Once upon a time, an evening in Nicosia began with a drink in the town centre and ended beneath a cinema marquee. At the Magic Palace on Evagorou Avenue, the Athinaion at the old GSP stadium, the Pallas at Paphos Gate, the Royal in the old town and, many years later, at Zena Palace, Opera, Diana, Othello and Pantheon, Nicosians made their dates, queued for tickets and talked about the latest films arriving from Hollywood.
For young people it was their first night out. For couples it was a regular way to escape the routine, and for families a chance to spend Sunday afternoon together. Today, many of those cinemas live on only in Nicosians’ memories. Most commercial screenings now take place in modern multiplexes, and a family outing calls for some extra arithmetic: four tickets, soft drinks and popcorn can push the bill past €50!
The first cinemas
Nicosia’s cinema history goes back many decades, long before the cinemas known to the generations of the 1980s and 1990s. Films were already being screened in the early 20th century, when moving pictures were a novel spectacle. In the years that followed, both winter and summer cinemas opened, among them the Magic Palace, Paradeisos, Loukoudi, Akropol and Athinaion, the last of which operated as an open-air summer cinema.
From the Magic Palace, the Athinaion and the Othello to today’s modern cinemas, much has changed in the way Nicosians enjoy the big screen. Halls that once drew hundreds of viewers have closed, and a family outing today can cost more than €50.
The Magic Palace held a special place in people’s hearts, closely linked to Evagorou Avenue and the commercial life of the city. Old photographs, with their large film posters and bicycles parked outside the entrance, recall a Nicosia where going to the cinema was one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Nor was it only films that drew the crowds. Several of these venues also hosted theatre performances and other events, becoming established meeting places.
The 1980s and 1990s
For Nicosians who grew up in the last decades of the 20th century, a night at the cinema meant Zena Palace, Opera, Diana and Othello. Zena Palace was one of the best-loved, with groups of friends gathering in the surrounding area before and after screenings. Opera, with its two screens, was also a popular destination, while Diana had become synonymous with the capital’s commercial heart.
At the Othello in Engomi, big box-office hits drew huge crowds. The screenings of “Titanic” and “Safe Sex” are among those people still remember, and the queues outside the building were a defining image of the era.
Over the years, however, the picture began to change… Television, video and later digital platforms gave audiences more ways to watch films at home. At the same time, the growth of large multi-screen cinema complexes gradually reduced the role of the old independent cinemas.
The abandoned buildings
The historic cinemas did not all share the same fate. Some were demolished, others changed use, and some still stand today without the function that made them famous. A telling example is the Othello, which was back in the news last September when images of its neglect raised safety concerns for passers-by.
By contrast, the historic Pallas at Paphos Gate was renovated in 2008 and given a new cultural role as home to the Symphony Orchestra. The Royal in the walled city followed a similar path: once restored, it became a venue for cultural events.
According to information obtained by Politis, 2026 is shaping up to be a satisfactory year for cinemas, with even higher hopes for 2027. However, a return to pre-pandemic attendance is considered difficult.
For the Diana, the change was final, as its historic premises were wiped off the map. With them went a piece of the capital’s old everyday life. People going to see a film would often take a stroll through the centre, stop for food or a drink and bring business to the shops around them. The cinemas were part of that bustle, at a time when much of Nicosia’s entertainment was concentrated in the town centre.
Cinemas today
In today’s Nicosia, the options include K Cineplex in Strovolos, Premier Cinemas at Nicosia Mall and the historic Pantheon on Diagorou Street, which keeps alive the tradition of the independent cinema.
- Premier Cinemas: According to its published price list, a standard adult ticket costs €9 and a child’s ticket €7. A couple therefore pays €18, and a family with two adults and two children under 11 pays €32. For 3D screenings, the adult ticket rises to €11 and the child’s to €9. There is, however, a cheaper option on Tuesdays, when tickets cost €7 regardless of film or screening.
- K Cineplex: Published screening prices list a standard ticket at €10 and a child’s ticket at €8. At these prices, a couple pays €20 and a family of four €36. Special prices of €8 per person have also been advertised for certain family films.
- Pantheon: Here the cost depends more on the type of screening. For “Fatherland”, for example, shown in October, advertised prices ranged from €7 to €9. Two standard tickets cost €18 and four cost €36.
- The Friends of Cinema Society: Its screenings, aimed at adults, have general admission of €5, and some are free.
Cinema without popcorn?
The cost of a night at the cinema does not stop at the ticket. For many viewers, especially families with children, popcorn and soft drinks are part of the fun. If a family of four spends roughly another €15 to €20 at the snack bar, the total can reach as much as €55, depending on the cinema.
The impact of the pandemic
According to information obtained by Politis from the cinema industry, the sector in Cyprus is still dealing with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused significant financial losses and upended audience habits. Audiences began gradually returning in 2023, and 2025 saw the first real signs of recovery.
2026 is shaping up to be a satisfactory year, and expectations for 2027 are even more optimistic, mainly because of the major productions expected from Hollywood, which was also hit by the pandemic and international economic instability. However, a return to pre-pandemic attendance is considered difficult, as the spread of digital platforms has changed entertainment habits, while ongoing piracy is a further blow to the industry.
The big screen endures, the city has changed
Despite the closure of the old cinemas, cinema life in Nicosia goes on. The big multiplexes still draw audiences for mainstream releases, while the Pantheon and the film clubs give the public a chance to see films that are not widely screened.
For older Nicosians, of course, a walk along the streets where Zena Palace, Diana or Opera once stood can still bring back memories of queues at the box office, posters outside the entrances and groups of friends meeting for the last screening. Today, the film may be just as good and the picture even better. But those evenings that began with a stroll through the centre and ended in a packed cinema now belong to another Nicosia.
