Carnival fiesta in Aglantzia - Nicosia, Cyprus 2026

A grand Carnival parade in Aglantzia - Nicosia

Μεγάλη Καρναβαλίστικη Παρέλαση στην Αγλαντζιά
For another year in Aglantzia a Carnival Parade was organized on Sunday, February 15th, 2026.
Για άλλη μια χρονιά διοργανώθηκε στην Αγλαντζιά, καρναβαλίστικη παρέλαση την Κυριακή, 15 του Φεβρουαρίου 2026.
Outstanding ability to convert grimace to smile, inspiration to creation, artistic concern in original and imaginative move.
Εξαιρετική ικανότητα αλλαγής μορφασμού σε χαμόγελο, πηγή έμπνευσης για δημιουργία, καλλιτεχνική ανησυχία στο πρωτότυπο και ευφάνταστη κίνηση.The Carnival is a hive of joy, new ideas, spontaneous expression and creative outlet.

Το καρναβάλι είναι μια κυψέλη χαράς, νέες ιδέες, αυθόρμητη έκφραση και δημιουργική διέξοδο.A special Carnival procession with hundreds masked children and adults will take place.

Μια ειδική καρναβαλίστικη πομπή με εκατοντάδες μασκοφόρους, παιδιά και ενήλικες παίρνουν μέρος.

Sweet little faces anxiously await the arrival of the Carnival.

Τα γλυκά αυτά μουτράκια περιμένουν με αγωνία τον ερχομό του Καρνάβαλου.Creative enthusiasm of dancers and musicians giving their full spirit to living life joyfully in the moment.

Δημιουργικός ενθουσιασμός χορευτών και μουσικών, δημιουργώντας πνεύμα για τη χαρά της ζωής και των στιγμών.

Aglantzia Carnival delivers a day for people of all ages. Angeliki Nicolaidou having fun.
Το Καρναβάλι της Αγλαντζιάς προσφέρεται για τους ανθρώπους όλων των ηλικιών. Η Αγγελική Νικολαΐδου διασκεδάζει.

The Greeks and Romans celebrated cheerful spring festivals in honour of Dionysos and Saturn with wine and singing.
Οι Έλληνες και οι Ρωμαίοι γιόρταζαν στα χαρούμενα φεστιβάλ που διοργάνωναν την Άνοιξη προς τιμήν του Διονύσου και του Κρόνου με κρασί και τραγούδι.

All the children dance to the rhythm of music, in a safe environment, accompanied at all times by teachers and parents
Όλα τα παιδιά χορεύουν στο ρυθμό της μουσικής, σε ένα ασφαλές περιβάλλον, συνοδεύονται πάντα από δασκάλους και τους γονείς τους.

Having enjoyable and exciting time all together. Efi Kostoudi and Helen Leonidou.

Ευχάριστες και συναρπαστικές στιγμές για όλους. Έφη Κοστούση και Χέλεν Λεωνίδου.

A colourful spectacle with thousands of people in fancy dress.

Ένα πολύχρωμο θέαμα με χιλιάδες ανθρώπους στις φανταχτερές στολές τους.

Aglantzia Carnivals is great fun and enjoyed by all. Popi Nicolaides, Efi Kostoudi and Helen Leonidou.
Το Καρναβάλι της Αγλαντζιάς είναι μια μεγάλη γιορτή διασκέδασης και το απολαμβάνουν όλοι. Η Πόπη Νικολαΐδου, Έφη Κοστούδη και η Χέλεν Λεωνίδου.

The culmination of Aglantzia Carnival season occurs with a massive extravagant parade on Carnival Sunday.
Το αποκορύφωμα της Γιορτής της Απόκριας στην Αγλαντζιά είναι η τεράστια και μαζική παρέλαση στο καρναβάλι της Κυριακής.

Having enjoyable and exciting time all together. George and Tota Ioannou

Απολαμβάνοντας συναρπαστικές στιγμές όλοι μαζί. Ο Γιώργος και η Τότα Ιωάννου.

