What is the Climate of Cyprus like

The climate in Cyprus is mostly warm or hot, However, even if it goes over 35 degrees, as it is an island, you will not feel it too hot. The weather does not change a lot through the period between Spring and Autumn, so you can plan ahead, not like in England.

In the summer you can experience clear blue sky all day. The temperatures are warm, sometimes hot, but the sea wind will make it more bearable for visitors. Cyprus summer lasts from May to October, and it is suitable for  outdoor activities as well as enjoying the Cyprus sun. If you are traveling in the Summer, you should plan shopping and visits to the city for the morning or evening. The midday can be really warm, and if you are not used to the climate, it can cause you problems. If you don’t like heat, you can visit Cyprus over the spring or autumn, or hide in Troodos mountains, where the air is fresher.

It is more suitable to visit Cyprus in the autumn, if you are planning on sightseeing instead of a beach holiday. You can see the leaves turn into different colors and shades, and participate in the wine festivals. They are usually held in the end of the summer or early September. This is the best time to get to know local food and wine as well. It does not mean that the sea temperature drops until November, so you can still enjoy swimming and water sports Cyprus has to offer.

Int he winter it is more likely to start raining. You will still have mostly sunny days, for at least 6 hours. You also have to know that unlike in Greece and Turkey, most of the tourist attractions and sites are open in the winter. The museums and heritages sites are still open. Life does not stop. The winter is the best time to plan journeys around the island, exploring different places and Troodos. There are great snowboarding sites in Cyprus as well as skiing facilities. Thankfully, the winter does not last long, and from March you can expect the weather to become friendlier and the sea temperatures to rise.

Spring is still the very best time to visit Cyprus. You can enjoy the sight of millions of wildflowers blooming from March, and there are plenty of flower festivals in this season. The most pleasant season is spring, and you will never be disappointed what Cyprus has to offer from March to April.

The weather in Cyprus overall is great, even compared to other Mediterranean counrties. That is why it is one of the most popular places people from less fortunate climate want to relocate to.

If you are wondering what is the best season to visit Cyprus, you might want to get to know more about the weather in Cyprus, You have to consider that Cyprus climate is very mild, similar to the ones on the Middle East, and also not as dry as in some African countries. But if you want to pick the best time to visit the island, you have to get a detailed review and statistics of the weather in Cyprus. Different towns have different weather in Cyprus, so just bear in mind the location you are visiting before you decide.

Agia Napa seems to be enjoying the hottest weather in Cyprus among the popular holiday destinations. The average temperatures are usually over 30 degrees between June and August. That means it is not suitable for the elderly in the summer, but will be great for a beach holiday. If you are looking for milder temperatures, you can visit this town from March to April or September to November, when the weather in Cyprus is more pleasant, usually between 18 and 28 degrees. The good thing about weather in Cyprus is that winters are mild, too, the temperatures rarely fall below 10 degrees.

Limassol is enjoying a more moderate weather in Cyprus. You can have a few degrees lower temperature, and as the sea is very close, you can still chill out in the beach, even if you find the weather in Cyprus too hot. The best time to visit Limassol is usually March to May or October. As there are loads of things to do other than exploring the beach, you might opt for a late Autumn holiday. The weather in Paphos is similar to the Limassol weather, so the same rules apply. It is advisable to take your holiday in the early Spring as the weather in Cyprus is sure to produce some great scenes, and loads of flowers bloom early.

Paphos enjoys the coolest weather in Cyprus. It is the most suitable to take summer holidays, still Spring and Autumn holidays are very popular. If you want to see more of Paphos, and don’t want to be affected by the hot weather in Cyprus, you have to choose an April or October holiday. The sea temperatures are still great for swimming at this time, thanks to the great mild weather in Cyprus.

The average life expectancy on the island, thanks to the Cyprus weather, for the whole population is about 77.66 years, and a staggering 80.57 for women,  Cyprus weather helps people live a better quality of life. Sunshine also provides essential Vitamin D for your body, and Cyprus weather will help you avoid nerve problems and can keep your bones healthy for longer.

