Several archaeological sites in Greece, including the Acropolis of Athens, closed their doors during the hottest hours of the day on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Culture, as the first wave of scorching days of the year is expected to reach a “peak” during the day.
For the second day in a row, tourists could not visit the Parthenon and other ancient masterpieces atop the Acropolis between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time (09:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. GMT), the Greek Culture Ministry said.
Meteorological services predicted 41°C-42°C this Thursday in the Greek capital and its region of Attica, and even 43°C locally. However, in the middle of the day, the thermometer showed 37°C in Athens, according to the Poseidon System website.
“As part of protective measures against the dangers” arising from the heat, several archaeological sites in Crete, the Dodecanese (southeast), the Cyclades, the Peloponnese (southwest) are also closed during the hottest hours , according to the same source. Other world-famous sites, such as Delphi, Olympia and Knossos, remain open without interruption, the ministry said.
“Peak” of 43°C
Greece, a Mediterranean country accustomed to heatwaves, has been experiencing intense heat for several days with a “peak” of 43°C expected this Thursday in the Peloponnese and central Greece, according to the national meteorological service (EMY). The risk of fire is “very high” in eight regions, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection warned on Wednesday. However, temperatures should drop again from Friday.
The partial closure of the Acropolis has left some disappointed among tourists. “I tried to look for information, fortunately there was the police who told us that it was because of the heatwave,” Massimo Martina, a visiting Italian art dealer, explained on Wednesday. “We will probably try to come early (tomorrow) morning and hopefully we can” get in, he added.
The Acropolis of Athens, the most visited site in Greece with nearly 4 million visitors in 2023, had already had to close its doors in July 2023 during a two-week heatwave, unprecedented in its duration. Greece was then hit by devastating fires which destroyed 175,000 hectares.