Autumn by the shores of Larnaka and delightful villages by the coast, as well as in the countryside, is all about enjoying that late summer sun with plenty to see and do, from September through to November!
Scan & Explore Larnaka City in 360°
City lovers visiting Larnaka will want to revisit again and again, in fact repeat visitors are a testament to this. Larnaka’s compact city centre and promenade make it super easy to explore on foot. The updated ‘360° Larnaka Cultural Walk’ platform is a handy virtual tour guide. Visitors can simply scan the QR codes on attractions along the way, and Larnaka’s rich history comes alive. With lots of local culture this is the perfect way to enjoy Larnaka in an interesting and interactive way.
The Larnaka Cultural Walk is split into three separate and interlinked walks in categories, for those who want to follow a specific theme: Seafront & Town Centre; Archaeology & Museums; Culture & Nature.
Visitors can also opt for autonomous exploring or join a guided tour, the Free Wednesday Guided Walking Tour, which needs no advance booking and is totally free!
Diary dates across Larnaka Region for arts, tradition and sport!
• 11-16- September 2025, enjoy the 18th Mediterranean Folklore Dance, Choir and Traditional Band Festival, free admission. Vibrant national costumes, energetic folkloric performances and colourful parades fill the Foinikoudes (Palm Tree) Promenade and its seafront stage!
• 21 September 2025, Honey Children’s Festival, free admission. Melini village (part of the Rural Larnaka Honey Villages) holds an annual children’s festival dedicated to bees as part of its beekeeping tradition. The event is designed to be both fun and educational and includes entertainers (clown, magician, mascot, balloon twister, face painter) and entertainment (performances, art, stories), as well as rows of kiosks and informational stops along the way.
• 26-28 September 2025, 4th Zorba Cyprus International Zeibekiko & Greek Dance Festival. Workshops and events for dancers with a focus on traditional styles. The festival also features performances for the public, including the ‘Cyprus Zorba Championship Dance’ competition taking place at Larnaka Medieval Fort.
• 01 October 2025, Festival of Tradition & Culture, free admission. This is Larnaka region’s largest traditional event, which takes place at a different rural village each year, landing in Anglisides for this year’s edition with a theme of ‘Tastes of Olives and Aromas of Tradition’. The event this year celebrates 20 years of the festival being organised by the ‘Women’s Association of Rural Larnaka’ (WARL); a collective of women from Larnaka region’s rural and mountainous communities who preserve and promote traditional gastronomy and folkloric customs. Visitors can expect stalls laden with homemade, handmade traditional products, folkloric entertainment, gastronomy demonstrations, and activities for children, among other surprises in the rich programme!
• 15 October – 28 November 2025, Larnaca Biennale. The 4th edition of the Larnaca Biennale is bigger than ever with the theme ‘Along Lines and Traces’ and the participation of two world-renowned artists alongside those selected through an open call. Italy/USA-based artist Ann Tarantino and UK artist Steve Messam will visit Larnaka to create site-specific installations that transform the city’s public spaces and “spark conversation between residents, visitors, and the city itself.” The major cultural event features a main exhibition and parallel events such as concerts, dance, theatre, performances, lectures, and workshops.
• 16 November 2025, Radisson Blu Larnaka International Marathon. This marathon is the region’s largest attracting hundreds of runners from around the world and crowds of spectators to cheer the runners too. This annual marathon incorporates 42KM Marathon, 21KM Half-Marathon, 10KM Road Race, 5KM Road Race, 5KM Corporate Race, 1KM Fun Race and 1KM McDonald’s™ Kids Race, that take in the city’s coastline and scenic backdrops.
For more updates, visit the LTB online event calendar as events are added continually as they are announced!
Experience the sweet beekeeping tradition
Beekeeping is perhaps not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Larnaka region and its golden coastline, but up in the mountainous communities (known as ‘Orini’), it is a longstanding tradition.
Leaving Larnaka city, the region’s countryside villages make way for its mountainous ones where the Rural Larnaka Honey Villages nestle. The first beekeeping experience can be found in quaint Vavla, and a second in petite Melini as you climb higher into the Orini areas.
