TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Greece has closed the main tourist attraction in Athens, the capital of the country, due to a heatwave. The temperature is expected to reach 42 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
As reported by Greek City Times, the Greek Ministry of Culture announced the closure of the popular tourist site Acropolis in Athens from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time.
In addition to the hot temperatures in some parts of the country, there are warnings of a Category 4 forest fire in some areas. This warning follows reports of forest fires in other European regions, including France and the Catalonia region of Spain, just a few weeks after a deadly early summer heatwave swept through the Continent.
The adjusted opening hours of Acropolis were announced on Monday, after extreme heat returned to Greece on Sunday. The closure on Tuesday is not the first time. Extreme heat also forced the closure of this popular tourist attraction in June and July last year.
Authorities stated that the closure is necessary for the safety of workers and visitors at the site. Acropolis is known to attract tens of thousands of visitors every day, with a total of 4.5 million visitors in 2024.
Adjusted Working Hours
The Greek Ministry of Labor has also mandated a five-hour work break for outdoor workers from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday in areas expected to experience the worst heat.
According to a map generated by the biometeorological warning system HEAT-ALARM, heat stress on Tuesday will be very high in central and eastern Macedonia, eastern Thessaly, and eastern Central Greece, according to Greek Reporter. On Wednesday, high heat stress levels are expected to occur in all of these areas, as well as in eastern Peloponnese and Evia.
The government recommends that all segments of society strictly follow self-protection measures, such as regularly taking cold showers. However, vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, outdoor workers, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses, are advised to be cautious. Temperatures are expected to start easing on Thursday.
Forest Fires in Greece
On Monday, 41 forest fires occurred throughout Greece, according to the country's fire department. Of this number, 34 fires were brought under control early, while seven fires were still active until Monday night.
A Category 4 forest fire warning was issued on Monday night for five areas: Attica, Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly, and Western Greece.
The public is urged to remain vigilant. Emergency services are on high alert, according to the Greek Civil Protection Agency.
Most of Western and Southern Europe has been hit by an intense early summer heatwave. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent due to human-induced climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations. The IPCC warns that hot weather will occur more often and become more intense as global temperatures rise.
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