Every festival, concert and village feast worth crossing the island for — wine festivals, open-air opera at floodlit castles, music festivals and centuries-old traditions. What’s still to come, listed by month.
The biggest wine festival in Cyprus, running nine days in the Municipal Gardens on the seafront. Entry is €5 for adults (€3 for 13–17s, under-12s free) and the wineries’ tastings inside are free; a wine glass costs €1.50–2.50 extra. Food, music and dance every evening.
The Republic's flagship state-backed arts festival, staged every autumn since the early 1990s with theatre, dance, classical music and contemporary performance spread across the main cities. Programming mixes international touring productions with Cypriot work, and quality varies year to year with the line-up. Tickets are generally reasonably priced, and some events are free.
Anogyra is the heartland of pastelli — the chewy traditional sweet made from carob syrup — and each September the village celebrates its carob heritage with demonstrations, tastings, music and stalls. It is a small, genuine village affair, and a good excuse to visit the carob museum while you are there. Come hungry and leave with a bag of pastelli.
For the last weekend of September, the square around Ayia Napa's medieval monastery hosts free open-air concerts, folk-dance troupes from around the world, craft demonstrations and food stalls. Running since the mid-1980s and timed to World Tourism Day, it is a genuinely local, family-friendly celebration that shows the resort town's quieter cultural side once the summer party crowd has thinned.
The island's home-grown pop culture convention, running annually since the mid-2010s with cosplay contests, artist alley, gaming zones and comic vendors. It is smaller and friendlier than the giant international cons, which makes it easy to actually see everything in a day. Tickets are modestly priced and the cosplay standard is impressively high for a small island.
A Sunday in Agios Mamas, one of the Commandaria wine villages in the hills north of Limassol, where you can watch — and help with — the making of ppalouzes and soutzoukos, the grape-must sweets of the harvest. Live folk music and dancing, a village market, donkey rides and storytelling for children; free entry.
The fourth edition of a harvest afternoon in Potamiou, a small village in the Limassol wine country: local wine and zivania, palouzes, soutzoukos, trahanas and tremithopita, workshops in traditional cooking, a cycling wine route and folk music and dancing into the evening. Free entry.
Two evenings of opera arias and songs with the soprano Aida Garifullina, tenor Kirill Sikora and baritone Semyon Antakov, accompanied by the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra under Myron Michailidis, in the Greco-Roman theatre on the cliff at Kourion. Concerts start at 8pm; tickets from €80.
The autumn edition of Nicosia’s open-air music weekend, with DJs across both days and the Sunday given over to Greek hits. The organiser posts the venue and tickets on its social pages.
One of the highest villages in the Troodos, Kyperounta is apple country, and its October festival marks the harvest with an open-air market of fresh apples, juice, pies and apple vinegar, an exhibition of the apple varieties grown in Cyprus, a best-apple-pie contest, and Cypriot music and dance. Started in 2002 as a village get-together, it has run over two days since 2014. The mountain air is noticeably crisp by then, so bring a layer.
The island's official short-film competition, staged each October at Limassol's elegant Rialto Theatre and a partner of the European Film Academy. A week of fiction, animation, documentary and experimental shorts from Cyprus and around the world screens to a genuinely engaged audience, ending with an awards night. Tickets are modest, and it is a great window into new filmmaking talent.
The second olive festival of Nikitari–Asinou, in the Troodos foothills west of Nicosia: guided walks with olive picking, a cracked-olive workshop, olive-grove photography walks, dancing, live music and stalls of handmade products and food. Free entry for everyone.
An all-day celebration of Cypriot village cooking high in the Pitsilia area of the Troodos: hands-on workshops making traditional cheeses and other products, free tastings of what comes off the fire, and local artisans selling their goods. Free entry, 10am to 5pm.
A marathon through the free Famagusta district, run with the municipalities of Paralimni–Deryneia and Ayia Napa–Sotira. Alongside the full 42 km there are half-marathon, 10 km and 5 km races; runners enter through the organiser’s site, and watching from the roadside costs nothing.
