tzatziki. Then we spent time in the traditional village of Omodos and visited a local winery. The owner is a doctor who is almost 90 years old! He has a great passion for wine, showed us his production factory and gave us the opportunity to learn about the grapes they use and taste different wines with medals from around the world.”
– Gergana Nikolova, ATTA
“If there’s one word that describes Cyprus to me, it is ‘alive.’ The country is brimming with creative expression, warm-hearted people, and a culture so rich that one visit merely scratches the surface. We hiked through pine-scented forests and swam in pristine turquoise waters all the while getting to know the Cypriot way of life with its artisan traditions, seasonal cuisine, and layers of history that make it so unique. Cyprus exceeded my expectations in its capacity for adventure activities and left me inspired and excited to be a part of its development as an adventure tourism destination.”
–Ashley Blake, Founder, Traverse Journeys
“In Stavros tis Psokas we biked 18 kilometers – mostly downhill! It is one of the greenest areas of the island, and the biking was along pine tree forest with a very fresh smell of the forest. This part of the island is not busy with visitors, so the road was mostly empty. Even though it was Sunday, a day when locals tend to get out and travel a lot, we saw just a few cars during our ride.”
– Gergana Nikolova, ATTA
“Our morning of cycling in the Troodos Mountains was one of my favorite experiences of the trip. I had never explored a Mediterranean-type forest so didn’t know what to expect. The Paphos Forest is a protected area of pristine rolling hills covered in pine and cedar. The scenery was gorgeous! It made all the climbs worthwhile.”
–Susan Heinrich, Media
“We visited the Troodos Mountains, which is where the highest peak of Cyprus is located – Mount Olympos. We hiked one of the most popular trails, which requires being in good shape… but with hiking poles and enough time, anyone can make it as there are several stops with benches along the way. We were nicely surprised by a luxury lunch at a campsite where we were part of the food preparation, including barbecuing halloumi cheese and being served high quality wine, fresh salads, and warm food on a white cloth in the forest.”
– Gergana Nikolova, ATTA
To learn more about AdventureWeek and stay up to date about all future ATTA events, please visit events.adventuretravel.biz.
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