By settling down on the island, many sufferers have already managed to get rid of excruciating pain they have been suffering from for years. It is all down to the Cyprus weather. Arthritis sufferers have also benefited from the mild and not too wet Cyprus weather.

But it is not the Cyprus weather alone that is giving you health benefits, but the food. Eating ripe fruits and vegetables, grown in the sun, instead of greenhouses is going to change your health. That also means that farms on Cyprus don’t have to use that many chemicals to influence the growth of the plants, thanks to the Cyprus weather.

Cyprus weather in the Northern parts is much milder, so if you want to avoid heatwaves, you should look for properties there. It is not too often when the Cyprus weather goes wild, though, the temperatures rarely reach 40 degrees, and even then you will have plenty of options to escape from the heat, of cool down in the sea.

Winter Cyprus weather is also mild, it is usually not dropping under ten degrees. That means you can enjoy more outdoor sports all year round, and don’t have to stay at home to avoid icy roads. Although Cyprus weather is quite warm all year long, the air is fresh, and not too dry, helping people with respiratory problems get better.

Another health benefit of the Cyprus weather is that you can pretty much live outside. The Cyprus weather lets you enjoy early morning breakfast on the balcony, and late dinners in the garden. Obviously you will need some time (usually a year) to adopt to Cyprus weather, but it will worth to change for the better and preserve your most valuable asset: your health.

Exploitation of turtles in the Mediterranean, from the beginning until about the middle of this century has decimated turtle populations. Very large numbers of turtles were shipped from the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe where there was a large demand for turtle soup. Man’s encroachment on turtle nesting habitats in the Mediterranean is now threatening turtles in this sea. The intensive use of beaches, for tourism and recreational purposes, deprives them of their nesting grounds. Some turtles drown or are killed when caught in fishermen’s nets or on long-lines. Turtles and especially the Green turtles are, as a result, on the verge of extinction in the Mediterranean.

Both the Green and the Loggerhead turtles have been declared by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (I.U.C.N.) as endangered. Both species are protected under the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention). An Action Plan for their conservation has also been approved by Mediterranean States within UNEP’s Mediterranean Action Plan (Barcelona Convention).

In 1976 a project was conceived how to help the Marine turtles of Cyprus. Two years later, in 1978, the project was launched by the Fisheries Department. It includes a seasonal station and a hatchery at Lara. The Cyprus Government finances the project. Late in 1980, it received World Wildlife Fund support, as an International Union for the Conservation of Nature/World Wildlife Fund Project, for three years. It is currently receiving assistance from the E.U. as a MEDSPA Project. In 1976 and 1977, a thorough survey of the turtle breeding beaches was undertaken. It showed that Green turtles were breeding on several beaches, including those in the Ayia Napa area and the unspoilt surf-swept west coast beaches north of Pafos. Surveys on turtle nesting undertaken since then confirm these initial observations. However, nesting on the Ayia Napa beaches and on the beaches between Maa and Pafos has ceased because of the intensive use of these beaches for tourism, recreation etc. Loggerhead turtles nest on most beaches that provide some privacy at night and the odd turtle will occasionally nest on some tourist beaches (often with disastrous results for the eggs and hatchlings).Turtles are an ancient group of reptiles that, like the marine mammals such as dolphins, seals and whales, have “reversed” their evolution and returned to the sea. This reverse process is however, incomplete and though turtles have adapted well to life in the sea – they are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for long periods – their ties to their land adapted ancestors are unmistakable.Turtles still have to breathe air and they have to come up on land to lay their eggs.

Turtles do not lay every year. In Cyprus they lay every 2-4 years from the beginning of June until the middle of August. During the breeding season they lay 3-5 times, every two weeks. Each clutch, of about 100 eggs, is layed 50-70 cm deep, in a hole dug in the sand in the quiet of the night. The hatchlings emerge from the sand at night, about seven weeks later, and head directly and infallibly towards the sea. Their instinctive location of the sea is based on their attraction to the light reflected off the sea. This instinct, however, may well be the downfall of the turtles. Hatchlings are attracted to the brightest light near the breeding beach – be it a hotel or a cafe – hence the need to avoid any such development near the breeding beaches. Female turtles are shy, and lights and movement at night will affect their laying. If the female turtle is unable to find a suitable beach and retains her eggs too long, they will be disposed of into the sea to perish.

