Independence Day, 1 October in Cyprus

1 October is Cyprus’s big official celebration, and it confuses plenty of people because independence didn’t happen on that day. Here’s what’s being marked, how the 2026 edition, just gone, played out, and which other national days are on the calendar. I draw on the Central Bank of Cyprus, the House of Representatives and the Cypriot press. Every date in the year is in public holidays in Cyprus.

The date

The Central Bank of Cyprus lists 1 October, Independence Day, as a public holiday; in 2026 it fell on a Thursday and in 2027 it falls on a Friday. The House of Representatives notes that the Constitution came into effect on 16 August 1960, the day of independence. The same year defined the Cyprus flag, white, with the island in copper and two olive branches. No official source I have read explains why the celebration falls on 1 October, and I won’t guess. The background is in the history of Cyprus.

1 October 2026

It was the 66th anniversary. According to the Cypriot press, the military parade began at 11:00 on Iosif Hadjiosif avenue in Nicosia, with motorised and marching units and aircraft from the National Guard, plus the police, fire service, civil defence, forestry department and health services. President Nikos Christodoulides took the salute, and the morning included wreath-laying and memorial services. The press also reported that contingents from Britain and Egypt took part for the first time.

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For visitors

The day had events open to the public too. On 1 October 2026 two vessels could be visited at Larnaca port, the National Guard patrol boat Ioannidis and the Greek navy frigate Nikiforos Fokas, from 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00. As it’s a public holiday, check opening times for museums and services beforehand.

The other national days

The Cypriot calendar has four national days, according to the Central Bank. 25 March marks Greek independence, 1 April is Cyprus National Day, 1 October is Independence Day and 28 October is Greek National Day. The table above shows the weekdays for 2026 and 2027.

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What was on show in 2026

According to the Cypriot press, French marines and US marines and sailors also took part in the 2026 parade, alongside an Egyptian Air Force transport aircraft, and the National Guard showed a drone unit for the first time. Officials from Greece, the UK, Egypt, France and the United States attended.

The weather

In early October Nicosia’s high is around 29 °C, according to the WMO, so bring water and a hat if you’re watching the mid-morning parade.

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October in Cyprus

1 October falls in a good month to travel, with 28 °C highs on the coast and the summer flight schedule from UK airports still running, as I explain in Cyprus in October. The rest of the year’s festivals are in events in Cyprus.

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