Participation itself in the parade is an incredible experience.

Η συμμετοχή στην παρέλαση από μόνη της είναι μια απίθανη εμπειρία.

The Carnival of Aglantzia is hailed by the natives, not only for the massive participation of the locals.
Το Καρναβάλι της Αγλαντζιάς χαιρετίστηκε από τους δημότες, όχι μόνο για τη μαζική συμμετοχή των ντόπιων.

A spectacular carnival show! - A city filled with carnival spectacle and colour.

Μια πόλη γεμάτη με καρναβάλι, θέαμα και χρώματα. Ένα καταπληκτικό καρναβαλίστικο σόου!

More and more wild. Getting a little bit wild. All you need is good mood and ... fun!
Το κέφι ανάβει. Μέσα στην τρελή χαρά. Το μόνο που χρειάζεται είναι καλή διάθεση και … διασκέδαση!

Festivities attract thousands of people from all corners of the capital city and in the region as well. Andreas Themistokleous with his beautiful company.
Οι γιορταστικές εκδηλώσεις προσελκύουν χιλιάδες κόσμου από όλες τις γωνιές της πρωτεύουσας και της γύρω περιοχής. Ο Ανδρέας Θεμιστοκλέους με την όμορφη παρέα του.

Creative enthusiasm of dancers and musicians giving their full spirit to living life joyfully in the moment.
Ενθουσιασμός χορευτών και μουσικών, δημιουργώντας πλήρες πνεύμα για τη χαρά της ζωής και των στιγμών.

A lot of beautiful smiles and pictures... Agni Tsiakki with a big smile, enjoys the parade.

Πολλά ωραία χαμόγελα και φωτογραφίες... Η Αγνή Τσιακή με ένα μεγάλο χαμόγελο απολαμβάνει την παρέλαση.

It’s been a tradition for young families to participate in Aglantzia carnival. Christos Pegiotis family.
Έγινε θεσμός για τις νεαρές οικογένειες να συμμετέχουν στο καρναβάλι της Αγλαντζιάς. Ο Χρήστος Πηγειώτης με την οικογένεια του.

Fabulous costumes and colours. - Υπέροχα κοστούμια και χρώματα.

No other event in Nicosia, Cyprus can be so colourful and cheerful.
Καμιά άλλη εκδήλωση στη Λευκωσία δεν μπορεί να είναι γεμάτη με τόσα χρώματα και τόσο διασκεδαστική.

Is all about fun and happiness. Carnival involves all generations!

Αφορά τη διασκέδαση και τη χαρά. Στο Καρναβάλι συμμετέχουν όλες οι γενεές!

Carnival in Aglantzia is above all a festival of fancy dress.

Το Καρναβάλι στην Αγλαντζιά είναι πάνω από όλα μια γιορτή μεταμφίεσης.

The parade is suitable for families with children and adults alike, and participants are invited to get into the spirit of carnival by dressing up for the occasion. A fantastic carnival trip with a First-Class treatment!
Η παρέλαση είναι κατάλληλη για οικογένειες με παιδιά και ενήλικες, και οι συμμετέχοντες καλούνται να μπουν στο πνεύμα του καρναβαλιού ντυμένοι για την περίσταση. Ένα φανταστικό καρναβαλίστικο ταξίδι, πρώτης θέσης!

People embraced the spirit of the festival. Aelia, Marios Kostoudis Renos Nicolaides, Efi Kostoudi, Popi Nicolaides in carnival mood!
Ο κόσμος αγκαλιάζει το πνεύμα των πανηγυρικών εκδηλώσεων. Η Αέλια, Μάριος Κοστούδης, Ρένος Νικολαΐδης, Έφη Κοστούδη και Πόπη Νικολαΐδου σε καρναβαλική διάθεση.

Carnival costumes don't have to be "elegant", the important thing is to show your good intentions and to feel comfortable.
Τα κουστούμια του Καρναβαλιού δεν χρειάζεται να είναι «κομψά», το σημαντικό είναι να δείξει τις καλές προθέσεις και να αισθάνεστε άνετα.

