In spite of its reputation for being grey and unprepossessing, Warsaw has been declared top dog in the sunshine stakes, according to Poland's Institute of Meteorology.

A new bulletin by the institute has found that Warsaw waltzes away to victory when it comes to hours of sunshine per year.

Weather experts behind the bulletin have concluded that Poland's capital was treated to 2,205 hours of sunshine in 2010. That statistic works out at an average of six hours daily, trouncing rivals to the sunny crown such as Wroclaw and Rzeszow. Eight major cities were assessed in the survey.

Whether Varsovians feel quite as blessed as seaside cities like Sopot is, however, another matter. That said, many locals steal every available opportunity to sunbathe along the River Vistula when Mother Nature is in a cheery mood. (nh)