Each autumn the square around Ayia Napa's Venetian-era monastery turns medieval: street theatre and plays staged against the monastery walls, music and dance troupes from across Europe, a costumed "Streets of the Crusaders" parade, a market selling wine from wooden barrels and medieval food, and pottery and basketry workshops. It lands after the summer crowds have thinned, and it is genuinely good fun with children.
The orchestra’s “Starlight 1” programme, played twice: Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with George-Emmanuel Lazaridis, Bizet’s Carmen Suites and the Cyprus premiere of Nestor Taylor’s “The Path of the Archangel”, conducted by Zoe Zeniodi. Nicosia on 15 October, Limassol on 16 October, 8.30pm; tickets €12–25.
A weekend in Kalo Chorio, one of the villages that make Commandaria, built around the sweet wine and the harvest traditions that go with it: help prepare palouzes, taste the village’s traditional products for free, and try Commandaria and zivania. Free entry.
One of the older events on the international rally calendar, run since 1970 on the winding gravel roads of the Troodos mountains above Limassol, usually in October. Watching from the roadside stages is free, and the sight and sound of rally cars sliding through the pine forest is a real thrill for petrolheads. Stages and dates are published in advance — follow the marshals and arrive early for the best spots.
A weekend of open-water swimming from Ayia Napa Marina, part of the international OCEANMAN series: a 10 km OCEANMAN, a 5 km Half, a 2 km Sprint, team relays and a kids’ race. Swimmers’ entry starts at €40; the welcome party is on the Friday evening at the marina.
An endurance ride from Pano Lefkara on Sunday 15 November: the Grand route climbs 4,750 m over 166 km and the Demi 2,000 m over 74 km, through the Machairas monastery area and the Pitsilia wine villages. It closes a four-day race week in the village with social rides, talks and cycling films.
Larnaca's flat, scenic road race starts on the palm-lined Finikoudes seafront, close to the salt lake where flamingos spend the winter, in November when the weather is ideal for running. Alongside the full and half marathon there are 10 km, 5 km, corporate 5 km and 1 km children's races, so it suits club runners and families alike. Entrants pay a fee, but cheering from the promenade is free.
Each winter the Deputy Ministry of Tourism dresses nine villages for Christmas — Agros, Deryneia, Fikardou, Kakopetria, Kalopanagiotis, Kyperounta, Lefkara, Lofou and Statos-Agios Fotios — with lights, cultural events, stalls of local products and crafts, cooking and craft workshops, guided village walks and holiday menus in the tavernas. Free to wander, and at its most atmospheric in the mountain villages on a cold evening.
A staged running event over four days around Paphos and the Akamas: a 6 km time trial, an 11 km mountain trail run, a multi-terrain half marathon and a 10 km city run — a little more than a marathon in total, mostly through the Akamas nature reserve.
Over two consecutive November weekends the mountain villages of Alona, Pedoulas, Pelendri and Fikardou fire up their stills for zivania — the clear spirit Cypriots have distilled from grape pomace for centuries. The distilling is done on site, with stalls of village products, music and dancing, and the local sights open to visitors. Dates are announced each autumn, so check before driving up.
The Troodos village of Spilia holds an autumn festival of wild mushrooms, with mushroom products and traditional dishes for sale and a chance to learn about the species that grow in the surrounding forest — then walk them off around the village. The 2026 events calendar lists its 8th edition in November.
Every December Eleftheria Square in the old city becomes Nicosia's official Christmas market, spilling into the D'Avila moat below the Venetian walls. In 2025 it ran from 29 November to 4 January, with around 40 local makers a day, craft workshops, live performances and street food. Free entry; check the municipality's announcement for this year's dates.
Three nights at Limassol's Rialto Theatre giving a full picture of the island's contemporary jazz, improvised and world music, organised with the Deputy Ministry of Culture. The 2025 edition ran on 5–7 December, and the 2026 events calendar lists the 13th edition for December.
A December road race that closes the running year: the half marathon runs through Ayia Napa's main streets and out towards Cape Greco, with flatter 10 km and 5 km courses alongside. The 2025 race was on 21 December; watching costs nothing.
