Is Paphos warm in January?

Mild rather than warm. January averages 17°C by day and 8°C at night, with sunny spells between showers.

What is Paphos like in February?

Similar to January: 17°C highs, 8°C lows and about 7 rainy days. Days get noticeably longer, with about 11 hours of daylight.

Does it snow in Paphos?

Not on the coast. Higher villages such as Tsada see snow most Januaries, and the Troodos mountains usually get snow in mid-winter.

Can you sunbathe in Paphos in December?

On calm, sunny days, yes, in a sheltered spot. With highs around 18°C most people treat it as a walk-and-coffee season rather than a beach season.

Is it worth living in Paphos in winter?

Yes, if your home is warm. Winter is quieter and cheaper to eat out, and it's the busiest time for resident social life. A cold, unheated flat is what makes people miserable.

What part of Cyprus is warmest in December?

The south and west coasts, including Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca, where December averages about 18°C by day and 10°C at night in Paphos. Inland Nicosia has colder nights, and the Troodos mountains get snow.

Is it worth going to Cyprus in December?

Yes, for walking, sightseeing and Christmas events rather than beach days. Expect around 18°C highs, about 8 rainy days and roughly 6 hours of sunshine a day, with quiet roads and easy restaurant bookings.

How many hours of sunshine does Paphos get in winter?

About 6 hours a day in December, according to travel climate guides, with around 9.8 hours of daylight at the winter solstice. February adds noticeably more light, with about 11 hours of daylight.

Winter in Paphos: Weather, Heating and Real Life (2026)

Winter in Paphos: The Weather, the Rain and Keeping Warm

Paphos weather in winter is mild by UK standards: average highs of 17–18°C from December to February, lows of 8–10°C and about eight rainy days a month. The surprise is indoors. Many flats are built for summer, with tiled floors and no central heating, so they feel colder than the weather.

JJason 9 min read Last verified 27 September 2026

Get my relocation plan Read: summer in Paphos

The short version

Temperatures: December averages 18°C / 10°C; January and February 17°C / 8°C.

Rain: December is the wettest month at about 64 mm, with roughly 8 rainy days. It comes in bursts, not weeks of drizzle.

Daylight: about 9.8 hours at the winter solstice. It's dark around 5pm in December.

Indoors is the problem: many homes have no central heating. Budget for heaters or air-con heating, and bring proper bedding.

The upside: quiet roads, empty beaches, an active resident social scene and snow in the Troodos for day trips.

People who picture Cyprus as permanent sunshine are surprised by their first winter. Not because it's cold outside. It isn't, by British standards. It's the rain in bursts, the early dark and a flat that was designed to stay cool in August.

I'm Jason. I moved my family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. Here's what November to March is really like, with the weather figures from WeatherSpark's long-term averages for Paphos, checked in September 2026.

Paphos weather in December, January and February

Long-term averages for Paphos town, with November and March for context. Hill villages run a few degrees colder.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainfall	Rainy days	Sea temperature
November	22°C	13°C	43 mm	5.8	21°C
December	18°C	10°C	64 mm	8.4	19°C
January	17°C	8°C	58 mm	8.2	17°C
February	17°C	8°C	51 mm	7.2	17°C
March	18°C	9°C	28 mm	5.5	17°C

Source: WeatherSpark long-term averages for Paphos, checked September 2026.

Couple in light jackets walking along the Kato Paphos seafront in winter sunshine — The Kato Paphos seafront in January sunshine.

1. Outside, it's mild

The cool season in Paphos runs from about 8 December to 29 March. Days usually reach 17–18°C and nights drop to 8–10°C. On a still, sunny January afternoon you can sit outside a café in a T-shirt. On a windy, wet evening you'll want a proper coat.

Rain arrives in bursts. December is the wettest month with about 64 mm, spread over roughly 8 days. A typical rainy day is a few hours of heavy showers and then clear skies. The weeks of grey drizzle you know from home are rare.

Frost is uncommon on the coast. Height makes a difference, though: Tala sits at about 290 m, and Tsada, at about 600 m, gets snow almost every January.

