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In the deserted village of Agios Sozomenos is the medieval church of Agios Mamas, with Gothic arches.

On St Basil’s Day islanders have a meal which culminates with vasilopitta, a sweet loaf containing a coin that brings good luck to its finder.

Not so long ago, Aglandjia, which dates back as far as 3888 BC, was a village community in its own right, thriving on agriculture, stockbreeding and quarrying. Today, although it has become virtually a suburb of Nicosia, it still retains a village ambience, with a handful of pretty 18th-century churches. Among these is the one-domed, arch-roofed Agiou Georgiou church, which contains a woodcut iconostasis decorated with images of baskets and flowers.

Stuffed birds.

From Roman times aqueducts were built to bring water from the mountains to fertile lowland. Grapes were grown from the earliest times; oranges were a Venetian import; cotton and tobacco plantations were Ottoman innovations; and potatoes and tomatoes probably arrived with the British.

Perched above a tiny fishing harbour, this delightful restaurant serves fish, naturally, as well as excellent meze and kebabs.

The Akamas Peninsula is a beachcomber’s heaven. A four-wheel drive vehicle is needed to reach this rugged spine of hills, covered with pine and juniper trees, but it’s worth the effort. Along its south shore are southern Cyprus’s only empty beaches, while from its western-most tip are fine coastal views. There’s excellent snorkelling off its rocky shores, while divers favour the offshore islets, such as St George’s Island (see St George’s Island). For something less energetic, boat trips are possible from Pafos and Lakki (see Akamas Peninsula).

The hillsides and headlands of the Akamas form the island’s last undeveloped frontier. Here, on Cyprus’s only uncrowded beaches, turtles come each year to nest (see Akamas Peninsula).

Look out for flamingoes and pelicans as you make this 30-km (19-mile) circuit (on the flat) of the lagoon.