Many folk traditions, such as the Carnival and Kataklysmos (Festival of the Flood) have overtones of ancient themes. Carnival Festivities take place 50 days before Greek Christian Orthodox Easter and it means the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting before Easter. The centre of Carnival festivities is Lemesos, but some festivities take place in Larnaka and Pafos as well.
The annual Kataklysmos (Festival of the Flood) is a festival celebrated for five days fifty days after Easter in all the coastal towns, but the biggest event takes place in Larnaka. At the heart of the festival is a joyful procession to the sea where people sprinkle each other with water. Whether this is in memory of Noah’s survival of the flood, or the coming ashore of resurrected St. Lazarus - or a celebration of the birth of Aphrodite - is sometimes debated, but in any event Kataklysmos is a spirited and uniquely Cypriot festival.
On June 28 and 29, St. Paul’s Feast is feted in Pafos, where the Apostle journeyed after leaving Jerusalem.
Every September the Wine Festival takes place in Lemesos, a tribute to the fruit of the vine as it grows and thrives in Cyprus. With ten days of free-flowing locally produced wines, Dionysus would surely approve.
Cyprus also has rich musical and dance traditions quite distinctive from those of Greece. Instruments that typically accompany folk dances are the violin and laouto, a lute with four double strings played with the quill of an eagle or vulture. Many dances are performed face-to-face and as a suite. Both men and women are very nimble-footed and the dances often allude to village courtship rituals - and are therefore most popular at wedding ceremonies.
People/ Hospitality
Kopiaste! Loosely translated, it means 'Come join us,' and this single word more than any other in the Greek most Cypriots speak (along with English, the second most commonly spoken language) conveys the welcoming spirit you will find in such abundance on Cyprus.
Whether exploring the mosaics at ancient Kourion, shopping for succulent citrus fruits at a local market or sipping a robust coffee with the natives at a mountain village cafe, under the shade of the olive and cypress trees, you will feel the sincerity of the Cypriots shine through wherever you go.
Today Cyprus is a singular marriage of ancient history with a modern infrastructure and cosmopolitan contemporary lifestyle. The Cypriots are well - educated and tend to be cosmopolitan and hardworking yet fun-loving, too. You'll feel the friendliness almost instantly when you arrive, as stress evaporates and relaxation becomes an art form. Which isn't all that surprising, really, for a place which Aphrodite herself couldn't bring herself to leave. Come and discover the quiet treasures of Cyprus. Wander about in comfort, and if you should ever get lost, the locals will happily show you the way.