The Carnival parade includes children's groups in fancy dress from nurseries, kindergartens, musical schools etc.
Η παρέλαση περιλαμβάνει ομάδες παιδιών με φανταχτερές στολές από παιδικούς σταθμούς, νηπιαγωγεία, μουσικά σχολεία, σχολές χορού κ.λπ.

The largest Carnival event in Nicosia which became an institution. Chryso Christoforou, Efi Kostoudi, Popi and Phivos Nicolaides enjoy the carnival.
Η μεγαλύτερη αποκριάτικη εκδήλωση στη Λευκωσία, που έγινε θεσμός. Χρύσω Χριστοφόρου, Έφη Κοστούδη, Πόπη και Φοίβος Νικολαΐδης, απολαμβάνουν το καρναβάλι.

All this fun and entertaining mood attracts every year thousands of visitors.

Όλο αυτό το χαρούμενο και διασκεδαστικό κλίμα προσελκύει κάθε χρόνο χιλιάδες επισκέπτες.

Every one even the kids put their utmost energy into their performance for the success of the parade. There are no limits to imagination: the brighter the better!
Ο καθένας βάζει τα δυνατά του για την επιτυχία της παρέλασης. Δεν υπάρχουν όρια στη φαντασία: η πιο φωτεινή είναι η καλύτερη!

The fascinating archaeological site of Akrotiri, Santorini – Greece

 Ακρωτήρι, η «Πομπηία της Εποχής του Χαλκού» στη Σαντορίνη

Buried beneath layers of volcanic ash on the famous island of Santorini lies one of the world’s most important archaeological sites.
Στο διάσημο νησί της Σαντορίνης βρίσκεται θαμμένος κάτω από στρώματα ηφαιστειακής τέφρας, ένας από τους σημαντικότερους αρχαιολογικούς χώρους στον κόσμο.Akrotiri, often referred to as the “Pompeii of the Bronze Age.” But unlike Pompeii, Akrotiri’s destruction occurred centuries earlier, around 1600 BC, when the catastrophic eruption of the Thera volcano destroyed the city and reshaped the face of the Aegean Sea.

Το Ακρωτήρι, που συχνά αναφέρεται ως η «Πομπηία της Εποχής του Χαλκού». Αλλά σε αντίθεση με την Πομπηία, η καταστροφή του Ακρωτηρίου συνέβη αιώνες νωρίτερα, γύρω στο 1600 π.Χ., όταν η καταστροφική έκρηξη του ηφαιστείου της Θήρας κατέστρεψε την πόλη και αναμόρφωσε την όψη του Αιγαίου Πελάγους. The volcano buried an entire civilization in silence for more than three thousand years. Excavations began in the late 19th century, but it was not until the 1960s that the scale of the city was truly revealed. What emerged was a sophisticated urban center, complete with high-rise buildings, sewage systems, stunning furniture, and murals that still shine brightly today.

Το ηφαίστειο έθαψε έναν ολόκληρο πολιτισμό στη σιωπή για περισσότερα από τρεις χιλιάδες χρόνια. Οι ανασκαφές ξεκίνησαν στα τέλη του 19ου αιώνα, αλλά μόλις τη δεκαετία του 1960 αποκαλύφθηκε πραγματικά η κλίμακα της πόλης. Αυτό που αναδύθηκε ήταν ένα εκλεπτυσμένο αστικό κέντρο, γεμάτο με πολυώροφα κτίρια, συστήματα αποχέτευσης, εκπληκτικά έπιπλα και τοιχογραφίες που εξακολουθούν να λάμπουν τα χρώματα τους μέχρι σήμερα.

