Paphos Festivals & Events Calendar (2026)

Paphos celebrates throughout the year. From ancient traditions rooted in millennia of history to modern cultural festivals that draw international artists, there is almost always something happening in and around the city. Timing your visit to coincide with one of these events can transform a great holiday into an unforgettable one. Here is the complete calendar, updated for 2026.

Carnival (Apokries), February

Cypriot Carnival (Apokries) runs for the three weeks before Orthodox Lent, culminating in a colourful parade through the streets of Paphos. The tradition has roots stretching back to ancient Dionysian festivals, and the modern celebration mixes Greek Orthodox customs with Mediterranean exuberance.

The grand Paphos Carnival parade takes place on the Sunday before Clean Monday (the start of Lent). Floats, costumed dancers, marching bands, and thousands of spectators fill the main streets of Kato Paphos. Children throw confetti and streamers, music pours from every direction, and the atmosphere is joyful and infectious.

• When: Carnival period 12 to 22 February 2026, grand parade Saturday 21 February at 15:00.
• Where: Griva Digeni Avenue and the town centre of Paphos, walkable from the apartment.
• Cost: Free to watch.
• What to expect: A family-friendly celebration. Dress up if you want, many locals and visitors wear costumes. Bring confetti.

Orthodox Easter (Pascha), April

Easter is the biggest event in the Cypriot calendar, far more important than Christmas. The Orthodox Easter celebration is a multi-day experience that combines solemn religious observance with joyful communal feasting. If your visit coincides with Easter, you are in for something genuinely special.

• Good Friday (Megali Paraskevi), 10 April 2026: The most solemn day. In the evening, every church in Paphos holds a funeral procession (Epitaphios) through the streets. Brass bands play funeral marches, crowds carry candles, and the flower-decorated bier of Christ is carried through the town. It is deeply moving regardless of your faith.
• Holy Saturday midnight, 11 April 2026: At midnight, church bells ring across Paphos, fireworks explode, and everyone lights candles from the Holy Fire brought from the church. The priest declares "Christos Anesti!" (Christ is risen!) and the response "Alithos Anesti!" (Truly He is risen!) echoes through the crowds. People embrace, candles flicker everywhere, and the fast is broken with flaouna (cheese pastry) and red eggs.
• Easter Sunday, 12 April 2026: The grand feast. Whole lambs and goats are spit-roasted (souvla) in gardens, courtyards, and public spaces across Paphos. The smell of roasting meat fills the entire city. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Cypriot family's Easter celebration, say yes, it is the most generous hospitality you will experience anywhere.

Good to know: Orthodox Easter often falls one to five weeks after Western Easter. In 2026 it lands on 12 April, almost a week after the Catholic and Protestant date.

Anthestiria Flower Festival, May

A fragrant celebration of the Mediterranean spring. Flower-covered floats and performing groups parade through the centre of Paphos, ending with live music at the Town Hall square. It is colourful, free, and easy to reach from the apartment, one of the prettiest mornings on the Paphos calendar.

• When: Sunday 10 May 2026, parade from 16:30 to 18:00, events until 20:00.
• Where: Griva Digeni Avenue to 28 October Square, Paphos.
• Cost: Free.

Latsi Fish Festival, May

A working fishing harbour turns into a seafood party for a day. The Latsi (Latchi) Fish Festival fills the quayside with grilled fish stalls, flyboard shows, live music, and traditional dance. It pairs perfectly with a morning on the beaches of the Akamas peninsula.

• When: Saturday 2 May 2026, from 11:00.
• Where: Latsi Harbour, Polis Chrysochous, about 75 minutes drive north of Kato Paphos.
• Cost: Free entry, pay per plate.

Kataklysmos (Festival of the Flood), late May to June

Kataklysmos is unique to Cyprus, a festival not celebrated anywhere else in the world. It takes place 50 days after Easter (coinciding with Pentecost) and celebrates humanity's survival of the biblical Flood. The festival has blended with older pagan maritime traditions, creating a uniquely Cypriot celebration centred on the sea.

In Paphos, the harbour area comes alive with stalls, live music, traditional games, poetry duels (chatista), and performances. The central ritual involves throwing water, at each other, into the sea, everywhere. Children armed with water pistols run through the crowds, and it is impossible to stay dry. The atmosphere is pure Mediterranean fun.

• When: 29 May to 1 June 2026, with the main celebration on the Monday after Pentecost.
• Where: Kato Paphos seafront and the Medieval Castle Square, right on the doorstep of the resort area.
• What to bring: Clothes you do not mind getting wet. A water pistol helps you join in.

Paphos BeerFest, August

Five evenings of cold beer and live music right on the harbour. The Paphos BeerFest pours local and international brews in the floodlit square in front of the medieval castle, with food stalls and a relaxed, walk-from-the-apartment atmosphere.

• When: 5 to 9 August 2026, evenings.
• Where: Square in front of the medieval castle, Paphos Harbour.
• Cost: Low entry, pay per drink.

Wine Festivals, August and September

Cyprus's love affair with wine is celebrated in several festivals during late summer. The most famous is the Limassol Wine Festival, but the Paphos district has its own village events:

• Statos-Agios Fotios Wine Festival (August): A small village festival in the wine country above Paphos. Local wineries pour freely, live music plays, and the village women prepare traditional food. The atmosphere is intimate and authentically Cypriot, no tourist staging, just a genuine village celebration. Entrance is usually EUR 5 to 10 including unlimited tasting.
• Omodos Wine Festival (August): The beautiful wine village of Omodos hosts an annual wine festival in its cobblestoned square. Local wineries, traditional food, folk music, and a warm village atmosphere. Combine it with a visit to the Timios Stavros Monastery.
• Limassol Wine Festival (26 September to 4 October 2026): The biggest wine festival in Cyprus, running for nine days in the Municipal Gardens on the Limassol seafront. Entry of about EUR 5 includes a souvenir glass and tastings from over 50 Cypriot wineries. An hour's drive from the apartment. If you love wine, this is worth the trip.

