Pafos is home to several Christian monasteries founded during the Middle Ages. The two largest, Agios Neofytos and Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa, were formed in the twelfth century. Then, the Byzantine Empire and its capital, Constantinople, were beset with attacks by Seljuk Turks from the east and Latin crusaders from the west; many Byzantines sought communal safety in Cyprus. A growing interest in asceticism also led some believers to set up hermitages. A Christian named Neofytos, for example, carved a set of three connected cells into a cliffside above Pafos. This complex, called the Enkleistra, has domed ceilings with frescoes depicting the final days of Christ and furnishings carved into the stone. After eleven years in seclusion, Neofytos opened his retreat to students and established a cloister that would grow over the centuries into the monastery and museum we can visit today—it is just nine kilometres from the town centre. A bit further afield, the Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery is situated in the hills about 40 kilometres away. It was founded by Ignatius, a monk who discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary while walking along the Pafos coast. When he removed the icon from the sea, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who asked him to build a monastery—which he established in 1152. The complex fittingly includes an important collection of icons along with a winery. You can visit it on 20 April with sister hotel Annabelle’s Monastery and Winery Tour; contact Guest Services for details and reservations.

Want a souvenir from your trip to Cyprus? Instead of an object, consider bringing back the skills to make a meal from the local cuisine. At Almyra, chef de partie Elpida Kyriacou teaches a master class in cooking meze—the small dishes that make up a meal in the traditional taverna. Guests are invited to the live cooking station in Mosaics, where they can learn how to make four or five dishes. Start with an easy dip like tzatziki by mixing shredded cucumbers, Greek yoghurt, chopped mint, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper. Then try your hand at dolmades: Elpida will teach you how to blanch the grape vine leaves and refresh them in ice water, prepare the stuffing of minced lamb, white onion, tomato, rice, and chicken stock, season the mixture with lemon juice, cinnamon, and herbs, and stuff the leaves before finishing the dish in the oven. The secret to serving grilled halloumi cheese successfully rests in creating the proper salsa; you will learn how to combine the right proportions of olive oil, tomato, red onion, parsley, and fresh mint leaves. Preparing prawns with ouzo takes some skill. Elpida will help you peel and de-vein the prawns before you sauté them halfway. After removing the prawns from the pan, you will add garlic, onion, and tomato before deglazing the pan with ouzo. Then you return the prawns for cooking and seasoning. Instruction is not limited to these dishes: you can work out a bespoke programme. Take home her recipes and memories you can savour again and again.

The island of Cyprus has a rich vinicultural history—the world’s oldest named wine, Commandaria, is produced only here. The island’s mineral-rich soils and diverse micro-climates are conducive to growing a wide range of grape varieties. A list of wines currently produced in Cyprus reveals some familiar ones, such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and shiraz, that yield very worthy wines. Yet there will be some varieties on the list that are unfamiliar to many—indigenous grapes you can’t find anywhere else. The best-known white variety, for example, is xynisteri. It produces dry or medium dry wines with flavours of green grass, herbs, citrus, and minerals; a xynisteri is a good companion for fried calamari and a village salad. Lesser grown white varieties include the lively and herbaceous spourtiko, aromatic and well-balanced promara, and crisp, light morokanela. Of the reds, the most popular indigenous variety is maratheftiko. It yields a full-bodied, deep red wine with berry flavours that perfectly complements lamb kleftiko and pasta dishes. Another notable local red, yiannoudi, is medium-bodied and gives spicy notes of anise, vanilla, and pepper; sip it with grilled meats or pizza with sausage topping. The most-grown red grape variety, mavro, is featured (with xynisteri) in Commandaria; try the dessert wine with dried fruits and blue cheeses. Cyprus wineries also produce some very good rosés through blends. Almyra’s restaurants offer a good sampling of local wines. Identify your favourite and then head to the source: the seven Cyprus Wine Routes take you to forty-one local producers.