6 DAY GASTRONOMIC TOUR IN CYPRUS AT APERANTI & SPITIKO 

Our 6-day package is a unique holiday experience to fully embrace the gastronomy of Cyprus while staying in two peaceful guest houses, Aperanti Agrotourism and Spitiko Tou Archonta. This will give you the chance to visit two beautiful locations in Cyprus (the Pera Oreinis countryside and the Southern Troodos mountains) and to discover regional recipes, local products and village traditions.
The gastronomic package includes:
hands-on cooking classes with organic/local ingredients, traditional halloumi cheese making, baking home-made bread, foraging for wild edibles, harvesting and preserving local fruit, wine tasting at one of the best Cyprus wineries and seasonal activities (olive collection & visit at the local mill, harvesting roses for rose water etc.).
You will also visit Riverland Dairy Biofarm and Parhelia farm and learn about organic and sustainable methods to raise livestock and to cultivate vegetables.
You may also discover the surrounding mountains by taking an optional guided nature walk or a self-guided walk on some of the best trails in Cyprus.

DETAILS OF THE TOUR:
  • Duration: 6 nights (accommodation: 3 nights  at Aperanti & 3 nights at Spitiko tou Archonta).                              

  • Group size: 2-6 people

  • Price:  630 euros per person (2 people)
           560 euros per person (3-6 people)

  • Included in the price :                              6 night accommodation with breakfast, welcoming drink & cake, 2 dinners at Aperanti, 2 dinners at Spitiko, 2 dinners in local taverns, 1 lunch at Aperanti, 1 lunch & 1 packed lunch at Spitiko, 1 halloumi making workshop, 3 cooking classes plus recipes, visit of the Agios Irakleidios Monastery, visit of the Riverland Biofarm & Parhelia farm, visit to our fields with seasonal agricultural activities, visit of Limassol wine region & wine tasting, transport to  the above-mentioned places.  
 
  • Not included in the price:                   Flights, Insurance, drinks (unless stated), lunch on day 1, 3 & 4, optional activities, transport from/to the airport.
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
  • TRANSPORT  TO/FROM THE AIRPORT can be arranged on request. Please contact us for details and prices.         
  • PACKED LUNCH can be arranged on request at an additional cost (day 1, 3, 4).                                                      
  • CHILDREN can participate at a discounted price. Contact us for information.                    
  • NON-PARTICIPATING PARTNERS (who wish to stay at our accommodation but not participating in all/some of the activities) may come along. Contact us for a price.              
  • CONTACT US TO TAILOR YOUR PACKAGE. If you are travelling for less or more days, we can modify the tour duration so that it can fit with your holiday plan.                                                     
  • IF YOU ARE A GROUP LARGER THAN 6, contact us for a quotation.
DETAILED PROGRAMME DAY BY DAY:
  • DAY 1​
- Morning/Afternoon: Arrival at Aperanti Agrotourism. Welcoming drink (home-made lemonade or coffee or herbal tea) and biscuits or cake.
- Self-guided walk around our village or guided visit to our fields to collect seasonal fruits.
- Evening: Dinner at Aperanti: A full-course menu (starters, main & side dish, dessert) in which the Cypriot & Italian flavors blend together creating a unique home-cooked cuisine, that uses mediterrean herbs and fresh vegetables from our field (when available). Conclude the dinner with a coffee or with an herbal tea or with one of our home-made liqueurs (produced using our own fruits or wild herbs and berries).
​
DAY 2
- Morning: after an early breakfast, Maroulla will introduce you to the world of Cypriot cheeses by making halloumi and anari cheese following the traditional hand method (approx. 4 hours).
- Lunch: enjoy the fresh cheeses that have been prepared, together with a fresh village salad, and our own olive products (olive pate, olives and olive oil).
- Afternoon: Visit of the white-stone monastery of Agios Irakleidios. Herbal teas, jams and other delicacies produced by the nuns of the monastery can be purchased on site.
Visit of the organic Riverland Biofarm  and experiencing the goat milking. The products of the farm (Yoghurt, Airani, Kefir) can be purchased on site.
Guided-walk of the farm surroundings with amazing view over the red canyon and the Tamassos Dam.

