Cyprus’s wine capital Lemesos lives up to its reputation as a party town with a wine festival that it hosts every year.Held at the Municipal Gardens, just across from the coastal promenade, in late August, early September, this event has been a regular fixture since it was first launched in 1961.

The Wine Festival began as a tribute to the island’s long winemaking tradition, growing in size and variety over the years. Inspired by the ancient festivals dedicated to the God of Wine Dionysos and the Goddess of Beauty and Love Aphrodite, it combines fun and merrymaking with ample wine and food and a variety of performances from local and international artistic groups. Addressed to permanent residents as well as foreign guests, the Wine Festival offers an opportunity to sample different local wines from large and small wineries, and traditional Cypriot food.

Another popular crowd-puller is a traditional wine press. There is a small entrance fee, but once inside all the wine is free. The Festival’s trademark is the huge “Vraka Man” that towers over the entrance with the welcoming motto “Drink wine to be healthy”.