AS Britain shivered, I was wandering along a sandy beach in Cyprus in dazzling 21C sunshine.
At the water’s edge, a family relaxed on sunloungers while a man struck yoga poses.
Try a spot of yoga on the beach at Larnaca[/caption]
The funky new Rise Street Art Hotel[/caption]
Make some new friends at Golden Donkeys Farm, one of Europe’s biggest sanctuaries for the animals[/caption]
And even in winter, the water was warm enough for a dip.
Summer party hot spot Ayia Napa may be slumbering until the spring, but lovely Larnaca, just 40 minutes away, continues to welcome a more relaxed traveller in the depths of winter.
That was my cue to discover just how much there is to do out of season on this Mediterranean island — and brighten up an otherwise dreary winter.
Food would play a starring role — and I was about to go meze mad.
First up was Larnaca itself, where the new Rise Street Art Hotel has brought a fantastic funkiness to the city.
Street art is everywhere in this place, from the fabulous facade to the rooms and the rooftop bar, where guests get a free welcome drink.
It is a handy base for exploring the city’s Finikoudes Beach and its palm-shaded promenade, where Militzis Restaurant tempted me with its lavish meze.
Appetisers of creamy tahini dip, tzatziki and salad topped with halloumi set me up for kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb), grilled chicken and pork souvlaki.
These are all dishes I’ve had many times before, but there’s something very appealing about eating authentic Cypriot food by the sea on the island itself.
It was an enticing taste of things to come.
After a nose around Larnaca’s food market and the colourful streets of the old town, I headed off to the village of Skarinou near the foothills of the Troodos Mountains.
There, I was given a masterclass in how to make halloumi, the “squeaky” cheese from Cyprus.
It is now found all around the world — but this stuff was the real deal, and bursting with intense flavour.
It was one of the activities offered by Golden Donkeys Farm, one of Europe’s biggest sanctuaries for the animals — and one of the cutest places I’ve ever seen.
It was hard not to go gaga over these gorgeous beasts, along with adorable baby goats and their mothers, whose milk is used for that wonderful halloumi.
The milk from the donkeys, meanwhile, goes into products in the farm’s shop, from face creams to a lovely liqueur rather like Baileys.
There was a quick stop at the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, whose ruins date back to at least 7,000BC, before heading to lunch at Dragon Nest in the village of Pentakomo.
Before I could say the word meze, I had plates of tahini dip (my new addiction), moreish courgette patties and possibly the best kleftiko in Cyprus laid in front of me.
I was going to need all that protein for a hike the following morning after recharging my energy at the cosy Petit Palais Boutique Hotel in the village of Platres.
Set in the Troodos Mountains, the village has an almost Alpine feeling and is a great starting point for some exhilarating hikes.
Autumnal forests
My goal was the Caledonian Waterfall Walking Trail.
This two-hour hike took me through autumnal forests and past waterfalls and rushing streams — with a few tricky log bridges and stepping stones to keep me on my toes.
Here in the Troodos range, I was discovering a different side of Cyprus.
And when I arrived in Marathasa Winery, high above the village of Oikos, I thought I had landed in a James Bond lair.
Perched on a hilltop, the ultra-modern winery and bar features huge windows that give fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and villages below.
It was an enchanting place to try exceptional local wines, including the crisp white xynisteri, which quickly became a favourite.
Tuck into delicious local food[/caption]
The winery’s owner, John Papadouris, has brought abandoned vineyards back to life, but didn’t stop there.
He has also rejuvenated parts of the neighbouring village of Kalopanayiotis, including Casale Panayiotis Traditional Village Hotel & Spa.
Its Byzantino restaurant has another winning meze, this time with tomato and vegetable fritters and slow-cooked rabbit added to the mix.
Afterwards, I wandered round Kalopanayiotis’s pretty lanes, breathing in scents of mulled wine from the food stalls in the glittering festive market, one of the isle’s seven official Christmas Villages that run from late November till mid-January.
Soon, though, it was time to head back to the coast, and Cyprus’s second-largest city, Limassol.
The recently-opened five-star City of Dreams Mediterranean, near Lady’s Mile Beach, offers 500 stylish rooms and a huge casino alongside excellent restaurants, a spa and a massive pool complex with an adventure park, waterslides and wave pool.
Enchanting place
Some of the outdoor pools close for the winter, but not the Beach Pool, which is surrounded by sand and loungers for lazy days in the sun.
There was still Limassol to explore, especially its buzzing Old Town with lanes filled with bars, restaurants, outdoor terraces and people enjoying the mild evening air.
It was the perfect place for a stroll after another mega Med meze — this time a seafood extravaganza at Afxentis Fish Restaurant. Dish after dish arrived — calamari, prawns, mussels, octopus, sea bream, red mullet. All divine.
Sea, sunshine, superb food, Cypriot hospitality and beautiful landscapes — all I needed for a blissful winter escape.
GO: Cyprus
GETTING THERE: Fly to Larnaca or Paphos with easyJet, Jet2, Wizzair or British Airways from £31.99 one way.
If you have an early-morning flight, see holidayextras.com for airport parking, hotels, lounges and transfers.
STAYING THERE: Doubles with including breakfast are from £82 per night at Rise Street Art Hotel, Larnaca (therisehotel.com), from £117 at Petit Palais Boutique Hotel in Platres (petitpalais.com.cy), and from £218 at City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol (cityofdreamsmed.com.cy).
