Overnight Flight
Cyprus Foodie & Culture Tour
Depart Harrisonburg/Charlottesville and catch overnight flight to Cyprus. We are working with Jamie Vulkevich, an Expedia International Travel Agent for group ticketing and trip insurance.
Land, unpack and unwind at the 5-star Merit Park Hotel overlooking a sandy stretch of the Mediterranean. Set against the backdrop of the Five Finger Mountain Range, Merit Park is an all inclusive hotel, with indoor/outdoor pools and bars, multiple restaurants, spa and Turkish hammam (HIGHLY SUGGESTED to try). There is WIFI in the hotel, blow dryers, and a casino.
Famagusta & Ancient Roman City of Salamis
After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll depart around 09:00 AM for a guided tour Famagusta on the Eastern corner of the island. We will visit the Ancient Roman City of Salamis, where Saints Paul and Barnabus came to proselytize after Christ’s death. We will visit St. Barnabus’ monastery and final resting spot, where a Cypriot farmer had a vision and discovered where he was martyred 300 years after his death. We will then enjoy lunch a fresh fish lunch at a seaside restaurant. After lunch, we will visit the Walled City of Famagusta and the Tower of Othello, where Shakespeare gained his inspiration. We will have time to stroll along the ancient Famagusta streets for a bit of shopping, gelato and baklava. Back at the hotel for dinner.
Total touring time: 9 hours. Walking conditions will be moderate, as we visit important, historical sites, Roman amphitheaters and an important eastern port of the Roman and Greek periods.
St. Hilarion Castle, Bellapais Monastery, Cooking at the Old Olive Mill
After breakfast at our hotel, we will visit one of the three main Crusader Castles in Cyprus. Perched on top of the Five Fingers Mountain range is the Saint Hilarion Castle, built in the 4th century. Bring a camera and wear comfortable shoes, as there will be a lot of walking and scaling with our professionally-guided tour. we will then head down the mountain to one of the most beautiful parts of the island: to the village of Bellapais (translated as “Beautiful Land” in French). Lunch will be held in the Old Bellapais Olive Mill. Once the island’s largest olive mill, it was in disuse for decades. The Olive Mill was recently restored to its historical beauty. We will meet with owner-founder and learn how olives have been pressed to perfection for centuries on the island and around the Mediterranean. Today, we will also learn how to make some traditional Cypriot cuisine: stuffed grape leaves and stuffed flower blossoms, tzatziki and tahini salad. Then we will enjoy a traditional Cypriot lunch with more mezzes and wine. After lunch we will stroll through the village and tour the 11th century Bellapais Monastery built by the Lusignans. En route, take a picture in front of the home of Laurence Durrell, the author of the famed book “Bitter Lemons” and the television series The Durrells.
*Semi-required reading: “Bitter Lemons” by Laurence Durrell. We will sit, have coffee in the same restaurant and that he penned his famous book about the long history of Cyprus.
Total touring time: 8 hours. Walking conditions will be tough in St. Hilarion, as it is an ancient castle built by Richard the Lionheart for his wife during the Crusades. The rest of the walking conditions will be much simpler, but still hilly.
Halloumi/Hellim Making, Anari Cheese Making, Traditional Cypriot Kebabs
Today will be an easy, relaxing day. We visit Meryem’s Place, a family-run boutique bed and breakfast. We will use the fresh sheep and goat milk to make the famous cheese of Cyprus: halloumi (Greek) or hellim (Turkish). The process is long, about 3 hours of stirring the fresh milk and rennet until the cheese slowly shapes. We then add fresh mint and salt, and form by hand, allowing to cool. In the end, we will have the freshest, most delicious “grillable” cheese.We will enjoy an afternoon kebab in the garden with a traditional Turkish coffee to follow. Take home some organic hellim or olive oil as a wonderful memento or gift for loved ones. Back to the hotel after a late lunch to relax.
Total touring time: 3 hours. Walking conditions are easy. Today, we sit in a glorious garden, learn to make organic cheese and enjoy some Cypriot kebabs.
