Inspiration from Cyprus - 7 reasons to be curious

Today we're sharing some inspiration from Cyprus! Have we been there yet? No, not at all. However, we visited "Restaurant Cyprus" this week, where we ate Cypriot food and listened to a presentation about the country. Immediately we got a number of reasons to be curious about this exciting Mediterranean island!

Lunch event signed Cyprus

It was the Cyprus Tourism Organisation that invited journalists and tour operators to an event at "Restaurant Cyprus" in Stockholm. We go to these types of events quite often (at least during non-pandemic times), but it is rare that the visits result in a separate article here at FREEDOMtravel. However, this event offered an extra large dose of inspiration, and we feel that we have to share it with you.

Good food from Cypriot cuisine

For starters, the food was really good, and we can of course thank the restaurant's chefs for that. Restaurant Cyprus serves food inspired by the Cypriot cuisineAnd for those who are wondering, it is a kitchen similar to the Greek one.

As a start, lots of small dishes were served: Greek salad, zucchini croquettes, grilled halloumi with lingonberry chutney (a bit of a Cypriot-Swedish crossover there!), spring rolls filled with spinach and feta cheese and various mixtures such as tazatziki, hummus and aubergine. Fantastically tasty and well prepared!

The main course was a plate with a mixture of chicken, beef and lamb and jacket potatoes.

Finally, we had baklava with espresso foam. What a lunch! Amazingly good from the first bite to the last.

Inspiration from Cyprus

We also listened to a presentation on Cyprusand we must say that we were both impressed and inspired. Of course, we don't know what it's like on the ground (it's been 20 years since one of us visited Cyprus!), but the presentation gave us the feeling that tourism has been very well thought out so that it will be good for everyone - nature, locals and tourists.

Long gone are the days when Cyprus was marketed as a sun and beach destination only, and nowadays it chooses to emphasise many other things. Here are seven reasons that make us curious about the mountainous Mediterranean island:

1. Thoughtful tourism

The tourism organisation described how it had used the pandemic period to develop a more thoughtful approach to tourism. The aim is to make tourism more sustainable and to better involve local people, while working on improving quality and labelling.

2. focus on sustainability

We were told that they work consciously on sustainability, including organising climate-conscious trips, involving local people and focusing on fewer but longer trips.

3. History

The intriguing history has already made us curious about Cyprus. With 11,000 years of history and culture, this small country is home to a wealth of historical attractions. These include the Neolithic village of Choirokoitia and the Royal Tomb of Paphos, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

4. Experiencing nature

Nature experiences have become an increasingly important part of tourism in Cyprus. A variety of outdoor activities and wellness activities are organised here, with a focus on health and slow travel.

5. involving the local population

It was repeatedly mentioned that local people are involved in tourism, which means that tourism should also benefit them. For example, laws have been changed to allow tourists to stay on small farms and vineyards, and to allow farmers to sell home-made Cypriot delicacies. Efforts have also been made to digitise rural experiences.

6. Many different activities

For example, golf, diving, camping, glamping, wineries, religious sites and more. What's new is that these activities can now be easier to find with clearer labelling.

7. Food and wine

Last but not least: food and wine! After that amazing lunch, we are convinced that the food can be really good. Cyprus is also a wine country with a wide range of its own grapes, and for those who want to discover more, there are also seven different 'wine routes'.

Have you been to Cyprus? If so: how long ago, what type of trip, how was your experience? Are you curious about travelling there (again?) Please tell us!

More reading on Cyprus

UPDATE: We have now made an exciting trip to Cyprus. Below you will find lots of reading and tips.