Christmas Events and Markets in Cyprus 2026: Christmas Villages, Tree Lightings and Festive Fun by District

Christmas in Cyprus is not one big city market but dozens of smaller events: mountain villages dressed for the season, tree lightings in town squares, mall markets, Santa visits and children's shows. This guide gathers what has been announced for 2026, district by district, with dates, whether you pay, and what suits children.

What is confirmed for 2026: when we checked on 4 November 2026, the nine official Christmas Villages, Paramythoupoli in Nicosia, the Limassol Marina and Paralimni tree lightings, the Mall of Cyprus Christmas Market and a run of ballets, pantomimes and village festivals had all published 2026 dates. Several favourites, including Larnaca's Christmas Land, the Ayia Napa Marina Christmas Village and Nicosia's Eleftheria Square programme, had not, so for them we say what happened in 2025, clearly marked. Events with a link have a page in our events calendar, which we update as new dates come out. Some events so far appear only on listing sites; we mark these "listed for …; check with the organiser", because listings are sometimes rolled forward from the year before.

The nine official Christmas Villages (21 November 2026 to 6 January 2027)

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism's Christmas Villages programme is the backbone of the season. For 2026-27 nine villages take part: Agros, Kyperounta and Lofou (Limassol district), Fikardou, Kakopetria and Kalopanagiotis (Nicosia district), Lefkara (Larnaca district), Statos-Agios Fotios (Paphos district) and Deryneia (Famagusta district). Expect wooden stalls of local food and crafts, workshops, guided walks and festive menus.

• Dates: 21 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, then every day from 21 December to 6 January.
• Price: free to enter; food, drink and workshops may cost extra.
• For kids: yes, especially at weekends, when most workshops run.

Kalopanagiotis has published the fullest programme. Its Fairytale Christmas Village opens with a lighting ceremony at 18:00 on 21 November, and opens 12:00–20:00 at weekends, 16:00–20:00 on Fridays 11 and 18 December, daily 12:00–20:00 from 21 December to 6 January, and 15:00–22:00 on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. A drone light show is planned for Saturday 19 December at 19:00. Kyperounta has also published its programme, with a lighting ceremony at 18:00 on 21 November and a drone light show on Sunday 20 December at 18:30. The other villages' hours will appear on the Visit Cyprus Christmas Villages pages. The mountain villages are cold after dark, so pack hats and gloves. For each village in detail, with drive times from every town, see our Christmas Villages in Cyprus 2026 guide.

Nicosia

Paramythoupoli, the city's long-running Christmas fairground, returns to the D'Avila moat with rides and a stage for dance-school shows; hours had not been published on 4 November. The Mall of Cyprus market sets up on the mall's first-floor car park, open 11:00–18:00, with stalls from local makers and artisans selling handmade gifts and decorations, plus sweet treats and warm drinks. From 12:00 to 18:00 children can visit four themed activity houses (Mrs Claus's Kitchen, an elves' workshop, Santa's House and a sweet-themed Candyland), and a small fun park has bungee trampolines and Christmas inflatables. Entry is free, but some attractions cost extra. On the opening weekend, singer Marseaux plays the market stage at 17:00 on Sunday 22 November, ahead of the mall's Christmas lighting at 17:30; music, dance, magic and theatre shows follow through the season, with the full programme still to come. UNIC Christmas Spirit starts with a tree lighting at 18:00 on Friday 27 November, followed by a Christmas Village (18:00–22:00 on the Friday, 11:00–18:00 on 28 and 29 November) with face painting, Santa and his elves, a bouncy castle and storytelling, then free Christmas film screenings from 30 November to 4 December. The Center for Social Innovation (CSI) holds a Christmas Village on Eleftheria Square on Saturday 5 December from 17:00. Little Prince on Ice, a musical on ice, plays the Municipal Theatre the same evening. The Strovolos Christmas Festival fills Acropolis Park with a bazaar of local stallholders.

Listed for 2026; check with the organiser:

• Nicosia Christmas MarketEleftheria Square: listed for 28–29 November, 12–13 and 19–20 December (11:00–20:00) and Monday 21 December (17:00–21:00), free.
• German Christmas MarketEleftheria Square: listed for Sunday 6 December from 12:00, free.
• Christmas Village in LakatamiaAgios Georgios Park: listed for 4–6 December, free.
• Christmas at the Presidential PalaceListed for 19–20 December.
• Christmas market and holiday concert in TseriChurch of Saints Constantine: listed for Saturday 19 December at 17:00, free.

In 2025, the municipality lit the Eleftheria Square tree on 23 November and ran a programme until Epiphany, with a free Christmas market and children's workshops on the square. The Mall of Cyprus had a free Rooftop Christmas from 12 to 31 December, with Santa's Post Office, and Lidl held free Christmas Days at its Food Academy on Stasikratous Street on 20 and 21 December, with children's workshops. For the old town, see our Laiki Geitonia at Christmas guide.

In the hills, Fikardou, Kakopetria and Kalopanagiotis are the Nicosia district's Christmas Villages, in the Troodos foothills and valleys.

