Paphos in Winter: Weather, Sea and What to Do from November to March

Most people picture Cyprus in August. Paphos, though, has the mildest winter on the island, and the months from November to March are a different kind of holiday rather than no holiday at all: fewer people, lower prices, archaeological sites you can walk round without melting, and plenty of bright afternoons in the high teens.

Here is what each month actually looks like, with the numbers first.

Winter in Paphos in numbers

Month	Day	Night	Sea	Rain	Rainy days	Sunshine
November	23 °C	13 °C	22–23 °C	58 mm	6	7 h a day
December	19 °C	10 °C	about 20 °C	98 mm	9	6 h a day
January	17 °C	9 °C	17–18 °C	90 mm	10	6 h a day
February	18 °C	8–9 °C	about 17 °C	60 mm	8	7 h a day
March	19 °C	10 °C	17–18 °C	35 mm	5–6	8 h a day

Air temperatures, rainfall and sunshine are the long-term averages for the Paphos Airport weather station (1991–2020). Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain. Sea temperatures are approximate. Every winter is different, so treat these as typical values, not a forecast.

Two things stand out. First, even the coldest months average 17–18 °C in the daytime, and frost on the coast is very rare. Second, the rain comes in short, heavy spells rather than weeks of drizzle: January, the month with the most rainy days, still has around twenty dry ones.

November: the last beach month

November is still warm enough for the beach on most days. The official Cyprus tourism site says swimming and sunbathing are still possible this month, with the open sea above 22 °C. Days are in the low twenties, evenings are fresh enough for a light jumper, and the first proper rain usually arrives at some point in the month.

It is a lovely time for walking, the coast path in Kato Paphos and day trips to the villages, and the summer crowds have long gone.

December: Christmas in a mild climate

December has the heaviest rainfall of the year, and rain, sometimes snow, usually reaches the Troodos mountains before Christmas. On the coast, a typical day is 18–19 °C with several hours of sunshine.

Paphos lights its Christmas tree at Kennedy Square in early December, with a parade. In the Paphos hills, the village of Statos–Agios Fotios has run a Christmas village since 2025; the 2026 season is listed from 21 November to 6 January. It is worth checking the dates before you go.

January: quiet, green and cheap

January is the coolest month and the one with the most rainy days, but “cool” here means around 17 °C by day. On 6 January, Epiphany is celebrated with a procession and the blessing of the waters, which in Kato Paphos starts from the church of Agioi Anargyroi.

This is the month for empty archaeological sites, long lunches in the sun, and low prices. If you want to see snow, the Troodos mountains are a day trip away.

February: almond blossom and Carnival

February is when the almond trees flower, and the Paphos villages of Giolou and Salamiou hold almond blossom festivals (in 2026 both were in mid-February). It is also the best month for skiing on Troodos.

Carnival takes place in February or March, depending on the Orthodox Easter date. In 2026, Paphos held carnival events from 12 to 22 February, ending with a big parade.

March: spring starts

March is drier and sunnier, with around eight hours of sunshine a day, and the countryside is at its greenest, which makes it ideal for long walks. Green Monday, the first day of Orthodox Lent and a public holiday with picnics in the countryside, falls on 15 March in 2027.

The Cyprus Marathon is run in Paphos in March, with the shorter races starting and finishing at Paphos Castle, and late March brings the wild tulip festival in Polemi.

Practical tips for a winter stay

• Pack layers: a light jacket and a jumper for the evenings, and a rain jacket for the odd heavy shower.
• Archaeological sites have shorter winter hours. The Tombs of the Kings, for example, has been listed as open 08:30–17:00 from mid-September to mid-April.
• Some beach restaurants in Coral Bay close for the winter, while Kato Paphos keeps running all year, which is one reason we like it as a winter base.
• A car makes the mountain villages, the snow on Troodos and the almond-blossom villages easy to reach.

If you are deciding between seasons, our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Paphos covers the whole year. Winter is also a good time for longer stays: our three-bedroom house in Kato Paphos is open all year, and you can check winter dates here.