Living in Cyprus - Shopping

Shop opening hours are different in winter and summer. In the winter period from 1 November to 31 March they open at 09:00 and close, in accordance with the law, at 19:00, except on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays when they close at 14:00, 20:00 and 15:00, respectively. Sunday is not a working day. The supermarkets usually open between 07:00 and 08:00.

In the summer period from 1 April to 31 October the shops open at 09:00 and close, in accordance with the law, at 20:30, except on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays when they close at 10:00, 21:30 and 17:00 respectively. From 15 June to 31 August the afternoon rest measure applies, and the shops are usually closed between 14:00 and 17:00 Sunday is not a working day. The supermarkets usually open between 07:00 and 20:00.

All urban areas have kiosks which are open for longer than the shops or even for 24 hours a day. A large number of bread shops (bakeries) stay open until 23:00. The kiosks sell cigarettes, soft drinks, mineral water and magazines and newspapers, etc., and the bakeries sell bread, other bakery products and milk and dairy products, etc.

The official public holidays for shops are:

• 1 January
• 25 March
• 1 April
• Easter Monday
• 1 May
• 1 October
• 28 October
• 25 December
• 26 December

An order of the Minister for Labour and Social Insurance designates tourism areas, and in those areas the shops adhere to the tourism system of opening hours which allows for longer opening all through the week and for Sunday opening.

In the Christmas period, which begins on 12 December and ends on 30 December, and the Easter period, which begins 10 days before Easter Sunday, the shops are open for longer.

Text last edited on: 06/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2008
Reproduction is authorised.