The inhabitants of Akrotiri were probably Minoans, their art depicting dolphins, saffron gatherers, and ceremonial rituals. All frozen in time under the ash, but no human remains have been found in the city, suggesting that its inhabitants heeded the early warning signs and evacuated before the final destruction, a rarity in ancient stories of floods and other catastrophes.
Οι κάτοικοι του Ακρωτηρίου ήταν πιθανώς Μινωίτες, η τέχνη τους απεικόνιζε δελφίνια, συλλέκτες σαφράν και τελετουργικές τελετές. Όλα παγωμένα στο χρόνο κάτω από την τέφρα, αλλά δεν έχουν βρεθεί ανθρώπινα λείψανα στην πόλη, γεγονός που δηλώνει ότι οι κάτοικοί της έλαβαν υπόψη τα πρώιμα προειδοποιητικά σημάδια και την εκκένωσαν πριν από την τελική καταστροφή, κάτι σπάνιο στις αρχαίες ιστορίες κατακλυσμών και άλλων καταστροφών.

What makes Akrotiri so powerful is not just its beauty or its preservation. It is its eerie stillness, as if life had stopped in mid-breath. Bread is still in the oven. Jars remain intact on stone shelves. It offers us a living window into a past, a city of prosperity and art that was extinguished in an instant. And it raises a tantalizing question that still echoes in the caldera of the volcano: was this the real Atlantis that Plato wrote about, swallowed by the sea and lost in myth?

Αυτό που κάνει το Ακρωτήρι τόσο ισχυρό δεν είναι μόνο η ομορφιά του ή η διατήρησή του. Είναι η απόκοσμη ακινησία του, σαν η ζωή να έχει σταματήσει στη μέση μιας ανάσας. Το ψωμί εξακολουθεί να είναι στο φούρνο. Τα βάζα παραμένουν άθικτα σε πέτρινα ράφια. Μας προσφέρει ένα ζωντανό παράθυρο σε ένα παρελθόν, μια πόλη ευημερίας και τέχνης που σβήστηκε σε μια στιγμή. Και εγείρει ένα δελεαστικό ερώτημα που εξακολουθεί να αντηχεί στην καλντέρα του ηφαιστείου: ήταν αυτή η πραγματική Ατλαντίδα για την οποία έγραψε ο Πλάτωνας, που την κατάπιε η θάλασσα και χάθηκε στον μύθο;

Akrotiri is not just an excavation site, a whisper of the Bronze Age beneath the ash. It is a reminder that nature can destroy and survive at the same time.
Το Ακρωτήρι δεν είναι απλώς ένας χώρος ανασκαφής, ένας ψίθυρος της Εποχής του Χαλκού κάτω από την τέφρα. Είναι μια υπενθύμιση πως η φύση μπορεί να καταστρέψει και να επιβιώσει ταυτόχρονα.

Sardinia island - Italy

 A beautiful island in the Mediterranean SeaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia and south of the French island of Corsica. It has over 1.5 million inhabitants as of 2025.

It is one of the five Italian regions with some degree of domestic autonomy being granted by a special statute. Its official name, Autonomous Region of Sardinia, is bilingual in Italian and Sardinian: Regione Autonoma della Sardegna / Regione Autònoma de Sardigna. It is divided into four provinces and a metropolitan city. Its capital (and largest city) is Cagliari.

Sardinia's indigenous language and Algherese Catalan are referred to by both the regional and national law as two of Italy's twelve officially recognized linguistic minorities, albeit gravely endangered, while the regional law provides some measures to recognize and protect the aforementioned as well as the island's other minority languages (the Corsican-influenced Sassarese and Gallurese, and finally Tabarchino Ligurian).

Owing to the variety of Sardinia's ecosystems, which include mountains, woods, plains, stretches of largely uninhabited territory, streams, rocky coasts, and long sandy beaches, Sardinia has been metaphorically described as a micro-continent.

Sardinia, or in Italian 'Sardegna', is not a mainstream Mediterranean destination but a sophisticated Italian island. With over 1,800km of unspoilt coastline, it is renowned for beautiful beaches, turquoise sea and fascinating rock formations.

