Gourmet Tour of Cypriot Mountain Villages

This will be a delightful day discovering the history and gastronomic traditions of villages set in the greenest corner of the island – the heart of the Troodos Mountains. Our journey begins in the mountain village of Agros with a visit to a private enterprise producing a variety of goods from Damask roses. At the “House of Roses” you will learn about the techniques of growing and processing roses.

For meat lovers we have a surprise too: you’ll visit a workshop producing cured meat delicacies. The sausages of Agros are known for their exquisite taste and aroma, achieved through the traditional method of ageing the meat in wine before smoking it. Our tip – be sure to try hiromeri, loukaniko, pastourma, lountza, Cypriot ham and bacon.

Next you will visit the small Nikis factory, where almost every fruit and vegetable is turned into Cypriot glyko preserves. So if you have a sweet tooth, this is the place for you!

We will then drop in at the famous Yiannakis Pilavakis Pottery Museum in the village of Fini, whose potters have supplied Cyprus with their wares for centuries.

You’ll get to enjoy a proper village lunch at a local tavern, where traditional Cypriot dishes await you along with wine and mezze.

Fini is also known for the Cypriot sweet loukoumi: you will not only learn its recipes but also sample different varieties of loukoumi during a visit to a traditional confectionery.

Leaving Fini, we descend along the mountain road through the Troodos forests and beautiful vineyards. Our next stop is the Gerolemo winery, set in a wonderfully scenic spot near the village of Omodos. There our guide will introduce you to the finer points of Cypriot winemaking, and you will get to taste this divine drink – and if you fall for it, you can pick up a bottle at the winery shop.

In the village of Omodos, renowned for its unspoilt beauty, no visit would be complete without the ancient Monastery of the Holy Cross, founded by Saint Helena, and its monastery museum, which lovingly preserves ancient relics.

To round off the trip, take a stroll along the narrow cobbled streets and browse the little shops offering a variety of traditional goods: silver jewellery, pipilla lace (a Cypriot technique), ceramics, leather goods and much more.

DATES: on request 

TOUR DURATION: 9am to 4pm.

MEALS: Lunch is included in the price.

USEFUL TIP: we recommend wearing comfortable shoes and not forgetting your camera.

INTERESTING FACT: In 1999 Cyprus finally secured official recognition of halloumi as a national product, along with the exclusive right to its name. This means that wherever in the world you spot cheese under that familiar name in a shop, you can be sure it was produced on the island of Cyprus.

Currently offered on a private basis only