2. Indoors, it can be cold

This is the biggest complaint from British movers. Many Paphos flats and villas are built for summer: tiled or marble floors, single-skin walls, big windows and no central heating. At 10°C outside, an unheated flat can feel colder than a heated house in Manchester.

Here's how residents keep warm:

Air-con units in heat mode. Most split units heat as well as cool. It's the most common solution and works well in smaller rooms.
Oil-filled electric radiators for bedrooms.
Wood burners and fireplaces, common in village houses.
Heating oil or LPG where there's a boiler or gas heater. Heating oil was about €1.39 a litre in June 2026, and a 10 kg gas bottle about €16–€21, according to DevelopersCyprus.
Rugs, thick curtains and an electric blanket. Cheap and effective.

Household electricity carries 5% VAT until 31 March 2027, which takes a little sting out of winter bills. When you're viewing rentals, ask what heating there is and whether the windows are double-glazed.

Cosy living room with a lit wood-burning stove in a Paphos village house on a winter evening — Winter evenings indoors in a village house.

Worked example: what an electric radiator adds to your bill

Electricity use is simple arithmetic: watts × hours. Price uses the EAC basic energy charge only.

Set-up	Use a month	Energy charge at about 10c/kWh
One 2 kW oil radiator, 4 hours a night	240 kWh	About €24
Two 2 kW radiators, 4 hours a night	480 kWh	About €48
Two radiators, 6 hours a night	720 kWh	About €72

The basic energy charge was about 10 cents per kWh in June 2026 (DevelopersCyprus). Your real bill adds network charges, the monthly fuel adjustment, levies and 5% VAT, so treat these as the floor. Radiators rarely run flat out once the room is warm, and air-con units in heat mode usually use less electricity for the same warmth.

Myth

Myth: "You won't need winter clothes in Cyprus"

Reality

You will. Nights at 8°C, rain and a tiled floor mean jumpers, a waterproof, slippers and a proper duvet. Ship a winter box from the UK or buy locally in October before the shops sell out.

3. The town slows down

Paphos is a resort town, and from November it gets quieter. Some Kato Paphos restaurants and bars close for the season or cut their hours, the harbour promenade is empty enough for a peaceful evening walk, and traffic eases.

Quiet Kato Paphos seafront in January with stacked sunbeds and a few walkers — Kato Paphos in January: quiet, and all yours.

For residents, that's a feature. In our experience, winter is the easiest time to book viewings, sort paperwork and get a table at the good tavernas. The places that stay open are the ones locals use. Our restaurant guide for new residents lists year-round favourites.

The resident social scene is at its busiest. Quiz nights, walking groups, clubs and charity events fill the calendar once the summer visitors leave. If you're trying to make friends in Paphos, winter is the season to say yes to everything.

Planning a winter move?

Arrive in autumn, settle before Christmas

Get a step-by-step plan for your move, including when to rent, what to ship and which areas stay warmest in winter.

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4. Things to do in Paphos in winter

Winter is the best walking season. The Akamas trails, the sea caves near Peyia and the coastal paths are pleasant at 17°C and miserable at 30°C.

Two walkers on the trail through Avakas Gorge in winter — Winter is walking season: Avakas Gorge in January.

A few seasonal highlights:

Christmas and New Year events in town, with lights along the seafront and in the centre.
Epiphany (6 January), a public holiday, when priests bless the waters at harbours around the island.
Snow in the Troodos. The mountains, about two hours' drive, usually get snow in mid-winter, and you can be back on the coast by evening.
Flamingos at Larnaca Salt Lake, usually from about November to March, for a day trip.
Carnival and Green Monday. Carnival runs in the weeks before Orthodox Lent, ending with Green Monday picnics and kite-flying. In 2027 Green Monday falls on 15 March.

See our events in Paphos guide for the full calendar. More seasonal guides are in our relocation resources hub.

5. Can you swim in winter?

Some people do. The sea is about 19°C in December and 17°C from January to March. That's colder than a summer swim but warmer than the North Sea in August. You'll usually spot a few year-round swimmers on calm mornings.