The Organic Village of Kozan
Today is an absolutely delightful day. We will visit an organic village in the Northwest part of the island. Nestled in the mountains, Kozan has a traditional village bakery where we learn how to bake fresh bread using a stone oven that has been in use for a hundred years. We will sample traditional bread and “peksemet” - hearty breadsticks made from flour, sesame and olive oil. We will stroll through the village with our local guide Savvas and taste local, homemade cheeses. We continue walking towards the home of “pekmez” - a carob molasses from trees that are over 100 years’ old. Watch and learn as ripened carobs are collected from the tree in August to make the healthiest molasses ever. Pekmez pairs beautifully with fresh tahini. Have the opportunity to buy any of these delicacies for friends/family or yourself back home. Lunch will be a traditional kleftiko at the Kozan Organic Farm.
Total touring time: 8 hours. Walking conditions will be easy, as we will be walking along smooth, paved, village roads with plenty of stops and chats with locals.
Nicosia (The Last Divided Capital), Buyuk Han, Shopping & the Green Line
After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll depart around 09:00AM to visit the island's capital city of Nicosia. The capital of Cyprus is split in two by the 'Green Line', dividing the Turkish and the Greek Cypriot communities since 1974. On the bus ride over, our tour guide will discuss the politics of Cyprus, and hopefully share both sides of the sad story that caused the island to divide. A stroll through Nicosia will introduce a picturesque combination of 16th century walls, pavement cafés, charming squares and monuments such as St Sophia Cathedral and the Gates of the Walled City. Take a tour of the whirling dervishes, if you can. Shopping is fun and fabulous here - think leather goods, handbags, embroidered scarves, natural loofahs, Turkish towels, organic soaps, fine jewelry and more. Lunch will be at a famous, downtown cafe, in the middle of the beautiful and famous Buyuk Han - a caravan destination for spices, textiles and jewelry during the Ottoman period. It is famous for its tart, handmade lemonade (using bitter lemons!)
Total touring time: 6 hours. Please note: walking conditions will be smooth, easy today, as we are walking on paved city roads.
All About Olives
Homer called olive oil Liquid Gold. We will discover the benefits and wonders of olive oil today. We will visit the olive groves and pick the blackened, ripened fruit. We will explore a family friendly olive orchard and learn the process of gently shaking and raking trees that are over 100 years old. Picked olives then must travel to the olive press within 24 hours of being picked. We will taste pure, organic extra virgin olive oil - cold pressed as they were meant to be consumed. The color of olive oil is more green than you would expect, and far more bitter! This unforgettable experience is then couched between a traditional Cypriot lunch of mezzes and kleftiko under the cooled archways of one of my family's favorite restaurants on the island.
Total touring time: 7+ hours. Please note: walking conditions will be in an olive orchard. Wear sturdy shoes, a hat, and (possibly) some gloves.
Farmers Market & Wine Pairing
After breakfast at the hotel, After breakfast, pick up at 9:00 AM for a tour of the weekly farmers’ market. Buy fresh fruit, vegetables, artisan bread, assortment of nuts and desserts to take home. We will stroll through the bougainvillea lined streets of old Kyrenia for an espresso and some shade. Meet our local farmers and producers that maintain the art of the Mediterranean cuisine as it has been cultivated for years. On our way back to the hotel, we will trek up the Five Finger Mountain range for a breathtaking view of the island at the award-winning Etel Vineyards (https://gillhamvineyard.com/). We will enjoy a tasting of their locally-produced wines and learning from the master vintner about the process of turning grapes into the favored drink of the gods.
Total touring time: 6+ hours. Please note: walking conditions will not be strenuous today.
Spa at the Hotel, Shopping, Relaxing
Down day at the hotel.
Greek Taverna Night
We will enjoy the hotel and its many amenities today, soaking up the sun and getting ready for the evening. Enjoy the spa, a Turkish Hammam, the beach and the pool. Later, we will enjoy a traditional Greek Taverna Night. With bellydancing, tasting tapas, sipping on ouzo and breaking dishes, you will feel like family when you leave.
Flight Home
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to airport for our flights home!
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