For the second consecutive day, the scorching heatwave sweeping across Greece has led to the closure of the iconic Acropolis, leaving tourists unable to visit the Parthenon and other ancient marvels perched atop the UNESCO-listed archaeological site. The closure, enforced between noon and 5:00 pm local time, came as temperatures soared to a blistering 42 degrees Celsius in central Athens.
The Athens Acropolis, a prime attraction drawing in throngs of visitors, shut its doors to the public during the hottest hours on Thursday, with tourists feeling the brunt of the country’s earliest-ever heatwave. Meteorologists have highlighted that this heatwave, characterized by temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius for at least three consecutive days, marks the earliest occurrence on record.
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In response to the extreme heat, health advisories were issued, and schools in affected areas were closed. The island of Crete recorded temperatures reaching a scorching 44.5 degrees Celsius, while the Peloponnese peninsula experienced highs of 43.9 degrees Celsius, according to data from the meteo.gr website of the Athens National Observatory.
Precautionary measures extended beyond Athens, with several other archaeological sites across Greece, including those in Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the Peloponnese, also shuttered amid concerns over the intense heat.
Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s climate crisis and civil protection minister, underscored the heightened risk of wildfires due to strong winds sweeping across the country. Civil protection authorities remained on “high alert” in anticipation of potential fire outbreaks, particularly in regions such as Attica surrounding Athens, where the risk was deemed “very high” on Friday.
Thankfully, relief is on the horizon as temperatures are expected to ease from Friday onwards. Last July, a similar heatwave forced the closure of the Acropolis for two weeks, followed by devastating wildfires that ravaged vast swathes of forest and farmland, according to data from the National Observatory of Athens.
Despite such challenges, the allure of the Acropolis remains undiminished, evident from the record-breaking influx of nearly four million visitors in 2023, a trend partly fueled by tourists arriving on cruise ships docking at the nearby port of Piraeus.
