The villages of the Heartland of Legends are abundant in customs about apples and apple trees. In the village of Astromeritis, a wedding custom has it, the best man, on the following day of the wedding ceremony, to enter the bridal bedroom holding a tsestos (a weaved, circular, shallow to flat basket), containing boiled pigeons and nuts (almonds, walnuts etc.) and in the middle of it an apple branch. The newlyweds eat the pigeons and the best man showers them with the nuts. The pigeons are the symbol of the goddess Aphrodite of fertility, the nuts represent prosperity and the apple branch symbolizes the love, conception and birth.

Kyperounta is the apple of Cyprus’ eye, literally! The village generates about one third of the national production of apples and pears and is extremely proud of its glorious apples, including “Kathista” and “Lortika”, the two indigenous apple varieties of Cyprus. And every October, this picturesque leafy village, at an altitude of 1130-1300 metres, warmly welcomes the crowds to celebrate the apple harvest and the apple festival.

The festival includes presentations about all the apple varieties grown in Cyprus, an apple themed photo exhibition and a farming tools display, and a tasting competition with apples as the main ingredient. Walk around the stalls of the market, meet the producers and fill your basket with apples, apple syrup, apple vinegar, apple chips, apple cookies and other traditional products made from apples. The taste of Zivania made from apples will tingle your taste buds, while the traditional palouzes, made on the spot, will tantalize your senses. Make the most of your visit in Kyperounta by visiting the churches and other museums that remain open during the festival.

Click on Our Crops in the Heartland of Legends to learn more about our star produces and find out the stories behind them.

When: 07-08/10/2023

Venue: Kyperounta’s central square

For further information:  + 357 99 352547 or + 357 25 813204 or www.mytroodos.com