On surveys undertaken on the extensive beaches east of Polis, more than 80% of the nests were found dug up and eaten by foxes, which patrol most beaches during the nesting season. Once the hatchlings reach the sea new enemies face them there. Many nests also perish by being covered by waves. For thousands of years, however, sufficient numbers of hatchlings reached the sea and survived to keep a stable population.

In view of the turtles’ demise active conservation measures were initiated in Cyprus with the Lara Turtle Conservation Project.

The main thrust of the project aims at:
- Protecting the remaining turtle nesting beaches.
- Protecting eggs and hatchlings from predation.
- Monitoring the turtle population.

At the Lara station nests are collected and transferred to the hatchery, which is a fenced off part of the beach, where they are reburied and protected from foxes. The eggs are buried at the right depth as sex determination in turtles is dependent on the incubation temperature. Incubation at 29-30 degrees C results in half the hatchlings being male and the other half female. Low temperatures result in male hatchlings. Higher temperatures than normal produce females.

Turtle nests can now be identified, almost with certainty as those of the Green or Loggerhead turtles and Fisheries Department staff have become familiar with turtle breeding behaviour and reactions. Hatching success improved with better handling techniques, which were developed over the years, to achieve an 80% success rate. This, however, is still a little lower than that of protected undisturbed nests, which is about 80-90%.

Green turtle hatching
At several of the Lara beaches all nests that can be protected in situ, by cages, are left undisturbed where they were made by the turtles, i.e. they are not transferred to the hatchery.

At the beginning of the Lara Turtle Project there was an estimated breeding population of about 100 Green turtles breeding in the Lara-Toxeftra area mainly. The Loggerhead population is apparently somewhat larger and nests on other beaches also, in Chrysochou Bay in particular.

The Lara Turtle Project is the first and still the only one of its kind in the Mediterranean.

Through the project over 6,000 hatchlings are now released every year. This is about 3-4 times the number that would normally reach the sea if the nests were not protected. Female turtles are tagged and their reappearance on the nesting beaches is monitored.

Though the time required for turtles to reach maturity is still uncertain, it is expected that 15-30 years or so after hatching the turtles that survive will find their way back to the same beaches to lay their own eggs. The imprinting mechanism, through which they know on which beach they were born, is still being studied. Therefore, all precautions are taken to disturb as little as possible the hatchlings’ incubation and first descent to the sea.

Raising turtles to larger sizes and releasing them is also being researched into. About 100 turtles ranging from one to ten years old are being kept in sea cages, in Pafos harbour and in special tanks in Nicosia, for this purpose. About 100 have already been released at various ages. Releasing such turtles may cut down on mortality at sea as they will be too large to be eaten by most predators.

In Cyprus, turtles and their eggs have been protected since 1971 by law, along with dolphins and seals, (Regulations made under the Fisheries Law). In 1989 the Lara-Toxeftra coastal region was declared a protected area, under the same law and is managed as such by the Fisheries Department. It covers a stretch of coastline 10 kms long, from the location known as Aspros, near Ayios Georghios, to Argaki tou Yousouphi, about three kilometres north of Lara. This includes the five main beaches from Toxeftra to the north Lara Bays. The management measures aim at avoiding human interference with the breeding activity, both during nesting and during the incubation period of the eggs. The north Lara beaches are within the Akamas Main State Forest and they are leased by the Department of Fisheries.

Without habitat protection the long-term prospects for the survival of the turtles in Cyprus, irrespective of the success of the project in increasing the recruitment of young turtles into the population, are, at best, doubtful. The survival of the turtles that breed on Cyprus’ beaches is more than of a local interest, as the turtles that breed here form the remnants of a once bigger population that used to breed in other east Mediterranean countries also. Currently the Mediterranean Green Turtle breeds mainly on Cyprus’ beaches and on one or two beaches in Turkey. Its breeding activity in other neighbouring countries has ceased completely.