In the modern era, many travellers and writers have extolled the beauty of its long-untouched landscapes, which retain vestiges of the Nuragic civilization. In the picture, Anne Marie Nicolaïdès.

The name Sardinia has pre-Latin roots. It comes from the pre-Roman ethnonym *s(a)rd-, later romanised as sardus (feminine sarda). It makes its first appearance on the Nora Stone, where the word ŠRDN, or *Šardana, testifies to the name's existence when the Phoenician merchants first arrived.

According to Timaeus, one of Plato's dialogues, Sardinia (referred to by most ancient Greek authors as Sardṓ, Σαρδώ) and its people as well might have been named after a legendary woman called Sardṓ (Σαρδώ), born in Sardis (Σάρδεις), capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia. In classical antiquity, Sardinia was called a number of names besides Sardṓ (Σαρδώ) or Sardinia, like Ichnusa (the Latinised form of the Greek Ἰχνοῦσσα), Sandaliotis (Σανδαλιῶτις) and Argyrophleps (Αργυρόφλεψ).

The Cathedral of Cagliari, also known as Cattedrale di Santa Maria e Santa Cecilia, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Cecilia and serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Cagliari. The cathedral has a rich history, with construction beginning in the 13th century in a Pisan-Romanesque style, later undergoing Baroque renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries, and finally receiving its current Neo-Romanesque facade in the 1930s.

Sardinia is so much more than just beaches—it's a destination famous for its ancient sites, mouthwatering cuisine and rich cultural experiences. This Mediterranean gem is a land of contrasts, where rugged mountains give way to pristine shores and centuries-old traditions thrive alongside lively coastal towns.

 It is generally high and rocky, with long, relatively straight stretches, outstanding headlands, wide, deep bays, rias, and inlets with various smaller islands. The island has an ancient geoformation and, unlike Sicily and mainland Italy, is not earthquake-prone. The first language of Sardinia is Italian, although the Sardinian language, Sardo, is still widely spoken. A remarkably rich language, Sardo varies greatly from area to area, even from village to village, with Latin, Arabic, Spanish and Catalan influences reflecting the turbulence of the island's past.

An ancient city with a long history, Cagliari has seen the rule of several civilisations. Under the buildings of the modern city there is a continuous stratification attesting to human settlement over the course of some five thousand years, from the Neolithic to today. 

 Historical sites include the prehistoric Domus de Janas, partly damaged by cave activity, a large Carthaginian era necropolis, a Roman era amphitheatre, a Byzantine Basilica, three Pisan-era towers and a strong system of fortification that made the town the core of Spanish Habsburg imperial power in the western Mediterranean Sea. 

 Its natural resources have always been its sheltered harbour, the often powerfully fortified hill of Castel di Castro, the modern Casteddu, the salt from its lagoons, and, from the hinterland, wheat from the Campidano plain and silver and other ores from the Iglesiente mines.

Many wished to conquer Sardinia; the Phoenicians, the Punic and Byzantine empires, the Romans, the Pisans, and the Aragonese. The presence of these cultures can be clearly seen in the city’s architecture; the Town Hall, for example, is a mix of Spanish Gothic and Italian Art Noveau, while in other places of the city medieval towers and Baroque churches can be admired.

Cagliari embodies Sardinia’s lust for life in all its facets. With its winding alleys, grand architecture and idyllic location skirted by the sea, the island’s capital city is easy to fall in love with. Whether you want to shop till you drop or relax on Poetto beach, Cagliari is one of the most beautiful spots in Sardinia.

Whether you want to shop till you drop or relax on Poetto beach, Cagliari is one of the most beautiful spots in Sardinia. A climb to its imposing fort reveals breathtaking views of the old town with its subtly morbid charm and many of the city’s impressive buildings – the Cathedral of Santa Maria, the Elephant Tower and the Tower of San Pancrazio punctuate the landscape of subtropical gardens and mysterious alleyways. 

