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 at the top of the Acropolis between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time, the Greek Ministry of Culture 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.
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“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.
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.
