Cyprus Holidays - Event

Limassol, Cyprus' wine-growing capital, celebrates the country's rich viticulture with the annual grape harvest festival. Scores of the island's wineries and vineyards converge on the town's stately Municipal Gardens to share some of the fruits of their labours.

Tasters take the opportunity to tuck into some of the island's gastronomic specialities alongside Muscats, pine-flavoured Retsinas - and not to forget some of the island's renowned dessert wine, Commanderia - all against the backdrop of music and dancing at the Gardens' open-air theatre.

Cyprus has been making wine for about 6000 years (from 4500-3900 BC), so Cypriots have had considerable practice with the harvest celebrations. One of the most commanding spectacles of this annual event is to witness the traditional pressing of the grapes that signals the beginning of the festivities.