In Rome, tourists are suffocating due to the heat wave

For several days, Italy has been facing a new wave of intense heat. In Rome, on the morning of Wednesday, July 17, near the Vatican Museums, tourists are sheltering as best they can from the already very high sun. “Even if you go out at 8:00 a.m., it’s already hot”confides a tourist. The presence of the African anticyclone Charon has made the thermometer climb to 40°C several times recently. On the Italian terraces, the misters are running at full speed and the famous fountains are stormed by struggling visitors.

At the less tree-covered historical sites, temperatures can climb even higher. Last June, temperatures at the Colosseum reached 54°C, for example. Guides are trying to adapt to these conditions. For the first time this year, Rome’s city council has set up deckchairs and parasols on the banks of the Tigris for locals and tourists looking for a bit of fresh air.