Optional activities at the farm (on request): 
Kayaking  10 euros/h for single kayak; 15 euros/hour for double kayak
 Archery 5 euros/h
Cycling 5 euros/h
Horse riding (for expert only) 25 euros/h
Pony ride for children 1 euro/few mins
- Dinner: ​Enjoy the traditional Cypriot meze in a local tavern.
  • Day 3
- Morning to early afternoon: after breakfast, enjoy a morning at your leisure (suggestions: self-visit of the capital Nicosia or self-guided visit/trekking in the Machairas mountains).
​
​Alternatively join one of the optional activities:
        
- Guided trekking Foilani-Machairas Monastery in the nearby mountains to discover the local flora and wild herbs/plants  & to visit traditional mountain villages (5 km trekking; total tour duration 4-5 hours). Price: 40 euros per person for 2 people, 35 euros per person for 3-6 people (transport & guide included in the price).
- Optional cooking lesson 1: learn how to make home-made jams, traditional liqueurs or olive products (depending on the season). 12 euros per person for 2 people, 10 euros per person for 3-6 people. ​
​- Optional cooking lesson 2: Learn about Cypriot bread & pastry making. Discover how to make the traditional Cypriot bread using natural yeast & how to prepare Cypriot olive pies & cheese pies. 15 euros per person for 2 people, 12 euros per person for 3-6 people.
- Olive collection and visit of the olive mill to produce our own olive oil (November, December). 15 euros per person for 2 people, 12 euros per person for 3-6 people.(includes a 200 ml bottle of freshly made olive oil and a light pic-nic in our field).
- Late afternoon: hands on cooking class. Learn how to prepare a traditional Cypriot dish (such as home-made ravioli or stuffed vine leaves "koupepia").
- Dinner: enjoy the dish that you have prepared in the afternoon, together with a salad, a dip and a glass of local wine.
  • Day 4
- Morning: after breakfast at Aperanti & goodbyes, depart for your next destination, the peaceful village of Treis Elies in the Troodos mountains. 
- Late morning/early afternoon: Arrive at the accommodation of Spitiko Tou Archonta and meet your hosts. Enjoy a local coffee and home-made snack, while you get a first introduction to the village. 
-Dinner: light vegetarian Meze dinner, prepared by Androula, and an introduction to Cyprus flavours. Meze is an essential part of the Cyprus eating experience. Lots of small dishes arrive to the table, and are enjoyed over good conversation and some wine or ouzo.
  • Day 5
- Morning: after breakfast, visit the Parhelia farm and learn about their ecological practices. Activities available based on season may include harvesting vegetables or herbs, identifying and harvesting wild greens, collecting olives for pressing into olive oil, collecting eggs, harvesting roses for rose water etc.
-Lunch: preparation/lesson of a light lunch with Maria, using fresh ingredients and turning them into a delicious lunch to be enjoyed together. Traditional with modern adaptations.
-Afternoon: ​visit to scenic Limassol wine region. Wine tasting at one of the best wineries in Cyprus, and a relaxed afternoon spent in Omodos, a historic village with a unique bread-making tradition. Sampling of breads and other regional specialties. 
-Dinner: traditional Meze dinner in Vasa Koilaniou or Omodos.
  • Day 6
​-Morning/early afternoon: after breakfast, enjoy a self-guided trekking on a nearby nature trail. There are three nature trails which are within walking distance and two that are within short driving distance. Picnic lunch box will be provided.
Alternatively choose one of optional activities below:
​- Guided walk on Treis Elies nature trail with overview of history and local ecosystem, approximately 2 hours. 20 euros p/p for 2 people , 15 euros p/p for 3-6 people.
​- Natural dyes with local plants workshop , approximately 2.5 hrs 30 euros p/p for 2 people, 25 euros p/p for 3-6 people
- Late afternoon: ​cooking lesson with Androula: learn how to prepare 1-2 traditional Cypriot dishes, like gemista (stuffed vegetables) or kolokasi (a unique Cypriot dish). 
- Dinner: Dinner with all the dishes we have prepared in the afternoon.
  • Day 7
​-Morning: After breakfast receive recipe booklet and Cyprus travel tips. Goodbyes & departure.

Live the Agrotourism in Cyprus...Enjoy the Cypriot gastronomy at Aperanti & Spitiko !