Winter in Cyprus: what is the weather like and what to do?

3226 1 15.02.2024

Content

• Is it worth going to Cyprus in winter?
• On land and at sea: is Cyprus comfortable in winter?
• Hiking and walking in Cyprus in winter
• What kind of entertainment is available in winter?
• Winter events
• Seasonal fruits and vegetables
• Weather calendar
• Features of other seasons

Is it worth going to Cyprus in winter?

Well, of course it’s worth it! Christmas and New Year fairs and festivities, New Year fireworks over the sea, tangerines and oranges are not in a fruit vase on the table, but right on the branches of the trees above your head! Snow falls in the Troodos Mountains in late December and mid—January. If you are lucky with the weather, there will be enough snow — a ski slope is being opened in the village of Prodromos. It’s an amazing feeling to go skiing on a snowy track, and after an hour sit on the seashore))

In January, the most exotic guests of the island arrive in Cyprus — pink flamingos. Tens of thousands of amazing and graceful birds gather on the salt lakes of Larnaca and Limassol.

On land and at sea: is Cyprus comfortable in winter?

On the sea

On a warm sunny day, the water temperature in shallow water can be 17-18 degrees. Such a sea for swimming is not suitable for everyone. But if such a sea is comfortable for you, you can arrange an incredibly contrasting vacation for yourself in one day:
— in the morning you go to the mountains, walk through the snow-covered forests, ski
— you move lower, where there is no snow in the mountains, and continue your walk, have lunch somewhere in a colorful village tavern
— in the evening you return to the coast and finish the day with a swim in the sea.
Agree, there are few resorts in the world where you can swim in the sea and go skiing in one day.

There is another nuance of the winter Cyprus sea: there is often excitement at sea, and sometimes storms. With a certain probability, the weather forecast can help you with this. If a storm is expected, the rest of the island is at your disposal, since there is something to do on it. 

On land

Winter is a fertile time to travel around Cyprus, especially along its coast. The air temperature in general will fluctuate around 20 degrees. There is a high probability of rains, but they are usually not prolonged. 

It is at this time that you can thoughtfully walk around seaside towns, methodically bypassing museums, monuments, historical centers. The ideal weather for walking in the national parks located on the coastline (Cavo Greco and Akamas). In general, Cyprus is becoming particularly romantic at this time of the year, so even just walking along the embankments will be a lot of fun. 

I also recommend traveling to ancient villages on the hilly plains and on the plateau. Firstly, in winter these places are somehow especially atmospheric, and secondly, the winter weather is very suitable for walking around these places. In summer, you will not be able to see these villages like this. Well, at medium altitudes in Troodos there are extremely picturesque places. Pay attention to the villages of Lefkara, Vouni, Lanja, Lofu, Pedoulas, Kalopanaiotis, Kakopetria.

It may not be as interesting in Troodos in the highlands as in the places below. If you are going to go to Troodos, check the weather forecast. In those places, snowfalls regularly occur in January and February, which is why the traffic police can block roads. The upper part of the Troodos may be covered by clouds, which may cause you to lose good views. 

Hiking and walking in Cyprus in winter

At this time of the year, you get a unique opportunity to walk along the routes of Cyprus, which will be difficult to walk in warmer months. But not all nature trails are accessible in winter. Forget about hiking in the highlands of Troodos: the trails will either be covered with snow or washed away by rains, and there are also rockfalls in those places. Your choice will be something that is located approximately below 1 kilometer. These are several dozen nature trails low in Troodos, and the plain and coastal strip.

There is also a very interesting option — to go to the northern part of Cyprus and conquer the natural routes there. In winter, snow almost never falls in the Cyrenian Mountains. There may not be many nature trails in that area, but they are all accessible in winter.

What kind of entertainment is available in Cyprus in winter?