Ecophysis – Vavla
The popular ‘Become a Beekeeper for a Day’ activity gives visitors the chance to inspect the hives to learn all about the different ‘jobs’ the bees have (with protective suit), combined with other activities depending on the season. For autumn, activities focus on extraction of fresh beeswax and raw honey, honey bottling and maintaining the bee population in the hives, including making repairs. A picnic in nature with fresh, local produce and honey treats can also be enjoyed.
Thematic workshops are held throughout the year, with the next ones, ‘Trip in Nature with Honeybees’ taking place on 14, 21 and 28 September (a day of beekeeping, honeypie baking, village brunch and beeswax candle making).
Director, Georgia Shoshilou’s story started with “a biologist falling in love with a beekeeper”, and she is devoted to promoting the importance of bees: “Our focus at Ecophysis is two-fold; producing premium honey and honey-based products, alongside promoting environmental education about the life of bees and the flora of Cyprus through our various activities and workshops. By creating something immersive we are able to share our passion for sustainability in an informative and engaging way for all ages, set in our nature lover’s paradise!”
Oros Maxaira – Melini
At Oros Maxaira, a guided visit through the facilities passes by the apitherapy (bee wellness) hut and features short, informative videos and a fun quiz. Visitors get to observe the live bottling process at the honey production unit as well as taste the delicious honey and other hive products.
‘Adventures in the Hives’ is an immersive beekeeping activity where participants observe the bee community up close, learning about their fascinating world and the natural treasures they produce for human health, complete with protective suit. Seasonal workshops are also available, with bee hotel workshops taking place this autumn.
Beekeeping has been in the Fillipou family for generations. As Maria Solomonidou explains: “Quality, tradition and family are our ethos, and we have been beekeeping since 1983, producing multi-awarded raw honey. We are also deeply committed to raising awareness about bee protection.
“The second generation continues to evolve our product line and services, with the expansion to new premises in 2020. We are also dedicated to spreading awareness about bee protection through a programme called ‘Adopt a Hive’.
Visitors are warmly welcomed into our beautiful, natural setting; a place where tradition, innovation, and respect for nature come together to offer a meaningful and unforgettable experience for all ages.”
Traditional touches enhance village character
As the city and coastline trail towards rural and mountainous communities, a different side of Larnaka region emerges; tranquil, traditional and dotted with villages full of unique charm.
Part of the Larnaka Tourism Board ‘Annual Action Plan’ is to help maintain this authenticity through projects that honour the proud heritage of the local communities, with the support of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. Several of the 2025 projects have been completed, with more on the way!
Lefkara – Old Fountain
Lefkara’s historic fountain area has been restored and given an artistic touch in harmony with the traditional character that earned it the status of ‘Best Tourism Village’ by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Famous for its intricate handmade lace linens ‘Lefkaritika’, the restoration includes elements of this tradition.
Tochni – traditional swings
Countryside Tochni village has three, new, traditional wooden swings, along with landscaping and planting around them to create picturesque spots to stop and relax or take a photo with a scenic view.
Choirokoitia – Landscaping of Traditional Arches
Choirokoitia village’s historic arches have been spruced up with landscaping and traditional details, creating nostalgic focal points.
Larnaka Rural Honey Villages – Mosaic Planters
Nine mosaic planters have been handmade for the nine villages that collectively comprise the Larnaka Rural Honey Villages: Kato Drys, Kato Lefkara, Layia, Melini, Odou, Ora, Vavla, Vavatsinia and Agioi Vavatsinias.
Each cheerful planter has a different nature and bee theme to reflect the identity of the village, and has been placed at a key point – see if you can spot them all during a self-guided tour of the area! A second project for a bee-themed covering for the annual bee and honey festivals will be completed shortly.
For more information, read the autumn newsletter in full, https://larnakaregion.com/newsletter/autumn-gold-larnaka-region.
For tourist information from the Larnaka Tourism Board, visit www.larnakaregion.com