The Acropolis, Greece's most visited tourist site, was closed during the hottest hours of Wednesday as the country faced its earliest-ever heatwave on record. Temperatures are expected to reach 43°C in Athens and across the country, prompting school closures and health warnings.
The culture ministry announced that the Unesco-listed archaeological site would shut from midday to 5pm local time, with the heatwave expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday. Meteorologists confirmed this is the earliest heatwave—defined as temperatures exceeding 38°C for at least three days—in recorded history. State TV meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos noted that no heatwave had occurred before 19 June in the 20th century, and none before 15 June in the 21st century.
The climate crisis and civil protection ministry warned of a very high risk of fires in the Attica region around Athens. Schools remained closed in several regions, including the capital, while the labour ministry advised public-sector employees to work from home and ordered a pause on outdoor work, including food delivery, from midday to 5pm until Thursday.
Workers across the city adapted to the extreme conditions. Electrician Fotis Pappous started his day at 6am to avoid the heat, while kebab store owner Elisavet Robou noted that staff had no choice but to continue working during the tourist season, despite the challenges. An air-conditioned hall was opened at Syntagma metro station to provide shelter.
In Thessaloniki, schoolteachers and pupils reported difficult conditions during annual exams, with no air conditioning in exam rooms. The Acropolis was also forced to close in July last year during an unprecedented two-week heatwave. Nearly 4 million visitors flocked to the site in 2023, boosted by cruise ship arrivals at the nearby port of Piraeus.
