A sure sign of approaching winter in Cyprus is when the snowbirds arrive - literally. Greater flamingos, traditionally numbering around 10,000, stop to feed in the salt lakes at Akrotiri and by Larnaka Airport every year, usually in December after the first rains. Herons, egrets and glossy ibis also overwinter in Cyprus. But birds are not the only ones attracted by Cyprus’s mild winter weather.

This season is a great time for seniors (and anyone else fed up with the cold) from northern climes to come for long stays at a time when island life is decidedly low-key. Winter is brief, generally extending from mid-December to early February.