Kypria International Festival

Kypria is the Republic of Cyprus's national arts and culture festival, run by the state cultural authorities and staged across several cities through September and October. Performances reach venues in Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos, among other towns, so the programme is national rather than tied to one place. That spread is part of its character, with events moving from the capital to the coast over the course of the autumn.

The festival began in the early 1990s, at a time when the island had few major cultural events, and it grew into a regular autumn fixture. In recent years it has been reshaped from a single central programme into a sponsorship scheme that supports a range of arts festivals each season, so the form and line-up vary from year to year. The performances span music, dance, theatre and performance art, with opera, ballet and visual-art exhibitions also featured, drawing both Cypriot artists and international names and ensembles.

Planning around it

Because Kypria events take place in several cities, the season pairs well with a wider trip through the south. A stay in the capital gives access to the walled Nicosia old town within the Venetian fortifications, while performances on the coast can be matched to beach time or, in the case of Paphos, to the open-air opera of the Pafos Aphrodite Festival in the same season. The two together make autumn a strong time for culture in Cyprus.

• Events run across September and October at venues in several cities.
• Individual shows are ticketed; programmes are published ahead of each season.
• Check the current year's line-up and which city hosts the performance you want before booking travel.

Tickets and venues vary by event, so consult the current programme when you plan. For the host capital, read our Nicosia guide.