Food And Drink in Larnaca

Food trips out of Larnaca almost always head upward, into the mountains. The reason is production rather than romance: the dairies and wineries stand in the Troodos villages because it is cooler there and there is water. The most instructive programme is about halloumi. It is made from a mix of goat and sheep milk, heated twice: first the curd is set, then the finished cheese is boiled in whey, which is why it holds its shape in the pan and squeaks against the teeth.

Then come the wine routes. From Larnaca people are driven to Omodos and neighbouring villages, where xynisteri, mavro and commandaria are poured — a dessert wine from part-dried grapes, made here longer than anywhere in Europe. A separate version taking in Limassol adds a seaside half to the day. A third line is Lefkara: lace, silver and lunch in a village taverna where meze arrives as dozens of small plates.

Practical notes. Such trips take a full day, and a tasting means it is better not to drive — take the option with a driver. Meze is built for a group: there is no need to order one serving per person, since four people eat their fill from a single set. Villages more often take cash. The grape harvest runs through September, and that is when the wineries are at their most interesting.