Most residents stop around November and start again in May, when the sea is back to about 20°C. For the warm half of the year, see my post on Paphos weather in summer.

Winter checklist for new residents

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Ask landlords what heating the property has before you sign
Service the air-con units for heat mode in October
Buy an oil-filled radiator for each bedroom
Bring or buy a winter duvet, rugs and slippers
Pack a proper waterproof jacket and umbrella
Check gutters and drains before the December rain
Put the Troodos snow day and Larnaca flamingos on the calendar

Snow on the Troodos peaks beyond green winter hills in the Paphos district — Snow on the Troodos, seen from the green Paphos hills.

Winter in Paphos: the honest trade-offs

The good

Days of 17–18°C with plenty of sunshine between showers

Quiet roads, empty beaches and easy restaurant bookings

The busiest season for resident clubs and social events

Best months for hiking the Akamas

Snow in the Troodos within a day trip

The not so good

Many homes have no central heating

Dark by about 5pm in December

Heavy downpours in December and January

Some tourist-area restaurants close

Fewer direct flights to some UK airports

From experience

From Jason

Plenty of new arrivals are colder indoors in their first Paphos January than they were in the UK. The fix is cheap: an oil radiator per bedroom, a rug and thicker curtains. Sort it in October, before the shops run low.

— Jason

Paphos in winter: quick answers

Mild and changeable. Expect average highs of 18°C, lows of 10°C and about 8 rainy days, with December the wettest month at around 64 mm.

First winter in Paphos?

Get your home sorted before the rain arrives

Electricity in your name, internet connected and someone local to call when the landlord doesn't answer. Our settling-in partners handle it; the introduction is free.

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The Paphos Brief: once a week, no hard sell

Seasonal tips, new rules and real costs for people moving from the UK to Paphos.

Still have a question?

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If this post didn’t answer your question, ask it here. I read every one myself and reply by email, usually within a working day.

Sources checked for this page

1.WeatherSpark: Average weather in Paphos, year roundProfessional
2.Wikipedia: Tsada (elevation, January snow)Professional
3.Wikipedia: Tala, Cyprus (elevation)Professional
4.DevelopersCyprus: Cost of living in Cyprus (heating oil and LPG prices, June 2026)Professional
5.KPMG: Cyprus VAT relief on household electricity (March 2026)Professional
6.Wikipedia: Larnaca (salt lake flamingos)Professional
7.Cyprus Paradise: Cyprus weather in December (sunshine hours)Experience

Written by

Jason

Founder, Paphos Advisor

British founder who moved his family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. I write down what I learned doing it properly — the tax, the residency and the living-here detail — and introduce people to the specialists I’d use myself.

How I research and fact-check

Winter in Paphos: The Weather, the Rain and Keeping Warm

Paphos weather in December, January and February

1. Outside, it's mild

2. Indoors, it can be cold

Worked example: what an electric radiator adds to your bill

3. The town slows down

4. Things to do in Paphos in winter

5. Can you swim in winter?

Winter checklist for new residents

Winter in Paphos: the honest trade-offs

Paphos in winter: quick answers

What is the weather like in Paphos in December?

Is Paphos warm in January?

What is Paphos like in February?

Does it snow in Paphos?

Can you sunbathe in Paphos in December?

Is it worth living in Paphos in winter?

What part of Cyprus is warmest in December?

Is it worth going to Cyprus in December?

How many hours of sunshine does Paphos get in winter?

Ask Jason about this

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

Paphos weather in December, January and February

1. Outside, it's mild

2. Indoors, it can be cold

Worked example: what an electric radiator adds to your bill

5. Can you swim in winter?

Winter checklist for new residents

Winter in Paphos: the honest trade-offs

Paphos in winter: quick answers

What is the weather like in Paphos in December?

Is Paphos warm in January?

What is Paphos like in February?

Does it snow in Paphos?

Can you sunbathe in Paphos in December?

Is it worth living in Paphos in winter?

What part of Cyprus is warmest in December?

Is it worth going to Cyprus in December?

How many hours of sunshine does Paphos get in winter?