Every year since 1989 the Fisheries Department has been holding training courses in hatchery techniques and beach management for Mediterranean scientists at the Lara Station. The United Nations Environment Programme (Mediterranean Action Plan) sponsors trainees to these courses.

The Akamas range of hills reaches about 670 metres in height. The geology of the area and its morphology are varied, forming a complex mosaic which results in a multitude of habitats. Large parts of it are upper or lower pillow lavas and metabasalts. Diabase intrusions are found in these areas while areas of serpentinite fringe much of this ophiolithic complex. There are large parts of Akamas with sedimentary rocks, such as reef limestones, especially in parts of the north and southern slopes of the range. The limestone parts of Akamas, in several areas, are clearly reminiscent of the Kyrenia mountains with pine trees, junipers and with a profuse display of cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) in spring practically reaching the sea. The autumn-flowering Cyprus endemic cyclamen (Cyclamen cyprium) is also found in Akamas but this grows further inland in more shady and humid places. With the exception of the very impressive cliffs and gorges of the area perhaps most spectacular of the rock formations are those of the Mamonia formations typified by the Aetopetres terrain around the highest peak of Akamas. Here lichen-covered gigantic rocks dominate stark and spectacular landscapes.

Cyclamen persicum

The vegetation of most of Akamas is characteristic of the Mediterranean shrub forests known as Maquis. The Maquis are in general drought (and goat) resistant forests with their vegetation consisting mainly of evergreen shrubs and small trees such as junipers, lentiscs and wild olive, with a variety of rock-roses and other bushes with, in places, a thin cover of pine trees. The Akamas peninsula is characterised by a large diversity of vegetation communities which are directly related to the area’s very complex and varied geology and morphology. Man’s influence on the vegetation of the area is minimal in the forest areas at least, though no doubt the original vegetation even in the forest areas was more lush.

The fauna was also undoubtedly richer. Lack of water and the inaccessibility of the area spared it of the fate of most of the coastline of the island where agriculture and urban development have left little of the natural vegetation. Nonetheless forest fires, old and relatively recent, had their toll. Goats have also traditionally grazed there, probably since their introduction to the island by neolithic man. Goats left their impact on the vegetation of the area and, through the centuries, grazing (and forest fires) determined the degree of degradation of the original Mediterranean evergreen forest into the kind of shrub forests we, in the 20th century, recognize as maquis or garrigue. The impact of grazing is now the subject of some debate, as controlled grazing may also have some positive results. Judging by their remains in nearby archaeological sites, deer and mouflon also grazed in some abundance in Akamas. They too were introduced in Cyprus by man, when he first colonized the island. The degree of degradation of the vegetation of various habitats in the area has resulted in various vegetation communities ranging from relatively dense pine forests to the overgrazed spiny burnet and Genista garrigues.

The rich vegetation of Akamas includes many endemic species of plants. Many other species found here are rare in most of the rest of the island. Over 30 species of endemic plants grow on the peninsula. Of these Alyssum akamasicum and Centurea akamantis bear the name of Akamas and are found nowhere else on the island except, locally, in Akamas. Alyssum akamasicum grows only in the serpentinite areas. The endemic Cyprus tulip, Tulipa cypria, is found only in Akamas and near Turkish-occupied Myrtou. Locally, on the northern slopes of the Peninsula, we find the delicately scented Orchis punctulata, one of Europe’s great orchid rarities. Out of the 50 or so orchids of Cyprus (i.e. species, sub-species and varieties) about half can be found in Akamas. The Lax-flowered Orchid, Orchis laxiflora, one of Cyprus’ rarest orchids is found also on the northern slopes of Akamas. The fragnant Bug Orchid, Orchis coriophora subspecies fragnans and the closely related Holy Orchid, Orchis sancta, grow in abundance as does the Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis. The area also abounds with a variety of bee-orchids including the newly described endemic Ophrys lapethica. Until recently the small Gladiolus triphyllus, which in Cyprus is found mainly in Akamas was considered an endemic species. It is a species closely related to the common wild gladiolus which grows mainly in cultivated fields. (Iladiolus triphyllus was recently recorded growing in small numbers on the mainland. Ancient junipers, some centuries old, grow in much of the area, growing into sizable trees in areas with deep soils, as for example at Fontana Amorosa. In areas with higher humidity Strawberry trees (Arbuto andracne and the much rarer A. unedo), oleanders and myrtle, often interwined with various climbers can be found. In the most humid of the valleys and gorges impenetrable thickets are formed where even goats do not venture.