Go skiing in the Troodos mountains; admire pink flamingos, take pictures with an orange tree showered with fruits, finally visit historical and art museums, plunge into the sea not Epiphany and admire the New Year fireworks over the sea.

Do not forget about the excursions. I can say with confidence that in winter in Cyprus, excursions are the most spectacular, interesting and justified type of vacation. During this period, guided tours take place in all directions — through archaeological parks, temples and monasteries, medieval castles and fortresses of Northern Cyprus. My favorite excursion programs in winter:

• The perfect tour
• A day in the mountains of Cyprus
• Exquisite Wine Tour
• Decorations of Cyprus: Lefkara, Kato Dris and Vavla
• The Path of Healing
• Northern Cyprus. Part 1
• Famagusta and Salamis
• Discovering Pathos

Winter events in Cyprus

Christmas Cyprus celebrates January 24th. The island is preparing for the holiday in advance — towns and villages are decorated, charity fairs and concerts are held. Solemn services are held in churches on the holiday. January 25 is a public holiday.

The New Year is celebrated in Cyprus on a smaller scale than Christmas. New Year celebrations and fireworks are organized in all towns and villages of Cyprus.

Epiphany (Epiphany) is widely celebrated on January 6th. Festive services are held in the temples, then a solemn procession follows to the seashore. The priest throws the cross into the sea, sanctifying the water, and the men dive for the cross to receive a blessing.

February 12-18 — Apocryia and the famous Limassol Carnival. The last week before Lent (in our opinion, Carnival week) is widely celebrated in Cyprus — fairs and concerts, carnival processions in all cities of Cyprus, Limassol with its stunningly colorful and vibrant festival is rightfully considered the capital of Apocryia.

February 19 — Green (clean) Monday — the first day of Lent, a real feast of fresh fruits, vegetables and spicy greens.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables

Bananas

In Cyprus, bananas are usually harvested throughout the year. So Cypriot bananas are quite a winter fruit.  However, the main banana crop ripens and is harvested in spring and summer.  Banana production in Cyprus is largely concentrated on the southern coast, where favorable climatic conditions ensure optimal growth and maturation of this fruit. Cypriot bananas are small and very sweet, the price is 1.5 — 2.5 euros per kg. There are also banana plantations in the northern part of Cyprus.

Olives

January-early February in Cyprus is the final stage of olive harvesting. This time is optimal for harvesting olives, as they reach optimal maturity, which ensures the best oil quality and yield. Different varieties of olives are grown in Cyprus, each with its own unique taste and texture characteristics. Some of the most common varieties are Kalamata, Mavroelia and Koroneiki. Cypriot olives are considered one of the most outstanding by the criterion of richness of flavors and aromas. 

Citrus fruits

Tangerines, clementines, oranges, pomelo, grapefruits can be bought in Cyprus all year round. The price is from 1-1.5 euros per kg. Cyprus citrus fruits are distinguished by their strong aroma and high content of citric acid.

See: Prices in Cyprus (updated summary)

Weather calendar

December

December and January are the coldest time on the island, the air temperature drops to 16-19 degrees. Frequent rains, snow falls in the mountains. Since there are no winter tires in Cyprus, travel to the mountains is restricted for cars not equipped with chains.

It gets light at 6:35/ 6:55, darkens at 16:35/ 16:45. 

January

If you are lucky with snow, in January it will cover the slopes of Olympus, locals will go to the mountains to admire the unusual decoration of their sunny island, a ski slope will open in the village of Prodromos.

It gets light at 6:55/ 6:45, darkens at 16:45/ 17:15 

February

Spring begins, fruit trees and wild poppies bloom. The air is gradually warming up, but the probability of precipitation is still high.

It gets light at 6:45/ 6:15, darkens at 17:15/ 17:40 (February 1 / February 28, 2018) 

Read about the peculiarities of the seasons in Cyprus:

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Winter in Cyprus

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Spring in Cyprus

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Summer in Cyprus

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Autumn in Cyprus

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