Many tourists are expected this summer in countries experiencing record temperatures.
To the chagrin of tourists, the Acropolis of Athens closed its doors during the hottest hours, from July 14 to 16, by decision of the government. Like Greece, the countries around the Mediterranean are hit by episodes of heat waves, while holidaymakers flock for their summer holidays. Overwhelming temperatures are again expected in France, Italy, Spain, Greece or Croatia.
>> Heat wave in Europe: follow the latest information in our Direct
To best prepare for a stay, in France or abroad, it is better to find out in advance about any local weather alerts and check the opening of tourist sites.
Cards and services at European level
If you have planned a vacation with our European neighbors, you can consult the Meteo Alarm site, created by the network of European meteorological services. Its map includes warning bulletins from 37 countries.
It is also recommended to check whether transport is running normally, as high temperatures can affect rail, road and air traffic. In addition, it is better to find out about the opening hours of the sites you wish to visit, with the local tourist office, some places adopting hours arranged in the event of a heat wave. You can also consult the fire risk map of Copernicus, the European service on climate change, especially if you plan to stay in rural areas.
In France
If you are traveling in France, the reference site is that of Vigilance Météo France, where heat wave alerts are broadcast in real time, with a map of the departments classified from yellow (intense heat) to orange (heat wave) then to red ( extreme heat wave). On the mobile application, it is possible to activate notifications to be informed as soon as a department is placed on alert, either by choosing a territory or by activating geolocation.
In Spain
The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) issued an orange alert on Sunday July 16 for Monday, announcing peaks between 38 and 42°C in the country. It updates a map daily, classifying the provinces from yellow to red in the event of a heatwave alert. The Aemet also issues provisional warnings, up to D+2. This information is available in French, English and Spanish on its website.
In a very large part of the country, the risk of fires is considered “extreme” Or “very high” by the Aemet. Barbecues are therefore prohibited in Andalusia. The restrictions related to the risk of fires being fixed by each autonomous community in Spain, consider consulting the site of the region where you plan to travel.
In Italy
Since May 15, the Italian Ministry of Health has published a “heat wave” bulletin daily on its site, accompanied by a map. It lets you know what the alert level is for each region, from green (level zero) to red (level 3). Italy’s Civil Protection issued fire alert bulletins for much of Sardinia from Sunday, and for eastern Sicily between Messina and Catania. Each region publishes the alert levels and restrictions in force locally on its website.
“Going to the Colosseum when it is 43°C is not recommended, especially for an elderly person”the Italian health minister told the newspaper on Sunday. Il Messaggero, while this Roman monument remains open as usual for the time being.
In Greece
The Greek meteorological agency also shares a daily bulletin, available only in Greek on its site, as well as a map, which is easier to decipher. Authorities are urging caution and warning against the “increased risk” of fires, estimated “very high” on Monday in several regions, including Attica, Crete or the Cyclades. The Greek Civil Protection shares the fire risk map every day on his Twitter account.
The Greek Ministry of Culture announces the possible closures of archaeological sites on his Twitter account, in Greek, but you can use the tweet translation feature. He announced on Sunday a return to the classic opening hours for all archaeological sites from Monday, that is to say from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Several sites, including the Acropolis, had already been closed for a few hours a day during previous peaks of summer heat, in 2019 and 2021. The government specifies that visitors who had to cancel their visit to an archaeological site closed because of heat can extend the validity of their ticket or request a refund, by sending an email to [email protected].
In Portugal
The Algarve region, in the south of the country, is placed on yellow alert for high heat by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA). The Institute’s alerts can be consulted on its website, in Portuguese and in English. But the risk of fire is considered high, even very high, in a large part of the south and north-east of Portugal. It is therefore forbidden to barbecue or smoke a cigarette in rural areas. If you plan to stay outside a Portuguese city, remember to consult the restrictions map, available on the IPMA website.
In Croatia
The Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service communicates the heat wave alert levels for each region every day, in English, on its website, with a map that gives the forecast for D+1. Residents and tourists had to be evacuated because of major fires on Thursday on the Dalmatian coast.