Winter holidays in Cyprus. Natural beauty

Wouldn't it be nice to live the summer in your own country and have a summer holiday in the winter months in one of the few European Countries with a nice warm winter? A country where everyone speaks English.  Although Cyprus is not hot in January, the sun shines every day. It is perfect weather for walking into the town or exploring the wonderful mountains.  Cyprus has a temperate winter with annual rain falling mainly in January and February leaving the rest of the year a mixture of beautiful warm days with blue skies perfect for pastimes such as gardening or walking, the only exception being the intense heat in July and August.

Winter holidays in Cyprus are popular due to the exceptionally mild climate and this destination boasts on average 300 days of sunshine per year.  It is an ideal way to escape the British winter and we can even arrange month long stays if preferred. Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate. No matter what time of the year, it is always warmer than northern climates. In Cyprus you will see flowers all year round.

You shouldn’t expect to be swimming in the sea during the winter, but some days you will be in shorts and t-shirts. In late November there are always dozens of bathers in the sea in Cyprus, the weather is exceptionally warm.

Spring and autumn are effectively short intervals in between, characterized by settled weather. With almost year-round clear skies and sunshine, daylight length ranges from 9.8 hours in December to 14.5 hours in June. The temperature in the open sea hovers above 22° C from June to November, climbing to 27° C in August. Even during the three coolest months of January to March, average sea temperatures are an acceptable 16° or 17° C. Near the coast, the temperature of water three or four meters deep is similar to that of the open sea, ranging from 15° to 17°C in February and from 23° to 28°C in August. There are no significant daily fluctuations in sea water temperatures, except in very shallow waters less than one meter deep.

The climate in Cyprus can help ease arthritis, it can even sort out asthma and the vast amounts of sunshine available for most of the year keeps everyone feeling youthful, full of energy and basically happy.

Why not spend your Christmas in Cyprus? Christmas in Cyprus has a lot to offer especially if you are looking for a warmer climate for the festive season. Over recent years Cypriots have really taken to decorating their towns with Christmas lights. Even the smallest of villages seem to have Christmas lights this year in the village square and the roundabouts entering the larger towns. December is the month when the winter rains kick in properly and for the month as a whole you can expect six wet days, along with about ten cloudy ones. But despite this there is still a fair amount of sunshine around. In fact, each year a number of locals opt for a BBQ as their Christmas dinner, because the temperatures are generally still warm enough, and there's only a one in five chance of rain. Over the years, a great many websites have made a big deal about the fact that it's possible to go skiing in the morning and swim in the Mediterranean on the same afternoon. Well, December is probably your best chance to do that, as the weather is still quite good overall, and the sea is quite warm.

A spa holiday is an excellent way to pamper yourself and banish those winter blues and there are many Cyprus spa hotels to choose from.  Or perhaps you just want to spend your time discovering the fascinating history and culture of Cyprus or exploring the beautiful natural surroundings.

Cyprus is a wonderful island of contrasts. The snows on Mount Olympus are a fabulous way of spending a winter morning. In January  a top the Troodos Mountains the skiing season gets into full swing and for the first few days of the New Year it can often seem like the whole island's population is going to the mountains to look at the snow.

In February temperatures for the month are somewhat misrepresentative. The simple fact is that the coldest time of the year, by far, are the first couple of weeks in February, and it's only due to the rapid increase in daytime temperatures towards the end of the month, that February appears so much warmer than January on the charts.

If you're looking to do the whole 'go skiing and then swim in the Med', then the last couple of weeks in February are a good time. Troodos mountain range sees some heavy snowfall enabling skiing from January often until March.