You’d think the island’s favourite time of year would be summer. Not so!

In the Americas, most people prefer autumn.

According to CBS, 45 per cent of the country favours ‘fall’ over any other season.

In Australia, summer is the most-loved time of the year, with a WeatherZone survey suggesting that Down Under revels in the sun, sea and a shrimp on the barbie!

Brits say the same: over half of people questioned in the UK say the longer days and sunnier evenings make for the best season, citing everything from the smell of freshly-mown grass to the joy of lower heating bills!

Geography often shapes our preferences – when it’s cold year-round, we love the heat. But what about Cyprus? As a hotter nation, do we all long for winter? Or are we satisfied with our scorching summers?

There is, it transpires, no specific research into Cyprus’ seasonal preference. So in an incredibly ad hoc survey, we went out and asked people who know and love our island which season is their favourite and why.

“Cyprus doesn’t have seasons!” says 52-year-old Andros Alexandrou. “It’s just a few weeks of cold between endless heat! But I do like the bit of spring we get – it’s Cyprus at its best. The air feels fresh, the fields turn green, and for a few weeks everything comes alive.”

79-year-old Margaret Fleet, who moved back to Hampshire 20 years ago, fondly recalls “the wildflowers of a Cyprus spring! Sunlit mimosa, bright oxalis, scarlet poppies, golden marigolds against a blue, blue sky. Almond and cherry and citrus blossom bursting out across the mountains.

“Here in England, it’s just months of dreary greyness,” she sighs. “You can’t imagine how much I long for the colour-drenched spring of Cyprus!”

32-year-old Eleni Papakyriacou also loves spring – but for a different reason.

“Spring is freedom! No more heavy coats, no more dark evenings. You can sit outside without melting, go for a walk without freezing. It’s the one time of year when Cyprus feels just right. I wish it lasted; summer seems to be getting longer and longer.”

According to a UNFCCC report, the average annual temperature in Nicosia has risen from 18.9C to 20.9C over the past 30 years. It’s a trend across the entire region.

The Mediterranean’s unique geography – semi-enclosed sea, land-sea temperature contrasts, subtropical location, mountain barriers, Sahara influence, weakened jet stream and reduced cloud cover – has intensified climate change. The entire basin is warming about 20 per cent faster than the global average. And, compared with 30 years ago, Cyprus now experiences an additional 20 days of extreme heat each year.

“When I was a kid, I couldn’t get enough of summers in Cyprus!” says 55-year-old Xenia Demetriou. “It felt like one long beach party: school was out, everyone was tanned, we swam every day. But now, I prefer spring. Summer is just too hot for too long. My body can’t cope with temperatures over 40 degrees anymore.”

The World Health Organisation suggests that the perfect temperature for the human body is around 18 degrees. And while Nicosia’s average spring temperature is slightly higher (21 degrees) and Limassol’s and Paphos’ are slightly lower (17 and 16 degrees respectively), both Larnaca and Famagusta are right on the nose: 18 degrees is the exact average temperature across March, April and May!

However, average temperature doesn’t allow for other factors: humidity, wind chill or radiant heat. Nor does it allow for climate adaption. 

“I remember one sunny April, when my cousin from Derbyshire visited Cyprus,” says 42-year-old Anna Barlow. “I was huddled in a jumper while he swam every day and spent all his time at the beach!

“By day four, he was basically as red as a lobster,” she laughs. “We share the same genes. But I’d adapted to the heat, he to the cold. The next winter I went to visit him in Buxton, and froze to pieces while he blithely played rugby in a blizzard!”

Still, that doesn’t mean summer is Anna’s favourite season.

“Spring is the best time of year in Cyprus,” she adds. “Easter falls in spring, and it’s magical: amazing food, candlelit processions, families reuniting. I just love it!”

Of course there are those who still prefer the other seasons.

“I’ve always loved winter,” says 39-year-old George Georgallides. “Even spring is too hot for me! When I got married I insisted on a December wedding. My bride wasn’t too happy about it; I think she wanted a spring affair with everyone in sundresses and shorts on the beach. But there was no way I was going to sweat through a lengthy church service. It’s no wonder we didn’t last!”

Meanwhile, German expat Leni Kühn has always enjoyed autumn.

“Autumn the way we see it on social media or in Bavaria doesn’t exist in Cyprus. The leaves don’t go red and fall; the mornings aren’t crisp; and pumpkin patches are few and far between! But it’s a time of year when the sea is still warm from the summer, you can finally sit outside without melting, and actually sleep comfortably at night.

“And autumn isn’t as unpredictable as spring,” she adds. “In spring, the weather’s all over the place. And the dust sends my allergies into overdrive.”

Dust is definitely a spring problem. According to research, levels are at their highest from February to May when the Khamsin and Sirocco winds carry Saharan dust across the Mediterranean.

That said, the season definitely has its benefits. According to Insight Psychological, spring’s moderate temperatures, longer days, increased greenery, and fresh produce provide a natural boost to mood and energy.

And in Cyprus, where spring – however fleeting – is a respite between cold and heat, it does seem to be the favoured season. For a few short weeks, everything on the island feels just right. Enjoy it while you can!