On Epiphany, 6 January, a procession leaves each seaside town's cathedral for the water at about 10.30am; the bishop throws the Holy Cross into the sea and young men dive into the winter water to bring it back. Larnaca's ceremony, from Agios Lazaros Church to the marina, is the island's best known, and the same rite takes place at Limassol's old port, Paphos harbour, Latsi and Ayia Napa harbour. A short, moving piece of living Orthodox tradition, free to watch.
A mountain running race around Kambos, a remote village in the forests of north-west Troodos, organised by the Kambos and Tsakkistra development association with the community council. The race starts at 8am; entry from €18.
The capital's marathon runs through a city where the Venetian walls meet modern Nicosia, passing the Liberty Monument, Famagusta Gate and the old town, with the start and finish around Eleftheria Square. A half marathon, a 10 km, 5 km and corporate races and children's races run the same morning. Runners pay an entry fee; cheering from the old-town streets is free.
An international gathering of winter sea swimmers hosted by the Ayia Napa Winter Swimmers Club. The third edition ran from 17 to 20 January 2026, with a group swim, tai chi and yoga on the beach, a children's sand-art contest and excursions for visiting swimmers. Watching from the beach is free — joining the swim is for the hardy.
When the almond orchards flower in February, three hill villages hold blossom festivals: Limnatis above Limassol, and Giolou and Salamiou in the Paphos hills. Expect village food and music among trees in full bloom. Each community board sets its own date — the 2026 events calendar gives their phone numbers — so check before you go.
Cyprus's biggest and oldest carnival, running for well over a century, fills Limassol with fancy dress, satirical floats and serpentine-throwing crowds for the days before Lent. The Grand Parade on the final Sunday is the highlight — arrive early, as the route gets genuinely packed and parking is a battle. Dates shift each year with Orthodox Easter; carnival events are also held in Paphos, Larnaca, Nicosia and Paralimni.
The first day of Orthodox Lent is a public holiday that Cypriots spend outdoors, flying kites and picnicking on Lenten food — olives, tahini, flatbreads, seafood and fresh greens. It is a tradition rather than an organised festival, but visit any park or open hillside and you will see the sky full of kites. The date moves each year with Orthodox Easter, usually landing in late February or March.
Held since 1999 and the island's most historic marathon, it starts at Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite's birthplace, and follows the coast into Paphos; a half marathon, a 10 km race and a 5 km sunset run start and finish at the medieval castle by the harbour. It is usually in early March (8 March in 2026, when TUI was the title sponsor). Registration fees apply for runners; spectating around the harbour costs nothing.
A spring running weekend on a flat seafront course along Limassol's Molos promenade. Alongside the full marathon there are a half marathon, a 10 km, a 5 km city race, a corporate 5 km and youth races, so it draws everyone from club athletes to first-timers. It was held on 21–22 March in 2026. Runners pay an entry fee; watching from the promenade is free.
Eight days before Orthodox Easter, the icon of Saint Lazarus — Larnaca's patron saint, whose tomb lies beneath the ninth-century church that bears his name — is carried in procession through the town's streets. It is a solemn, atmospheric occasion rather than a party, and one of the most authentic religious traditions a visitor can respectfully observe. Dates follow the Orthodox calendar, so check the year's Easter.
On Orthodox Easter Saturday night, communities across Cyprus build towering bonfires — the lambratzia — lit around the midnight Resurrection service, often with an effigy of Judas on top. It is a communal, slightly wild spectacle best experienced in a village churchyard, and completely free. Orthodox Easter usually falls in April or early May, so the date moves each year.
A spring flower parade with roots in the ancient festivals of Dionysus, revived in Limassol in the early twentieth century. Floats decorated entirely in fresh blooms roll along the seafront, with schools and community groups taking part. It is a short, gentle affair rather than an all-day event — lovely if you are already in town, charming rather than spectacular.
Agros is famous for its Damascena roses, harvested each May to make rosewater, and the village celebrates with a weekend of music, dancing and stalls selling rose products of every kind. It is a small mountain village, so expect a homely community fete rather than a big production — that is rather the point. Combine it with a Troodos drive for a proper day out.
The largest technology and startup festival between Europe and the Middle East, drawing founders, investors and speakers to Limassol for two intensive days of talks and networking. It reflects the city's growing tech scene and has a noticeably international crowd. Tickets are aimed at professionals, so it is one for the work-and-travel visitor rather than the beach holidaymaker.