The gorges of Akamas, essential for the survival of a spectrum of wildlife, are of exceptional ecological importance. These cut deep into the chalk and the reef limestone areas, often forming high vertical cliffs and caves. Rare and sensitive vegetation communities have evolved here. On their inaccessible cliffs rare plants find protection from grazing while many species of birds and other animals take refuge and breed on them.

The fauna of Akamas like much of the fauna of the island has been studied to a small degree and begs for more detailed study. It is known, however, enough for its value to be appreciated and for the threats to it to cause concern. As is to be expected from an area that is practically virgin and extensive it contains practically the whole spectrum of the Cypriot mammalian (and other) fauna with the exception of the mouflon. Species such as the endemic Cyprus White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura cypria), hedgehogs, hares and foxes can be found here. Several species of bats including the fruit bat, which has Cyprus as its northern limit of distribution, shelter in caves in the area.

The reptilian fauna of Akamas is rich and most species identified in Cyprus have been recorded in Akamas with the possible exception of the newly identified endemic snake, Coluber cypriensis, the distribution of which is still being researched into. Of the land reptiles there are sizable populations of the endemic variety of the lizard Lacerta leavis troodii as well as of the Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus schreiberi). The Spiny-footed Lizard’s distribution is mainly along the coast of Cyprus and its populations are endangered in much of the southern coast. The Green Toad (Bufo viridis) is the only one of Cyprus’ three frogs that is present in Akamas in any numbers and even this species is relatively rare in the area.

The diversity in the habitats and in the flora of the area and the fact that insecticides are little used there, have resulted in an exceptional diversity in the insect fauna of Akamas. Numerous butterflies, some very rare, can be found in the area. Butterflies such as the Cyprus (or Pafos) Blue (Glaucopsyche Pafos), the Cyprus Meadow Brown (Maniola cypricola) the Cyprus Grayling (Hiporchia pellucida cypriensis) are on the wing from early spring. Mention must also be made of the very rare and spectacular Two-tailed Pasha, Charaxes jasius, which is dependant probably on the handful of Arbuto unedo trees found in this area. Similarly the Cyprus endemic variety of the Eastern festoon, Zerynthia cerisyi cypria, a fairly rare butterfly is dependant on the exotic looking Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia sempervirens) which is found in the gorges of Akamas.

There are several small springs and seepages in the area. Some, like the Baths of Aphrodite and Ayios Kononas and the elusive Fontana Amorosa, are well known. These springs and seepages, are precious for the survival of the fauna of the area especially in the long hot summer of Cyprus. Most springs have their own freshwater fauna and flora: small snails (Melanopsis praemorsa and Theodoxus anatolicus),a freshwater crab (Potamion Potamios), several crustaceans and several aquatic species of plants (e.g. Chara algae community). Other species of plants depend on the existence of damp soil e.g. Juncus spp, Schoenus nigricans, Samolus valerandi, Prunella vulgaris, Potentilla reptans and some orchids. The freshwater crab which still survives here has disappeared from many parts of Cyprus as a result of the extensive use of DDT and other insecticides during the campaign against malaria. The use of less harmful insecticides in recent years has seen some recovery of certain populations of this crab. As with some frog populations, crab populations have not all shown recovery and must be presumed extinct in some areas. Sand dunes (along with wetlands) are probably Cyprus’ most endangered habitats. Most sand dune areas have disappeared, or are very rapidly disappearing, as natural habitats, from the south coast of the island (Ayia Napa, Moni, Pafos). In Akamas some are still surviving and they are restricted to the Lara area mainly. Their vegetation is unique. Rare and endangered plants and plant communities as well as animals depend on them. Species such as the spectacular Sand Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum) and the sand dwelling Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus schreiberi) thrive there.