Limassol

Four Seasons opens the season early, lighting its Christmas tree on Friday 13 November at 18:15. The big date is Saturday 21 November, when Limassol Marina switches on its 12-metre tree: a charity Christmas market and children's craft workshop from 16:00, carols at 17:00, the lighting by the Mayor of Limassol at about 17:45, Santa handing out gifts from 18:00 and the Christina Averkiou Band from 18:30 to 20:30. The marina's Festive Saturdays follow in December: Santa with presents on 5 and 19 December (16:00–19:00) and mascots and a magic show on 12 December (16:00–18:00). A day earlier, Santa Park Fest in Kolossi starts a free weekend of market stalls, a funfair, street food and shows (rides extra). The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra's Rialto concert of light Viennese-style festive music is a good pre-Christmas evening out. Christmas Street, the 8th edition of the festive street market and school performances run by the Holy Metropolis of Limassol by the Catholic cathedral, is listed for both 28–29 November and 28–29 December 2026, so the date is still to be confirmed; check with the organiser before you go. On 12 December, Israeli singer Hanan Ben Ari plays City of Dreams Mediterranean, with cocktail-table seats at €225 including wine (strictly 18+). In Ypsonas, the Municipal Theatre also has the New Year's Tree children's shows (12 December, about €35) and The Night Before Christmas (19 December, about €20); both are in Russian, and the Grinch show is listed with Russian-language events, so check the language before you book.

The Limassol district's Christmas Villages, Lofou, Agros and Kyperounta, are in the hills north of the city; Lofou is the closest, about 30 minutes away. The municipality's own tree lighting on Anexartisias Street had not been dated on 4 November. The Rialto Theatre also hosts the 13th Cyprus Jazz & World Music Showcase in December 2026 (dates to be announced).

Listed for 2026; check with the organiser:

• Christmas Market for Little HeroesA charity bazaar in Kolossi: listed for Saturday 21 November, 09:00–13:00.
• Limassol Christmas LandOld Port: listed for 21 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, Monday to Friday 14:00–23:00 and weekends 12:00–23:00.
• Annual Christmas Bazaar, M.A Artistic Crafts & GiftsLimassol: listed for 5–6 December, 10:00–19:00.
• Christmas in LaniaA charity event in Lania village: listed for Sunday 6 December, 10:00–18:15.
• Limassol Christmas ShowCourtyard of Agios Georgios Havouzas church: listed for 12, 13, 19 and 20 December.
• Louvaras Christmas VillageListed for Sunday 13 December.
• My Mall LimassolChristmas activities with live music and Santa are listed from November to 31 December.
• Russian-language children's shows at Sinergio Theatre in the old town: Little Ded Moroz (ages 4–10) and Winter Stories, listed for 28–29 November. More in our Christmas in Limassol guide.

Larnaca

Metropolis Mall and Alexander College open Larnaca's season on 13 November with an evening lights switch-on. The municipality lights its own Christmas decorations on 28 November (time and place to be confirmed), the same day Aradippou opens its Christmas kiosks. Lefkara, the lace-making village in the hills, is the district's official Christmas Village.

Listed for 2026; check with the organiser: the Traditional Christmas Market at Forest Beach, on the Dhekelia road near Pyla, is listed for 11–13 December, 17:00–22:00. In past years it had more than 200 stalls and a small entry fee (€2.50 in 2024, under-12s free).

In 2025, Larnaca Christmas Land at Europe Square, by the Finikoudes seafront, opened in late October with rides for children of about 3 to 8, and the town held a Christmas market at Zouhouri Square on three December weekends and a Christmas Parade on 20 December. Their 2026 dates had not been announced on 4 November.

Paphos

Statos-Agios Fotios, high in the hills near Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery, is the district's official Christmas Village, about 45 minutes from Paphos; bring a warm layer. Stage One Theatre, Paphos's English-language amateur company, stages its festive panto with a Sunday matinee at 15:00 on 6 December, then evening shows at 19:30 from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12 December. Expect plenty of audience participation.

Cap St Georges in Peyia has confirmed its Christmas Village for 2026, a market in the square by the church of Agios Georgios. Its dates are listed as 4 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the lighting on Saturday 5 December at 17:30, open 14:00–18:00 Sunday to Thursday and 14:00–22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; check with the resort on +357 26 000 000.

Listed for 2026; check with the organiser: Santa's Embassy at Malietzis House in Pano Arodes, listed for 19–20 December (free), and the Panayia Christmas Village, with a market and carols, listed for 23–27 December.

In 2025, Paphos lit its tree in Kennedy Square on 28 November with a Santa parade, and Alphamega held free tree lightings with Santa, face painting and treats at its Paphos Aphrodite, Engomi and Kapsalos stores on 22 November.

Famagusta district: Ayia Napa, Paralimni and Deryneia

Paralimni lights its tree with a free concert in the main church square on 22 November; the evening is listed for 18:00–22:00, with a light show. Park outside the centre. Deryneia is the district's official Christmas Village.

Listed for 2026; check with the organiser: the CyHerbia Christmas Festival in Avgorou, between Paralimni and Ayia Napa, is listed for Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, 09:00–17:00, with a Christmas market, Santa and Mrs Claus, Santa's Grotto, a Grinch maze challenge and craft workshops (some cost extra). Entry is listed at €10 for adults and €7 for children aged 5–12; under-5s go free.

In 2025, the Ayia Napa Marina Christmas Village ran from 29 November to 28 December, open 11:00–20:00 at weekends, with workshops, a bouncy castle and Santa, and Ayia Napa lit its town tree in the central square on 22 November. Neither had announced its 2026 dates on 5 November.

Tips for Christmas outings

• Go early: arrive in the early afternoon to see stalls in daylight and lights at dusk.
• Check before you drive: village and market hours change, and some events add or drop days.
• Plan the holidays: shops close on 25 and 26 December. My Mall Limassol, for example, is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day; on 26 December its shops are closed but restaurants and entertainment open. See an expat Christmas in Cyprus for what closes.
• Make a day of it: book a festive lunch with our Christmas restaurants and parties guide.

Related guides

• Christmas Villages in Cyprus 2026: each village in detail, with drive times
• Christmas markets in Cyprus
• Christmas with kids in Cyprus
• Christmas holiday camps for kids 2026
• An expat Christmas in Cyprus
• New Year's Eve 2026 in Cyprus