Limassol's biggest street party takes over Saripolou and Athinon streets in the old town for a day each spring, usually in early May. Street artists paint live murals, skaters and BMX riders take over pop-up ramps, and an artists' market and DJ sets run alongside food stalls. It is free and high-energy — family-friendly by day, a proper party after dark. Check the exact date each year as it shifts.
The Pharos Arts Foundation brings world-class chamber musicians to Cyprus each early summer, with concerts in the intimate Shoe Factory in old Nicosia and the atmospheric medieval Royal Manor House at Kouklia near Paphos. The playing is of a genuinely international standard and the settings are special. Audiences are small by design, so book tickets ahead.
The wine-making village of Stroumbi in the Paphos hills throws its Dionysia festival in late August, with local wine flowing, traditional dancing and Cypriot food in the village square. It is one of the older village wine festivals on the island and keeps a properly local feel. Evenings are the time to go; a designated driver is a sensible idea on the winding roads.
Held each August at the atmospheric Lanitis Carob Mill beside Limassol Castle, this well-regarded festival screens some of the year's most striking documentaries from around the world, all with Greek and English subtitles. Tickets are only a couple of euros, and the old-town setting makes an easy evening of it. One for film lovers after something beyond the beach.
A nomadic, participatory arts festival that sets up in a different rural Cypriot village each year — past hosts include Lofou, Koilani, Lympia, Agros and Kornos. Over a long weekend the village fills with workshops, exhibitions, live music, film and performances made with the local community. It is a warm, creative antidote to the resort scene; the location and dates change annually, so check the year's programme.
Dates are compiled from public listings and are indicative — annual festivals can shift by a few days each year, so please confirm with the organiser before you travel. All events listed are in the Republic of Cyprus.
The island’s recurring festivals and traditions, month by month — dates shift a little each year, so check with the organiser
On Epiphany, 6 January, a procession leaves each seaside town's cathedral for the water at about 10.30am; the bishop throws the Holy Cross into the sea and young men dive into the winter water to bring it back. Larnaca's ceremony, from Agios Lazaros Church to the marina, is the island's best known, and the same rite takes place at Limassol's old port, Paphos harbour, Latsi and Ayia Napa harbour. A short, moving piece of living Orthodox tradition, free to watch.
An international gathering of winter sea swimmers hosted by the Ayia Napa Winter Swimmers Club. The third edition ran from 17 to 20 January 2026, with a group swim, tai chi and yoga on the beach, a children's sand-art contest and excursions for visiting swimmers. Watching from the beach is free — joining the swim is for the hardy.
The capital's marathon runs through a city where the Venetian walls meet modern Nicosia, passing the Liberty Monument, Famagusta Gate and the old town, with the start and finish around Eleftheria Square. A half marathon, a 10 km, 5 km and corporate races and children's races run the same morning. Runners pay an entry fee; cheering from the old-town streets is free.
When the almond orchards flower in February, three hill villages hold blossom festivals: Limnatis above Limassol, and Giolou and Salamiou in the Paphos hills. Expect village food and music among trees in full bloom. Each community board sets its own date — the 2026 events calendar gives their phone numbers — so check before you go.
Cyprus's biggest and oldest carnival, running for well over a century, fills Limassol with fancy dress, satirical floats and serpentine-throwing crowds for the days before Lent. The Grand Parade on the final Sunday is the highlight — arrive early, as the route gets genuinely packed and parking is a battle. Dates shift each year with Orthodox Easter; carnival events are also held in Paphos, Larnaca, Nicosia and Paralimni.
A spring running weekend on a flat seafront course along Limassol's Molos promenade. Alongside the full marathon there are a half marathon, a 10 km, a 5 km city race, a corporate 5 km and youth races, so it draws everyone from club athletes to first-timers. It was held on 21–22 March in 2026. Runners pay an entry fee; watching from the promenade is free.
