Best Time to Visit Cyprus

Spring and autumn are the sweet spots

For most people, April to June and October to November work best. The sea is warm enough for a swim, and you can walk around ancient sites without melting. Spring is also green and full of wildflowers. If you like hiking, try the Akamas Peninsula near Paphos or the Troodos mountains then.

Nicosia and Larnaca do well a little earlier, from March. Limassol and Paphos stay pleasant into June, and Limassol is also good in September. The sea holds its summer warmth well into autumn, so October beach days are easy.

Summer is hot, and the coast is busy

July and August are the peak. Nicosia is the hottest place in our list, at 37°C in July. Inland afternoons are fierce, so it's not the month for walking the old city walls at midday. Paphos is also hottest in July, while Limassol and Larnaca peak in August. The coast feels cooler thanks to the sea breeze.

This is high season. School holidays bring families from across Europe, and beach towns like Ayia Napa and Protaras fill up. Prices rise with the crowds. If you hate crowds, avoid August. If you do come, spend the hot hours by the sea or up in Troodos, where it's much cooler.

Winter is mild but wet

January is the wettest month in all four places, with Paphos the rainiest at 90 mm. Rain usually comes in bursts rather than all day, and you'll still get sunny gaps. It's too chilly for most beach days, but it's quiet and cheap. Troodos can even get snow, and Mount Olympus has a small ski area.

Dates to know: Orthodox Easter is the biggest holiday of the year. Families travel, shops close for a few days, and the food is wonderful. Kataklysmos, or the Festival of the Flood, is a water festival in Larnaca and other coastal towns, held in June around Pentecost. Also, Cyprus National Day is on 1 April and Independence Day on 1 October, when some places close.