Area guide: Winter in Cyprus

What to expect if you stay with us between November and March

Last checked: September 2026

Winter is the quiet season around Kouklia: often mild and sunny, good for golf and long walks, and without the summer crowds. It isn’t always sunny, though, so here is an honest picture of what to expect, whether you’re coming for a week or staying longer.

What the weather is really like
Keeping warm at the villas
What to do in winter
Festivals and holidays
What’s closed or quieter

What the weather is really like

Average daytime highs and overnight lows at Paphos airport, with the average sea temperature:

November: highs 23°C, lows 13°C, sea 22°C
December: highs 19°C, lows 10°C, sea 19°C
January: highs 17°C, lows 9°C, sea 18°C
February: highs 18°C, lows 8–9°C, sea 17°C
March: highs 19°C, lows 10°C, sea 17°C

December and January are the wettest months, with around 90–100 mm of rain each; November and February get about 60 mm, and March is drier. Rain tends to come in spells, as weather systems pass over and bring a day or so of unsettled weather at a time. Even in midwinter the coast averages around six hours of sunshine a day, rising to about eight in March.

Evenings are cool, with midwinter lows of 8–10°C, so pack a warm layer and a rain jacket, and keep a few indoor plans for wet days.

The sea can still be pleasant in November, but December to April is on the cool side (see our beaches guide). If you do swim, remember that there are no lifeguards on the beaches in winter.

Keeping warm at the villas

Hot tubs: each villa has a private six-person hot tub, heated and included in the rate all year round. As one guest who stayed at Villa Pontus in January put it: “You can live in the hot tub of an evening.”
Pool heating: available in winter and spring for an extra charge. Heating takes 2–4 days, so please give us about a week’s notice. Unheated, the pool stays close to the average overnight low – see our FAQ.
Heating: there’s no central heating, but each bedroom and the living room has an air conditioning unit that also heats, with unlimited use. The units switch off after 6 hours in the bedrooms and 2 hours in the living room – just switch them back on. The full bathrooms all have heated towel rails.
Fireplace: Villa Pontus has a wood-burning fireplace. We don’t supply firewood, but you can buy it in local stores.

Cypriot houses are built to stay cool rather than hold heat, so bring a sweater for the evenings. For longer stays, every villa has high-speed Wi-Fi, a TV with international channels, a dishwasher and a washing machine, and fresh linen or a mid-stay clean can be arranged with a few days’ notice for an extra charge.

What to do in winter

Walking and hiking

Longer walks are far more comfortable than in summer. The coastal trail toward Aphrodite’s Rock and the Cape Aspro trail near Pissouri are close by (see our sports guide). In March and April, the wildflowers on the Akamas Peninsula trails are at their best. The higher Troodos trails can have snow and ice in midwinter.

Golf

You can play year round, but late September to May avoids the heat. Secret Valley’s course is a 2-minute drive, three more are within about 30 minutes, and the newest, Limassol Greens, is about 35–40 minutes east – see our golf guide.

Almond blossom

Almond trees blossom across the island in late winter, mainly in February. The village of Yiolou (Giolou) in the Paphos district has held an Almond Blossom Festival each February in recent years, with music, local food and almond products.

Snow and skiing on Mount Olympus

Cyprus has skiing: the Cyprus Ski Club runs four lifts on Mount Olympus (1,951 m), the island’s highest point. The season usually runs from early January to the end of March, but it depends on snowfall, so check conditions first. The drive from Secret Valley takes roughly 1¼–1½ hours (approximate). After heavy snow, police can close the mountain roads or open them only to four-wheel-drive vehicles or cars with snow chains.

Wineries and archaeological sites

A cooler day is a good excuse to visit a winery in the hills – our favorites are in our food and drink guide. The Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaepaphos in Kouklia and the Kato Pafos Archaeological Park stay open in winter, until 5 pm from mid-September to mid-April. Both close on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and Palaepaphos also on Mondays. More in our activities guide.

Festivals and holidays

Christmas (25 December): mostly a family holiday, but towns and villages around Paphos and Limassol hold Christmas markets in December.
New Year: at midnight, families cut the vasilopita, a cake with a coin hidden inside that brings good luck to whoever finds it.
Epiphany, or Fota (6 January): after the morning service, processions go down to the sea in the coastal towns, including Paphos harbor. The cross is ceremonially baptized in the sea, and swimmers dive into the cold water to retrieve it.
Carnival: the Limassol Carnival (about 40 minutes away) is ten days of parties and parades, from Tsiknopempti (“Smoky Thursday”, a day of barbecues) to the Grand Carnival Parade the day before Green Monday. Its dates move with Orthodox Easter – in 2027 it runs from 4 to 14 March.
Green Monday (Kathara Deftera): the first day of Lent and a public holiday – 15 March in 2027. Families head out for picnics in the countryside and along the coast, fly kites and share fasting foods such as olives, tahini and flatbreads.
Easter: Orthodox Easter moves every year. In 2027 it falls on 2 May, after the winter season (in 2026 it was 12 April).

What’s closed or quieter

Aphrodite Hills: in our experience, most of the resort’s restaurants are closed out of season.
Water parks: Paphos Aphrodite Waterpark (April to early November) and Fasouri Watermania (May to October) are closed in winter.
Beaches: lifeguards, sunbeds and water sports rentals are generally available from mid-April to the end of October only, and some beach bars and smaller restaurants close for the winter.
Kouklia village: the Thursday “Cyprus Night” shows on the square are a high-season event, so winter evenings are calmer.
Public holidays: shops and businesses close on 25 and 26 December, and most close or keep short hours on Green Monday, so shop for groceries ahead.

If a quiet winter break with a hot tub and a view sounds good, check dates for all three villas on our Book now page.