Held since 1999 and the island's most historic marathon, it starts at Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite's birthplace, and follows the coast into Paphos; a half marathon, a 10 km race and a 5 km sunset run start and finish at the medieval castle by the harbour. It is usually in early March (8 March in 2026, when TUI was the title sponsor). Registration fees apply for runners; spectating around the harbour costs nothing.
The first day of Orthodox Lent is a public holiday that Cypriots spend outdoors, flying kites and picnicking on Lenten food — olives, tahini, flatbreads, seafood and fresh greens. It is a tradition rather than an organised festival, but visit any park or open hillside and you will see the sky full of kites. The date moves each year with Orthodox Easter, usually landing in late February or March.
Eight days before Orthodox Easter, the icon of Saint Lazarus — Larnaca's patron saint, whose tomb lies beneath the ninth-century church that bears his name — is carried in procession through the town's streets. It is a solemn, atmospheric occasion rather than a party, and one of the most authentic religious traditions a visitor can respectfully observe. Dates follow the Orthodox calendar, so check the year's Easter.
On Orthodox Easter Saturday night, communities across Cyprus build towering bonfires — the lambratzia — lit around the midnight Resurrection service, often with an effigy of Judas on top. It is a communal, slightly wild spectacle best experienced in a village churchyard, and completely free. Orthodox Easter usually falls in April or early May, so the date moves each year.
A spring flower parade with roots in the ancient festivals of Dionysus, revived in Limassol in the early twentieth century. Floats decorated entirely in fresh blooms roll along the seafront, with schools and community groups taking part. It is a short, gentle affair rather than an all-day event — lovely if you are already in town, charming rather than spectacular.
Agros is famous for its Damascena roses, harvested each May to make rosewater, and the village celebrates with a weekend of music, dancing and stalls selling rose products of every kind. It is a small mountain village, so expect a homely community fete rather than a big production — that is rather the point. Combine it with a Troodos drive for a proper day out.
The largest technology and startup festival between Europe and the Middle East, drawing founders, investors and speakers to Limassol for two intensive days of talks and networking. It reflects the city's growing tech scene and has a noticeably international crowd. Tickets are aimed at professionals, so it is one for the work-and-travel visitor rather than the beach holidaymaker.
Limassol's biggest street party takes over Saripolou and Athinon streets in the old town for a day each spring, usually in early May. Street artists paint live murals, skaters and BMX riders take over pop-up ramps, and an artists' market and DJ sets run alongside food stalls. It is free and high-energy — family-friendly by day, a proper party after dark. Check the exact date each year as it shifts.
The Pharos Arts Foundation brings world-class chamber musicians to Cyprus each early summer, with concerts in the intimate Shoe Factory in old Nicosia and the atmospheric medieval Royal Manor House at Kouklia near Paphos. The playing is of a genuinely international standard and the settings are special. Audiences are small by design, so book tickets ahead.
The wine-making village of Stroumbi in the Paphos hills throws its Dionysia festival in late August, with local wine flowing, traditional dancing and Cypriot food in the village square. It is one of the older village wine festivals on the island and keeps a properly local feel. Evenings are the time to go; a designated driver is a sensible idea on the winding roads.
Held each August at the atmospheric Lanitis Carob Mill beside Limassol Castle, this well-regarded festival screens some of the year's most striking documentaries from around the world, all with Greek and English subtitles. Tickets are only a couple of euros, and the old-town setting makes an easy evening of it. One for film lovers after something beyond the beach.
A nomadic, participatory arts festival that sets up in a different rural Cypriot village each year — past hosts include Lofou, Koilani, Lympia, Agros and Kornos. Over a long weekend the village fills with workshops, exhibitions, live music, film and performances made with the local community. It is a warm, creative antidote to the resort scene; the location and dates change annually, so check the year's programme.
The Republic's flagship state-backed arts festival, staged every autumn since the early 1990s with theatre, dance, classical music and contemporary performance spread across the main cities. Programming mixes international touring productions with Cypriot work, and quality varies year to year with the line-up. Tickets are generally reasonably priced, and some events are free.
Anogyra is the heartland of pastelli — the chewy traditional sweet made from carob syrup — and each September the village celebrates its carob heritage with demonstrations, tastings, music and stalls. It is a small, genuine village affair, and a good excuse to visit the carob museum while you are there. Come hungry and leave with a bag of pastelli.
