Spending July in Nicosia can be an agony, immersed in intense, energy-draining heat. To alleviate this problem, Cyprus offers a great solution, allowing the more adventurous – and car-equipped – to escape to the mountains and enjoy the pleasant temperatures while dancing to the rhythm of music at local festivals that take place in the summer.
The first two weekends of this hot July I escaped with my friends to two mountain villages, Lefkara and Katydata, to enjoy some fresh air (not that much, unfortunately!), participate in music festivals and some brief cultural excursions.
I will focus on the first village, Lefkara, here. Also known as Pano Lefkara, this is a quaint mountainous village located on the southern slope of the Troodos Mountains and about 40 km from Larnaka, and it is known for its handicraft tradition of embroidery and silverware. Lefkara is a small and charming hamlet: arches make veritable tunnels in the streets, and fine-door frames and balconies complete the picture.
The Afrobanana music festival unfolds here, with a combination of sounds ranging from afro, funk, fusion, electro, jazz, and psych-folk, through to techno and house. The aim of this festival is to engage participants in rhythms and melodies that invite them to listen to both international and local bands and DJs, discover something new, and get moving.
Although the festival offered a place to camp in the shade with your own tent, we only went on Sunday to spend some time in the mountains listening to music. Once we arrived at the venue, in addition to the music stages we also found some very original interactive installations, as well as carpets, colourful cloths, and pillows for sitting comfortably on the grass.
A real highlight turned out to be the hammock tower, a multi-layered installation on which several hammocks were hung for people to relax – and why not, take a nap! – to the sound of music.
However, what impressed me most on this bizarre day in Lefkara, was discovering the connection of this Cypriot village with Milan, in Italy, my hometown. As I strolled through its beautiful streets, among buildings built of white stone and adorned with lace, I wondered why every restaurant I came across was called Da Vinci or had some reference to the great Italian Renaissance artist. And so, as soon as I sat down in one of the many Restaurant Da Vinci, the question occupying my thoughts was resolved by a pleasant discovery.
According to tradition, the famous embroidered lace here, called lefkaritiko, was purchased by Leonardo da Vinci during his visit to Cyprus in 1481 and now adorns the Duomo Cathedral in Milan.
What’s nice is that, in the end, even on your way to a music festival you can always learn some new cultural anecdote, which in this case is a nice discovery that links Cyprus and Italy.
Thus, when I go back home, I will definitely know what to visit in my city!