Ghost Crab on Lara Beach ocupode cursor

On some of the beaches adjoining these sand dune areas lives the ghost crab (Ocypode cursor), an endangered species which has disappeared from many of our tourist beaches. This is now a protected species under the Fisheries Legislation, along with terrapins, sea turtles, dolphins and seals.

On the west coasts of Akamas, on the relatively remote beaches of Lara and Toxeftra, sea turtles lay their eggs. Both the Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas and the Loggerhead Turtle, Caretta caretta, nest here. The Green Turtle, is the rarer in the Mediterranean and, with a population of probably less than 1000 nesting adults, is now in imminent danger of extinction in this sea. In the Mediterranean it now breeds mainly in Cyprus and in some beaches in Turkey. The sea turtles arrive here from various parts of the Mediterranean to lay their eggs. They nest in summer, from the beginning of June to the end of August. They nest every 14 days, laying 3-5 clutches of eggs in the season. Each time they lay about 100 eggs. They hatch some seven weeks later.

In the past Green turtles used to breed on other beaches in Cyprus also, on beaches such as those of Ayia Napa, Protaras and Potima. Some are now well-known tourist beaches, others have been ruined by sand extraction. Loggerhead turtles also nest in the Polis beaches and, in small numbers, on most other beaches which provide some privacy at night. The Department of Fisheries started a programme in 1976 aiming at the conservation of the turtles that breed in Cyprus. In addition to other measures, a station-hatchery was set up at Lara in 1978. The project aims among other things at increasing recruitment of young turtles into the population. This is achieved through the protection of the turtle nests from various dangers such as predation by foxes and inundation by the sea. About 80% of the eggs laid on the beaches of Cyprus are either eaten by foxes (as eggs or hatchlings) or perish by getting covered by the sea. Each year some 6,000-7,000 young turtles are hatched either in hatchery or under protection in situ, and then set free. The Lara – Toxeftra area has, since 1989, the status of a protected area under the Fisheries Legislation, with management regulations in place during the nesting and hatching season.

In order to effectively tackle existing and potential threats to the sustainability of the area the issue of the Akamas is currently under study by a team of consultants, with the financial support of the European Union and the World Bank. The study aims at achieving the sustainable management of the area, that is, safeguarding its biodiversity and ecological integrity whilst securing a sustainable future for the area’s population.

Main places of interest: Agios Ioannis (St John’s) Cathedral Cyprus Archaeological Museum Byzantine Museum Leventis Museum Cyprus Handicraft Centre Fikardou Village Royal Tombs of Tamassos Laiki Geitonia pedestrian quarter

To see the current weather contitions in Cyprus and Nicosia, visit our Cyprus Weather Map section

Main places of interest: Medieval Castle and Museum Archaeological Museum Folk Art Museum Municipal Art Gallery Carob Mill Kolossi Castle Cyprus Wine Museum Archaeological site of Kourion Sanctuary of Apollo Archaeological site of Amathous

Main places of interest: Pafos Archaeological Museum Byzantine Museum Ethnographical Museum Pafos Fort Pafos Archaeological Park (Mosaics) Tombs of the Kings St. Paul’s Pillar Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia Monastery of Agios Neophytos Agia Paraskevi Church

Main places of interest: Agios Andronikos church Agia Kyriaki church Polis Archaelogical Museum Marion/Arsinoe Byzantine Museum of Arsinoe (Peristerona village) Baths of Aphrodite Latchi Laona Region

Main places of interest: Archaeological site of Kition Archaeological Museum The Pierides Foundation Arhaeological Museum Larnaka Municipal Cultural Centre Church of St Lazarus Larnaka Fort Church of Panagia Angeloktisti (Kiti village) Hala Sultan Tekke Lefkara village Prehestoric site of Choirokoitia