Hellenic Red Cross workers in Athens set up a station to provide water and advice on managing heat at the Acropolis on Tuesday (July 21) as Greece experienced its first heatwave of the summer.

Workers distributed water bottles to tourists and handed out flyers with heat safety measures, while medical staff were on standby with a mobile health unit to deal with any health incidents.

Hellenic Red Cross’s Health Coordinator Ioanna Fotopoulou said nurses were on hand to assist with any cases of heatstroke and tourists had asked for sun tan lotion and water.

Many tourists came equipped for the heat, draped in hats and carrying fans, and umbrellas, as they ascended the famous hill to see the temples.

Temperatures in the country were expected to climb to 42 degrees Celsius (107.6°F) on Wednesday in what meteorologists said was a three-day miniature heatwave that started on Monday.

Authorities advised against outdoor work during peak hours of 1100 – 1700 (0800 – 1400 GMT).

Air-conditioned centres were made available to residents in Athens to escape the heat while a 24-hour emergency helpline was open for citizens to call for medical advice.

The fire brigade issued a high risk alert for fires in the wider Athens region and the northeastern Peloponnese.

Greece had until now escaped heatwave-level temperatures that have gripped western Europe, but has seen daily forest wildfires driven by strong winds and dry temperatures.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

As heatwave hits, Red Cross workers assist tourists at Athens Acropolis

VIDEO SHOWS: RED CROSS WORKERS HANDING OUT WATER AND PAMPHLETS AND ASSISTING TOURISTS, COMMENTING/TOURISTS COMMENTING ON HEAT/TOURISTS WITH HATS AND UMBRELLAS ENTERING AND EXITING ACROPOLIS/MONUMENTS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 21, 2026)(REUTERS – Access all)

1. ACROPOLIS HILL WITH PARTHENON, TOURISTS PASSING

2. VARIOUS OF PARTHENON

3. HELLENIC RED CROSS WORKER HANDING OUT WATER

4. HELLENIC RED CROSS WORKER HANDING OUT PAMPHLETS ABOUT HEAT

5. MAN DRINKING WATER IN FRONT OF RED CROSS STATION

6. HELLENIC RED CROSS WORKER HANDING OUT WATER

7. VARIOUS OF HELLENIC RED CROSS STATION

8. (SOUNDBITE)(English) HELLENIC RED CROSS HEALTH COORDINATOR, IOANNA FOTOPOULOU, SAYING:

“They need to be informed about the protection measures that need to be taken during their visit here in Acropolis. Also they are asking for water, its very important-hydration, it’s very important to avoid heatstroke and also they ask for hats, for sun cream, and today we distribute all of this in order to convenience their visit to the Acropolis.”

9. HELLENIC RED CROSS MOBILE HEALTH UNIT

10. (SOUNDBITE)(English) HELLENIC RED CROSS HEALTH COORDINATOR, IOANNA FOTOPOULOU, SAYING:

“Behind me you can also see the mobile health unit, we are here just for precaution, for any incident that might happen. So far, so good.”

11. TOURISTS RECEIVING WATER BOTTLES

12. MONUMENT ON HILL

13. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS AT ENTRANCE OF ACROPOLIS WEARING HATS

14. (SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN TOURIST ADRIAN WEINBRECHT, 55, FROM PERTH, AUSTRALIA SAYING:

“I quite like the heat, I think we talk ourselves into being hotter than we actually are, and then it’s a matter of being prepared so I have got a water bottle with electrolytes in it, a good hat, cool clothes, yeah, I mean we can all read a forecast so it’s not too bad.”

15. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS IN THE SUN AT THE ENTRANCE TO ACROPOLIS

16. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. TOURIST STACY WATHEN, 57, FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA TALKING ABOUT WALKING UP ON THE ACROPOLIS SAYING:

“It’s difficult, I think having the umbrella with the UV protection was helpful. A lot of water, but it was difficult, it was hard.”

17. VARIOUS OF HELLENIC RED CROSS WORKERS HANDING OUT WATER

18. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS UNDER THE TREES IN THE SHADE, WITH FANS, UMBRELLAS

19. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS COMING DOWN FROM THE ACROPOLIS, WITH UMBRELLAS, HATS,

20. (SOUNDBITE)(English) ALITA ARCHER FROM BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES, SAYING:

“I think we expected it to be hot, I think we expected it to be hot so we are well prepared with lots of water and I think just moving slowly and taking things easy and not having too much planned, lots of breaks, especially with the kids has enabled us to cope, but it is hot, and there is a lot of people.”

21. TOURISTS DRINKING WATER AS THEY ENTER ACROPOLIS

22. TOURISTS FANNING THEMSELVES AS THEY ENTER ACROPOLIS

23. (SOUNDBITE)(English) ALITA ARCHER FROM BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES, SPEAKING ABOUT THE HEATWAVE IN WESTERN EUROPE SAYING:

“I don’t think Europe is set up for this type of heat, certainly in the U.K., so I think countries struggle to cope with current infrastructure, especially compared to the U.S. where we live at the moment, but yeah, I think you know you can still enjoy the sites and everything that Europe has to offer even with this heat, you just have to be able to adapt and plan for anything accordingly.”

24. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS ON THE ACROPOLIS AS SEEN FROM HILL ACROSS

25. TOURISTS TAKING PHOTO