Paphos Castle will be closed for five days due to the opera festival.

Paphos Castle will be closed to visitors for five days – from Wednesday, September 2nd to Sunday, September 6th. The Department of Antiquities announced that the temporary closure of one of the city's most iconic monuments is due to the 2026 Paphos Aphrodite Festival.

It's worth taking this change into account when planning your visit to Kato Paphos Harbor. During the closure days, you won't be able to enter the medieval castle, although the harbor area and promenade will remain separate public spaces.

Paphos Castle closed from September 2nd to 6th

The official announcement was issued by the Department of Antiquities at the Vice-Ministry of Culture.

According to it, the monument will be closed to the public from Wednesday, September 2 to Sunday, September 6, 2026 inclusive.

The reason is the preparation and organisation of opera performances as part of the Paphos Aphrodite Festival.

The department apologized to residents and tourists for any inconvenience caused by the temporary restriction of access to the monument.

The opera house in front of the medieval castle

This year the Paphos Aphrodite Festival will take place for the 24th time.

On September 4 and 5 two performances of the opera are planned “L’Elisir d’Amore” (“The Elixir of Love”) by Gaetano DonizettiThe square in front of the medieval castle will once again be transformed into an open-air opera stage.

Performances will start in the evening and ticket prices according to the official tourist calendar range from 35 to 150 euros.

For years, the festival has used the distinctive scenery of the port and castle as a natural backdrop for large-scale opera productions.

Planning a visit to Paphos? Check the dates.

The most important information for tourists is that they should not plan to enter the castle itself between September 2nd and 6th.

Those staying in the city during this period can still visit the port and surrounding area of Kato Paphos, but the interior of the monument will remain closed due to preparations for the festival.

According to the current announcement, the restriction is valid until Sunday, September 6 inclusive.

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Sources: Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus, Deputy Ministry of Culture, Paphos City, Visit Cyprus