The flag of Sardinia, also referred to as the Four Moors, represents and symbolizes the island of Sardinia (Italy) and its people. It was also the historical flag and coat of arms of the Aragonese, then Spanish, and later Savoyard Kingdom of Sardinia. It was first officially adopted by the autonomous region in 1950 with a revision in 1999, describing it as a "white field with a red cross and a bandaged Moor's head facing away from the hoist (the edge close to the mast) in each quarter".

The flag is composed of the St George's Cross and four heads of Moors, which in the past may not have been forehead bandaged but blindfolded and turned towards the hoist. But already well-preserved pictures from the 16th century clearly show a forehead bandage (see gallery below). The most accepted hypothesis is that the heads represented the heads of Moorish princes defeated by the Aragonese, as for the first time they appeared in the 13th-century seals of the Crown of Aragon – although with a beard and no bandage, contrary to the Moors of the Sardinian flag, which appeared for the first time in a manuscript of the second half of the 14th century.

Orgosolo is a municipality located in the Province of Nuoro, in the autonomous region of Sardinia, at about 110 kilometres north of Cagliari and about 13 kilometres south of Nuoro. The municipality is famous for its murals. These political paintings can be found on walls all over Orgosolo. Since about 1969, the murals reflect different aspects of Sardinia's political struggles but also deal with international issues.

Orgosolo is known for its protest painting; the politically charged wall paintings colour the centre of the town. With more than a hundred different pieces, every nook, cranny, alley or corner in this dwelling has its own work of art. Vittorio De Seta's movie Banditi a Orgosolo (1961) focuses on the past way of life in central Sardinia and on the phenomenon of "Banditry" in the region. At one time Orgosolo was known as the "village of the murderers" due to its high crime rate. Bandits of the surrounding mountains used the church door to post notices of death sentence passed on their enemies.

In the heart of Barbagia lies Orgosolo, a pre-Nuragic commune in the province of Nuoro, at an altitude of about 600 metres. Its hilly and mountainous terrain, with the exception of the Locoe valley, allows views to reach beyond the Baronìe sub-region and, on clear days, as far as the peaks of Mount Limbara in Gallura. We recommend visiting the Gennargentu National Park and the Supramonte, a mountainous plateau with karst terrain, caves, sinkholes and gorges. You will be amazed by the spectacular Gorropu Canyon, a deep gorge with 400-metre vertical walls carved by the Flumineddu river. 

A cradle of archaic traditions, Orgosolo reveals a deep bond with its roots: it is the land of the Canto a Tenore (Polyphonic folk singing), proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most famous things in this village are the 150+ murals. But did you know it is also home to one of UNESCO’s intangible world heritages? And have you ever heard about its centuries-old tradition of silkworm farming?

Cagliari doesn’t only offer all of the above…if you visit this fantastic city don’t forget to try its typical cuisine, which includes burrida, fregula con cocciula, sa cassola, malloreddus and is pardulas. No further explanation on these dishes and their ingredients…you’re invited to visit Cagliari and personally discover the scents, flavors, and origin of these typical delicacies!

Cagliari boasts a strategic position in the Mediterranean and offers, amongst many other tourist attractions, a castle, a cathedral, the harbor, the Elephant Tower, the Archeological Museum, a Roman Amphitheater, the San Benedetto Market, the Bastion of Saint Remy and the pink flamingos of Molentargius.

Ancient Olbia (Ancient Greek: Ὄλβια, "the happy" or "the prosperous") was founded around 647 BC; it is also called "Sardinian Olbia" to distinguish it from the five other Greek cities called "Olbia". In Roman times, Sardinian Olbia covered 2.5 hectares with a square plan and a barracks which was originally located in this city, surrounded by a rampart. Inside, two large perpendicular streets divided it into 4 stone districts, with copper roofs. In modern times, Olbia is called Terranova and then Terranova Pausania. In 1939, the Mussolini regime changed its name to Olbia. This change was not reversed when the regime fell. (In the picture Pascal Nicolaïdès).