For the last weekend of September, the square around Ayia Napa's medieval monastery hosts free open-air concerts, folk-dance troupes from around the world, craft demonstrations and food stalls. Running since the mid-1980s and timed to World Tourism Day, it is a genuinely local, family-friendly celebration that shows the resort town's quieter cultural side once the summer party crowd has thinned.
Each autumn the square around Ayia Napa's Venetian-era monastery turns medieval: street theatre and plays staged against the monastery walls, music and dance troupes from across Europe, a costumed "Streets of the Crusaders" parade, a market selling wine from wooden barrels and medieval food, and pottery and basketry workshops. It lands after the summer crowds have thinned, and it is genuinely good fun with children.
The island's home-grown pop culture convention, running annually since the mid-2010s with cosplay contests, artist alley, gaming zones and comic vendors. It is smaller and friendlier than the giant international cons, which makes it easy to actually see everything in a day. Tickets are modestly priced and the cosplay standard is impressively high for a small island.
One of the highest villages in the Troodos, Kyperounta is apple country, and its October festival marks the harvest with an open-air market of fresh apples, juice, pies and apple vinegar, an exhibition of the apple varieties grown in Cyprus, a best-apple-pie contest, and Cypriot music and dance. Started in 2002 as a village get-together, it has run over two days since 2014. The mountain air is noticeably crisp by then, so bring a layer.
One of the older events on the international rally calendar, run since 1970 on the winding gravel roads of the Troodos mountains above Limassol, usually in October. Watching from the roadside stages is free, and the sight and sound of rally cars sliding through the pine forest is a real thrill for petrolheads. Stages and dates are published in advance — follow the marshals and arrive early for the best spots.
The island's official short-film competition, staged each October at Limassol's elegant Rialto Theatre and a partner of the European Film Academy. A week of fiction, animation, documentary and experimental shorts from Cyprus and around the world screens to a genuinely engaged audience, ending with an awards night. Tickets are modest, and it is a great window into new filmmaking talent.
Larnaca's flat, scenic road race starts on the palm-lined Finikoudes seafront, close to the salt lake where flamingos spend the winter, in November when the weather is ideal for running. Alongside the full and half marathon there are 10 km, 5 km, corporate 5 km and 1 km children's races, so it suits club runners and families alike. Entrants pay a fee, but cheering from the promenade is free.
Over two consecutive November weekends the mountain villages of Alona, Pedoulas, Pelendri and Fikardou fire up their stills for zivania — the clear spirit Cypriots have distilled from grape pomace for centuries. The distilling is done on site, with stalls of village products, music and dancing, and the local sights open to visitors. Dates are announced each autumn, so check before driving up.
The Troodos village of Spilia holds an autumn festival of wild mushrooms, with mushroom products and traditional dishes for sale and a chance to learn about the species that grow in the surrounding forest — then walk them off around the village. The 2026 events calendar lists its 8th edition in November.
Each winter the Deputy Ministry of Tourism dresses nine villages for Christmas — Agros, Deryneia, Fikardou, Kakopetria, Kalopanagiotis, Kyperounta, Lefkara, Lofou and Statos-Agios Fotios — with lights, cultural events, stalls of local products and crafts, cooking and craft workshops, guided village walks and holiday menus in the tavernas. Free to wander, and at its most atmospheric in the mountain villages on a cold evening.
Every December Eleftheria Square in the old city becomes Nicosia's official Christmas market, spilling into the D'Avila moat below the Venetian walls. In 2025 it ran from 29 November to 4 January, with around 40 local makers a day, craft workshops, live performances and street food. Free entry; check the municipality's announcement for this year's dates.
Three nights at Limassol's Rialto Theatre giving a full picture of the island's contemporary jazz, improvised and world music, organised with the Deputy Ministry of Culture. The 2025 edition ran on 5–7 December, and the 2026 events calendar lists the 13th edition for December.
A December road race that closes the running year: the half marathon runs through Ayia Napa's main streets and out towards Cape Greco, with flatter 10 km and 5 km courses alongside. The 2025 race was on 21 December; watching costs nothing.