Orange Festival, September

An evening village festival celebrating the citrus groves of the Paphos hinterland. Expect orange-themed food and drink, sweets, live music, and dancing in a friendly village square far from the tourist trail.

• When: 5 September 2026, 19:00 to 22:00.
• Where: Agia Paraskevi Square, Miliou village, about 35 to 45 minutes inland from Paphos.
• Cost: Free entry.

Banana Festival, October

One of the most local festivals you can reach from Kato Paphos. The coastal village of Kissonerga celebrates its famous banana plantations with plantation visits, walks to nearby archaeological sites, traditional food, sweets made with banana, music, and dancing. It is small, genuine, and just up the coast.

• When: October 2026 (exact day announced closer to the date), afternoon into the evening.
• Where: Kissonerga village square, 10 to 15 minutes north of Kato Paphos along the coast.
• Cost: Free entry.

Strawberry Festival, Deryneia (day trip), late May to June

Cyprus has a strawberry capital, and once a year Deryneia throws a festival in its honour. Fresh strawberries, strawberry cakes and liqueurs, crafts, and live music fill the village. It sits on the far east of the island, so treat it as a full day out rather than a casual evening.

• When: Late May or early June 2026 (a recent edition ran on 29 May from 17:00).
• Where: Anagennisi Stadium, Deryneia, near the eastern coast. About three hours drive from Paphos, realistic only by rental car or organised excursion.
• Cost: Free entry.

Paphos Aphrodite Festival (Opera), September

The cultural highlight of the Paphos year. Since 1999, the Paphos Aphrodite Festival has staged a full opera production in front of the medieval castle at Paphos harbour. The setting is extraordinary, a professional opera performed under the stars, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop and the illuminated castle as part of the set.

Past productions have included Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's Tosca, Bizet's Carmen, and Mozart's The Magic Flute. International opera companies from Italy, Greece, and across Europe are invited to perform, and the production values are surprisingly high for a festival of this size.

• When: Usually the first or second weekend of September. For 2026 the festival moves to June around the Cyprus EU Presidency, so check the official dates before you book.
• Where: Medieval Castle Square, Paphos Harbour.
• Tickets: EUR 15 to 85 depending on seating. Book well in advance, the festival sells out quickly.
• Atmosphere: Smart casual dress. The audience is a mix of locals, expats, and cultural tourists. Bring a light layer, evenings can be cool near the water.

Summer Cultural Events, June to September

During the summer months, Paphos hosts a continuous programme of cultural events, many of them free and outdoors:

• Ancient Odeon concerts: The restored Roman Odeon amphitheatre (10-minute walk from the apartment) hosts regular concerts and theatrical performances during summer. The acoustics are remarkable, sound carries perfectly across the ancient stone seating. Check the Paphos municipality events page for the schedule.
• Pharos Chamber Music Festival (late May to June): World-class chamber music in intimate historic venues. The concerts at the Royal Manor House in Kouklia, near Aphrodite's Rock and 20 to 25 minutes from Paphos, are the convenient option for visitors based here.
• Paphos Castle concerts: Evening performances at the medieval castle, music, dance, and sometimes theatre. The floodlit castle creates an atmospheric backdrop.
• Open-air cinema: Several pop-up outdoor cinema events run during summer, screening films in English under the stars.
• Art exhibitions: The Municipal Gallery and various venues around Paphos old town host rotating exhibitions by Cypriot and international artists.

Winter and Spring Events

Paphos does not shut down in winter. The mild climate (15 to 20°C in January and February) means outdoor events continue year-round:

• New Year's Eve: The harbour area hosts a public celebration with live music and fireworks at midnight. Hotels and restaurants run special dinner events.
• Epiphany, Blessing of the Waters (6 January): A cross is thrown into the sea at the harbour, and young men dive in to retrieve it. The one who finds it receives a blessing for the year. A short, dramatic ceremony that draws large crowds.
• Green Monday (Kathara Deftera, late February): The first day of Lent, celebrated with kite-flying, picnics, and Lenten food. A uniquely joyful start to the fasting period.
• International Dance Festival (Spring): The Paphos municipality organises an annual dance festival featuring international groups performing traditional and contemporary dance at various venues.

Monthly Events Calendar 2026

• January: New Year celebrations, Epiphany (6 January)
• February: Carnival season (parade 21 February), Clean Monday (23 February)
• April: Orthodox Easter (10 to 13 April), spring wildflowers
• May: Anthestiria Flower Festival (10 May), Latsi Fish Festival (2 May), Kataklysmos begins (from 29 May), hiking season peak
• June: Kataklysmos main day (1 June), Pharos Chamber Music, summer events begin
• July: Ancient Odeon concerts, beach season peak
• August: Paphos BeerFest (5 to 9 August), village wine festivals, outdoor cinema
• September: Orange Festival (5 September), Limassol Wine Festival (from 26 September), Aphrodite Festival opera
• October: Banana Festival in Kissonerga, Greek National Day (28 October), autumn wine events
• November: Quiet season, perfect for hiking and cultural visits
• December: Christmas markets, New Year's Eve events