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"Learn a craft and set it aside, and if you go hungry, pick it up" says this proverb, which carries the wisdom of folk tradition. It encourages us to learn a craft, develop skills, and gain a resource in life even if we do not need it right away. If things do not turn out as we had planned at some point, a craft may give us the solution and get us out of a difficult situation.

The residents of the villages along the "Heartland of Legends" route were mainly farmers or shepherds, but they also knew a craft. They had to be creative and versatile to supplement their income in difficult times. A craft was always useful!

Men and women learned to make objects that were both useful and beautiful. Crafts such as:

• Basketry
• Icon painting
• Silver and goldsmithing
• Wood carving
• Pottery and ceramics
• Mosaic
• Embroidery
• Winemaking
• Making the famous koumandaria

provided rural residents with additional income. All these crafts are today part of Cyprus's Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism has developed a plan that gives visitors and locals the opportunity to take part in hands-on workshops. There, they will have the chance to get to know the traditional crafts of rural Cyprus up close, or even learn contemporary forms of craftsmanship where the modern blends harmoniously with the traditional.

Craft and wine-gastronomy workshops take place in many villages along the "Heartland of Legends" route. Feel the clay slip between your fingers to shape clay objects, learn how to use a chisel to carve your own wooden piece, take a needle and thread to create Lefkara lace embroidery, sit at a loom to weave Fythkiotiko fabrics, and finally feel the joy of creating with your own hands. Discover new experiences along the "Heartland of Legends" route.

ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE

Discover all the available hands-on workshops, which run from May to November 2026 and are open to visitors on Wednesdays, weekends and public holidays. Participation requires a reservation, so please contact the organizer directly in advance. Workshops also take place in the Christmas villages during the festive period.

Make the most of your visit to all these villages. Visit the local sights, the Byzantine churches and the rural museums, walk the nature trails, sit in the coffee house and have a coffee with the locals, and feel the pulse of tradition.

The artisans of "Heartland of Legends" are waiting to share with you authentic traditional flavors, forgotten customs and activities that keep alive the soul of our land. Discover new experiences and enrich your holiday with authentic Cypriot tradition and culture.