Green Monday 2027 (15 March) in Cyprus: Picnics, Lagana and Kite Flying

Green Monday 2027 falls on Monday 15 March 2027, and it is a public holiday in Cyprus. It is the first day of Great Lent, seven weeks before Orthodox Easter on 2 May 2027, and the island spends it outdoors: families pack a meat-free picnic, head for a park, a beach or a forest picnic site, and fill the sky with kites.

The date is fixed by the Orthodox calendar, but municipal programmes for 2027 haven't been announced yet; past events below are labelled by year.

When is Green Monday 2027 in Cyprus, and is it a public holiday?

Green Monday (Kathara Deftera in Greek, also called Clean Monday) always falls 48 days before Orthodox Easter Sunday, so it moves every year. The Deputy Ministry of Tourism's Visit Cyprus holiday table lists it on 23 February in 2026 and 15 March in 2027.

Kathara Deftera is one of the island's public holidays: it appears on the 2026 lists of official holidays and bank holidays, including the Bank of Cyprus holiday calendar. The official government list of public holidays for 2027 had not been published on gov.cy by October 2026, but Green Monday is a fixed part of the Cypriot holiday calendar every year. Schools, banks, public services and most offices close, while many restaurants, cafés and beach bars open for the holiday crowds. In 2027 the holiday comes ten days before 25 March, another public holiday, so it is a good moment to book leave. Our guide to working hours and national holidays in Cyprus explains the full calendar.

What is Green Monday and why is it celebrated?

Green Monday closes the carnival season (Apokries) and opens Great Lent, the 40-day fast before Easter. The ten days of carnival start on Tsiknopempti, when the whole island grills meat (see our guide to Tsiknopempti in Cyprus), and end with the Grand Parade on Sunday, covered in our Limassol Carnival guide. The next morning the meat and cheese disappear from the table and the fast begins.

The "clean" in Clean Monday refers to cleansing body and spirit for Lent, and the day is meant to be spent in the open air. Researchers also link the spring picnic to much older festivals of renewal. Many Orthodox families keep the fast, completely or partly, until Easter in Cyprus.

One lovely Paphos custom is Kyra Sarakosti ("Lady Lent"): a dough figure with seven legs, one for each week of Lent. A leg is removed every Saturday night until Easter Sunday.

What do Cypriots eat on Green Monday?

The Green Monday table is "nistisimo" (fasting food): no meat, no eggs and no dairy, but seafood such as octopus and cuttlefish is part of the feast. A typical spread includes:

• LaganaA flat bread baked especially for the day.
• OlivesGreen and black.
• Taramosalata (fish roe dip), hummus and tahini.
• Beans and pulsesSuch as black-eyed beans with greens; try our louvi recipe.
• Fresh vegetables and greensServed raw or as salads.
• SeafoodGrilled octopus, cuttlefish, squid and prawns.
• Wine or a little zivania for the adults, in moderation.

Where can you buy lagana?

Lagana is baked by bakeries across Cyprus for the holiday, and supermarkets with their own bakery counters stock it too. Demand peaks over the weekend before, so our advice is to buy it on the Saturday or Sunday, or ask your local bakery to keep one for you. Taramosalata, olives and octopus sell fast too, and Cyprus media report every year that Green Monday staples cost more than the year before, so shop early and compare prices.

Where do people fly kites on Green Monday?

Kite flying is the signature Green Monday tradition, and on a breezy day the sky over every town is full of them. The best spots are open ground with steady wind and no overhead cables: hillsides, open fields at forest parks, and wide beaches.

Before you choose a spot, know the airport warning. Every year the Department of Civil Aviation asks the public not to fly kites or drones near Larnaca and Paphos airports, because they can be a risk to aircraft approaching the runways. In February 2026 Larnaca municipality named Alyki-Tekke, Mackenzie, Kiti and Pervolia as approach zones where kites and drones can be a serious hazard; the same areas were named in 2025. If you live in Larnaca, that rules out much of the coast south of the city, including the salt lake shore, so pick an inland park instead.

Simple plastic kites are the easiest for children; take spare string and a pair of scissors, and keep well away from power lines, roads and other people's picnics.

Where can you have a Green Monday picnic in Cyprus?

Almost every green space on the island is busy on Green Monday, from city parks to beaches. For tables, water and somewhere to grill, the Department of Forests' picnic sites are the classic choice. Our guide to picnic sites in Cyprus lists them by region with facilities and capacities.

In March the high Troodos sites can still be cold, wet or muddy, so lower sites such as Agia Paraskevi on the road to Agros, or the city forest parks, are often more comfortable.

Fire rules on Green Monday

Lighting a fire in or near a state forest is allowed only at designated picnic and excursion sites with fireplaces. The Department of Forests repeats this warning every Green Monday, and asks picnickers to take their rubbish home and not to pick or uproot wildflowers and shrubs, many of which are protected. Always put fires out completely before leaving. To report smoke or fire, call 1407 (Forestry Department) or 112.

How busy is it, and how do you deal with crowds and parking?

Very busy. On Green Monday 2023 cities emptied as people headed into nature, and the long weekend after the carnival parades brings heavy traffic. In February 2026 police announced more patrols on motorways and rural roads, alcohol checks, and checks on speed, seatbelts, helmets and mobile phone use.

• Arrive early. Tables at the popular forest sites are first come, first served, so get there in the morning.
• Park legally. Narrow forest roads must stay clear for fire engines and ambulances.
• Choose a designated driver if wine or zivania is part of the day.
• Bring water, bin bags and layersAs March weather changes quickly.

What is the weather like on Green Monday?

Weather in mid-March is usually mild but changeable. In 2023 (27 February), the met office called conditions ideal, with 25°C inland. In 2026 (23 February), it forecast cloud, rain and isolated thunderstorms, with about 17°C inland, 18°C on the coast and 6°C in the high mountains. Check the forecast the day before and have a plan B, such as a covered table or a taverna.

Which towns hold Green Monday events?

Municipalities and villages across Cyprus usually hold free open-air events with folk music, dancing, traditional games and free fasting snacks. The 2027 programmes haven't been announced yet; they are usually published in the last week or two before the holiday. Examples from recent years:

Events can be cancelled at short notice: in 2026 Oroklini cancelled its event because of a foot-and-mouth outbreak among nearby livestock. In Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos most people make their own picnic in parks, forest sites and by the sea. For other festivals, see Cyprus festivals month by month.

What to do next

• Now: put 15 March 2027 in your calendar and, if you work, check your leave plans around 15 and 25 March.
• Late February 2027: look for your municipality's programme and the Larnaka Region events page.
• Weekend before: buy lagana, olives and taramosalata, and a kite.
• On the day: arrive early, keep fires to designated sites and kites away from the airports.

Related guides: Limassol Carnival, Tsiknopempti in Cyprus, Easter in Cyprus and picnic sites in Cyprus.