Get into the holiday spirit in Larnaka

Holidaymakers are being offered the opportunity to try something a bit different on a visit to Larnaka.

They can learn about local drinks with alcohol-based workshops and tasting experiences offered in the heart of Larnaka near the Municipal Market. These unique holiday activities can be enjoyed on a casual basis or in organised groups for special occasions. 

One is the two-hour ‘Local Spirit Cocktail Workshop’ which reimagines Cyprus classics with a journey around the island’s rich winemaking history. Attendees will create imaginative cocktails by mixing the famous brandy sour and creating others with local wine, including the sweet Commandaria, the worlds’ oldest named wine still in production. They will also enjoy a welcome drink and take home a souvenir booklet with bartending principles.  

Or there is The Oak Tree Wine Cellar & Tasting Room where the popular ‘10 Cyprus Wines Tasting’ session takes place in the cava’s wine tasting room. This 1-1.5 hours tasting includes the island’s red, white, rosé and dessert wines, including those crafted with indigenous grape varieties, whilst learning all about their origins; the viticulture of Cyprus, and the perfect food and wine pairings. Walk-ins are available for 2-3 people with reservations advised for 4 and up. 

For more information and to book both click here.

Summer festivals in July and August

Summer is a great time to enjoy one of the traditional festivals or events taking place in the city and rural communities around Larnaka. In July the notable events that will appeal to both locals and tourists include the month-long Larnaka Festival and the King of Kite Cyprus Kitesurfing Championships (14-16). In August visitors can look forward to the Fengaros Music Festival (3-5); the Zygi Fish Festival (26) and several village festivals including the Lefkara Festival, Kiti Cultural Summerand Pervolia Cultural Festival. Visitors can keep track of what is happening via the LTB online event calendar. For more information, click here. 

New trail hunt map for Larnaka’s award-winning storytelling statues 

The Larnaka Storytelling Statues is an award-winning series of statues, busts and monuments that ‘talk’ to visitors in character narration when the corresponding QR code is scanned on a mobile device.  New for this summer is the trail hunt map to find the city’s talking statues – a fun packed activity for all the family. The printable or downloadable map brings the monuments together for a city tour on foot that challenges inquisitive minds to guess and find the character based on a fun riddle then tick it off the map. For more information a copy of the map, click here.

Free village handicraft and enogastronomy workshops and guided tours

For holidaymakers looking for other activities to learn about the local culture when they visit Larnaka region there are free workshops through the year. These include workshops on bee keeping, lace making, silver crafts, wood carving, ceramics and sculpture, and making local foods, plus much more. All sessions include a free guided tour for the village in which the workshop takes places. Click here to find out what is on during the summer months and to book.

For more information on all these summer activities and events and more, click here.

For tourist information from the Larnaka Tourism Board, visit www.larnakaregion.com

GENESIS G80 Sport 2.5T

By Bill McCarthy

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IT may be name that is largely unfamiliar to a significant number, but the GENESIS brand is beginning to capture the imagination of those looking for a premium alternative to the usual suspects.

Unusually, I had one park next two me recently on a car park, so it was a bit like buses. Nothing for ages and suddenly two come along at the same time.

This particular model is the saloon flagship of the range, a huge, vehicle that has the look of a coupe, and exudes an aura of exclusivity.

 A full five seater with huge boot it has a huge road presence with its low-slung almost predatory look. Design-wise it has adopted the Korean firm’s brand’s bold “Athletic Elegance” design philosophy.

It looks expensive, but for just a smidge under £50k for this range-topper it offers exceptional value when compared like-for-like with the potential opposition.

There are two turbocharged engines available, a 2.2 litre diesel and a 2.5 litre unit driven here, delivering a stonking 305bhp and blistering acceleration.

Both are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission that slips seamlessly through the gears with no fuss.

An electronically controlled all-wheel drive system is standard on all 2.5-litre petrol models. In normal driving conditions power distribution continuously varies from 100 per cent rear wheel drive, to 50-50 when prevailing conditions demand extra traction.

It is spacious and well equipped with a premium interior and a raft of high-end technological goodies. It also features artificial intelligence that learns about the driver and builds on existing state-of-the-art advanced autonomous driver assistance.

Clever touches include the two main binnacle dials turning into cameras to show the road it is turning into when the indicator is activated. This is a key safety aid for the driver and particularly useful when passing cyclists.

It is a roomy car with plenty of space to accommodate five adults and featuring a high-end leather interior with aluminium trim and inserts, customisable ambient lighting and 12-way power adjustable standard seats.

Dominant is a central 14.5 inch touchscreen which features a sophisticated array of graphics which can also be utilised through circular touchpad on the central console.  

Most of the main functions are controlled from here including navigation, infotainment and smartphone connectivity. Another clever innovation allows this to be replicated from the rear with a similar console and smart tablet attached to the front seats.

On the road the a 305PS, 2.5-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and a 210PS 2.2-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder diesel delivers exhilarating performance.

It races to 60mph in just six seconds and on to a top speed, where permitted, of 155mph.

The ride and handling are excellent, with tuned suspension and electronically controlled adaptive dampers soaking up the worst of the potholes, while delivering agile handling for such a big car.

As you would expect with a premium vehicle, safety kit is impressive  

The latest ADAS technology includes blind spot monitoring, evasive steering assist, smart cruise control, lane following assist, driver attention warning, forward collision alert with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus advanced airbag technology.

There are 10 airbags with front centre airbags that are deployed if there is a side impact and these prevent the front occupants colliding with each other.

The boot is large, shallow, but long with 335 litres of space, the usual array of cubby holes bins and holders are arranged throughout the cabin.

Guess what, its not cheap to run. With economy of around 32mpg and emissions of 210g/km, it is thirsty and expensive to tax. It won’t be a cheap company car option either. But that’s not really the point with a car like this. It is designed to take a chunk out of the premium sector.

And, like its German rivals it comes with a full range of optional goodies, in this case around £12k worth, taking the overall price just short of £62k. A lot of money, but in its segment, it is brilliant value by comparison.

Factfile

GENESIS G80 Sport 2.5T

 Price: £49,450

Mechanical: 305PS, 2497cc, four-cylinder, turbo petrol engine driving all wheels via 8-speed automatic transmission

Max Speed: 155mph

0-62mph: 6 seconds

Combined MPG: 32

Insurance Group: 43

C02 emissions: 210g/km

Bik rating: 37%

Warranty: 5yrs, unlimited