Temperatures in Greece on Friday (June 27) surpassed 40 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit) in the country's first summer heatwave, with authorities advising the public to stay indoors.

At the Acropolis in Athens scores of tourists endured the heat with the help of hats, fans and umbrellas while air-conditioned centres were made available to the public to find refuge until the evening.

Authorities set up a hotline for anyone requiring medical advice due to the heat. They also advised residents not to throw out rubbish during peak heat hours in the middle of the day, to stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, and to restrict their movements.

Authorities also banned outdoor work for builders and delivery staff from 0900 to 1400 GMT, and encouraged remote working.

At the city's homeless animal shelter four-legged friends enjoyed dips in the dog pool to keep cool.

The fire brigade said it was on standby and warned of a high risk of fires in central and southern Greece. On Thursday a wildfire in a coastal town south of Athens damaged homes.

Meteorologists said temperatures will start to dip on the weekend.

Greece has often experienced hot and dry summers, but longer and more severe heatwaves have been more frequent in recent years along with wildfires amid a changing climate.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Athens bears scorching heat as temperatures hit red

VIDEO SHOWS: TOURISTS PROTECTING FROM THE HEAT AT ACROPOLIS/AIR CONDITIONED CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY/WORKERS WORKING UNDER HEAT/DOGS DIPPING INTO CITY POOL/COMMENTS BY TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS

EDITORS PLEASE SEE EDIT 5414 FOR THE WILDFIRE ON THURSDAY (JUNE 26)

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: ATHENS, GREECE (JUNE 27, 2025)(REUTERS – Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF THERMOMETER SHOWING 42 DEGREES CELSIUS

2. ACROPOLIS

3. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS WALKING UP TO ACROPOLIS

4. TOURIST HOLDING UMBRELLA

5. TOURIST DRINKING FROM WATER BOTTLE

6. (SOUNDBITE)(English) TOURIST FROM THE UNITED STATES, ANTONIA LASEN, AGED 27, SAYING:

“We are all from Pennsylvania and we have never really experienced a heatwave like this before so we are all very hot and all of our skin is very sensitive. I had sun poisoning from the cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea and the heat. And the Acropolis, we were all very very hot and it was a little bit slippy to walk up, and the heat, the combination of the heat and the marble I think it was more hot because of the cement, it was like a cement jungle almost which is very hot.”

7. TOURIST IN WHEELCHAIR WEARING HAT

8. (SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN TOURIST SHANE MARIE, AGED 67, SAYING:

“It is quite tolerable, it’s warm, dry, it is very comparable to back at home in Australia, you know this sort of heat, except it's not go the humidity.”

9. TOURIST FANNING HERSELF WITH A FAN

10. TOURIST DRINKING WATER

11. ATHENS SKYLINE WITH HUMIDITY

12. TRAFFIC

13. VARIOUS OF WORKER WELDING PIPES ON THE STREET

14. MUNICIPAL WORKER DRINKING WATER

15. MUNICIPAL WORKER WORKING

16. TEMPERATURE ON AIR CONDITIONER IN COOLED OPEN COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ESCAPE HEAT READING 26 DEGREES CELSIUS

17. AIR CONDITIONER

18. ELDERLY IN COMMUNITY CENTRE FANNING THEMSELVES

19. WOMAN READING

20. MAN SEATED

21. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PLAYING BACKGAMMON

22. (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) ATHENS RESIDENT, MAKHS ARABANTINOS, AGED 75, SAYING:

“We come here, we spend the time, we talk, we play backgammon, we read, we have a good time.”

23. PEOPLE SEATED IN COOLED AIR CONDITIONED COMMUNITY CENTRE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC TO ESCAPE HEAT

(SOUNDBITE)(Greek) RESIDENT MARO MARNERI, AGED 80, SAYING:

24. “We have a really nice temperature in here, with the heat….and there is a warm atmosphere from this company!”

25. PEOPLE IN CENTRE

26. WOMAN KNITTING

27. (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) ATHENS' DEPUTY MAYOR, OLGA DOUROU, SAYING:

“In order to deal with the really high temperatures the Athens municipality opened seven community centres in Athens, one for each district that will operate from nine in the morning until nine in the evening. And we accept Greeks and tourists, which come here and need a break from the very hot temperatures.”

28. VARIOUS OF HOMELESS DOGS IN A POOL IN THE ATHENS MUNICIPALITY DOG SHELTER TO COOL OFF FROM THE HEAT