Cyprus: Halloumi, Ancient Ruins and a Divided Island's Shared Culture
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Cyprus sits at the crossroads of three continents — Europe, Asia, and Africa — in the far eastern Mediterranean, and its history reflects every civilisation that ever controlled that crossroads: Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader, Venetian, Ottoman, British. Each left something. The layering is visible in the architecture of Nicosia, the capital, which is still divided between the Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish Cypriot north by a UN buffer zone that has been in place since 1974.
Halloumi is Cyprus's most famous export and a source of considerable cultural pride and mild international dispute. The semi-hard brined cheese, made from sheep and goat milk in a process specific to Cyprus, has a high melting point that allows it to be grilled or fried without losing its shape — making it unique among cheeses. Cyprus successfully achieved Protected Designation of Origin status for halloumi in 2021. This means only halloumi made in Cyprus can legally be called halloumi in Europe.
Cypriot meze — not a dish but a way of eating, dozens of small plates spread across a table that keeps arriving until no more is possible — is one of the Mediterranean's great hospitality traditions. Sitting down for meze in Cyprus is a three-hour commitment. The food comes in waves: dips, salads, grilled meats, seafood, halloumi in various forms, village sausages, slow-cooked stews. The meal is the event. Asking for the bill too early is a minor social offence.
