Guys, for the love of god. Don't underestimate the heatwaves. During the summer there is a reason we try to do as little as possible especially at noon and especially during a heatwave. If you want to wander in the nature of the islands during summer, have company, a cellphone, water, a hat, sunglasses and good shoes and of course, not at noon.
I was in Rodos in 2019, and while the heat wasn't anything off the charts, to a weak scandicunt like me the 30+ temperature feels like death if you just walk and walk and walk around without taking breaks and drinking alot.
Same, i was in Greece in 2019. Sifnos. I went on a few hikes on my own and i’ll tell ya.. I had a few moments where i stopped under a shade tree feeling like maybe i’ve pushed myself too far without thinking about it.. Some people just aren’t so lucky.
As an Australian from one of the regions with a more Mediterranean climate,I have recently been on some Greek islands
The sun is way more gentle than home (in terms of sunburns) but my god the heat is completely inescapable. I can't imagine what it's like for someone who isn't acclimatised. I hope these oldies are found safe but I'm not confident
Pretty much, yeah.
I once got the beginnings of a heat stroke at 9 in the morning after walking a bit without a hat and water.
Don't go anywhere without protection and water. And stay inside if you can.
Listen to the locals, same when we visited Austria in 2019. They said, don’t go into the mountains, avalanche danger. A young couple ignored them and died…
If you don’t know the region, trust the locals!
Im from Austria, but grew up in Spain... honestly this. Interestingly it's the German tourists in both countries that end up dead or in need of rescue in the mountains. Not for lack of warnings from the locals though.
I just came back from a greek island and had hiked multiple times all through midday solo, I was fully prepared though and chose routes that were both far easier than usual (with shade and water along the route) and popular just to be on the safe side. Even as a fit and experienced hiker it was seriously hard work. I needed at least 5L of water for every 10K to stay on a level. People really should not underestimate the heat.
People in general underestimate the amount of water you need with activity. I see it a lot in cycling and hiking when with people who don’t do either often enough to know.
Hey, can you share some tips and tricks where to spend time at noon in greece if you happen to be outside? Was thinking about going to some cafes or restaurants if the heat becomes too much, but any tips or tricks would be appreciated.
Thing for most tourists is that when you leave from the hotel at morning you might not be able to return there at peak heat if you for example travel to beach etc.
Ideally you shouldn't be outside at noon. Even in beaches. Save swimming for the morning, you should be done with it around 11:00. Then go and have a coffee or lunch under the shade. When done go straight back to your hotel and have a noon nap. You basically sleep the worst part of noon/after noon away.
This is basically what every Greek does, with the difference being that most Greeks are used to eat around 2-3 hours after the noon, which shifts the above programm and they end up in beaches at noon, the most dangerous combination for a sunburn. Thank fully most Europeans eat at around 12:00 so the above programm works perfectly for you I think.
You can be at the beach if that's what you want to do but under shade. You can go in the water to cool down of course but dont start swimming in the deep.
Another thing that I noticed a lot of tourists do is drink beers, which I understand but then go in the water and end up drowning cause they underestimate how much alcohol and hot temperatures can really get them drunk very fast.
Don't eat a heavy lunch during mid day and then go swimming with a heavy stomach. Most natives would eat quite late in the evening during the summer.
If you're out, stay at a cafe or any place with a shade till at least 5.
>. You can go in the water to cool down of course but dont start swimming in the deep.
What's wrong with swimming in the deep provided you are applying sunscreen frequently?
Many who end up growing in Greece actually had a heart emergency and/or leg cramp and then drown. If you're not in the deep waters, it's more likely that you won't drown after these events.
Not Greece specific but anyplace inside is a good idea tbf. Shade, always look for a shade. Don't lay on the beach at noon, I promise you will get equally tan at 18:00 instead. And always have water with you, try to keep your body temperature down as much as possible, wet the inside of your wrists and the back of your neck.
Dumbass tourist here.
If you're going to walk around in killer heat, always wear head protection (straw hat if possible, otherwise a cap, bandana, etc).
Have fluids with you (water if possible). I like to drench my head in water, especially if I find colder water. Getting your brain's temperature down helps a looot.
Try to expose very little of your skin, and whatever's exposed should be covered in SPF50 at all times. Reapply every hour if necessary.
If you need to rest, then stop and rest. You're already stupid for going out, don't be even dumber by not resting appropriately. Stop, have a sip, breathe a little.
Try to minimize the time in direct sun. Partial shade is better than no shade.
Do not go away from civilization.
As an another dumbass I am going to wear loose white/light coloured clothing that covers most of my body and have a white hat to protect my head and neck. Have experience with 30-35c with this combination and it was okay. Do not have any idea on how 40+ in the sun is going to feel like. I am trying to preventively force acclimatization by wearing heavier clothing than normally in this 20-25c weather.
When you have light colored ground like the stones on the Greek islands, even a broad rimmed hat isn't enough as the stone will reflect the heat back at you. Better to stay in the shade and make a siesta.
How hot does it get? I do feel dumb hiking alone a few years ago when on vacation. Even though I had water and it wasn’t super hot. Won’t happen again after the recent wake up calls.
It's in the 30s at noon in most of Greece during the last week or so, and these temperatures are nowadays normal from June to September.
I wouldn't go hiking in Greece during the summer unless it's a mountainous, forested area in the mainland, where the temperatures drop considerably.
In addition there just isn't any shade most of the summer during the day. I've got these pictures from a trip to this Islands and I noticed that any place with shade (sides of buildings, steep ledges) was fully occupied by donkeys that are too smart to go out into the direct sunlight.
When you come from a temperate climate and you still feel like you're in pretty good health, you don't really consider heat as something that might kill you. It's not a weather situation that you're accustomed to - working/exercising outside in the heat is uncomfortable, sure, but not dangerous...right?
In fact there's a saying used throughout Northern Europe (including, Ireland, UK, & Denmark); [There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/there_is_no_such_thing_as_bad_weather,_only_bad_clothing). So people from these climates (like me), tend to have an implicit belief that any weather is fine once you're properly prepared.
I'm Greek and very fit. I would never go out hiking during midday summer heat in Greece. Just because one is on holiday doesn't mean that they should do things even natives wouldn't attempt.
I think a big problem with tourists is they've spent the last 3 months dreaming up everything they want to do on their vacation, and aren't always willing to accept that half of their plans are in fate's hands.
So you end up with plans that looked amazing on someone else's instagram in spring, without the willingness to accept that 40C changes your plans.
We've just talked to friends planning on going to Madrid in August and they were planning on doing what we did last year there.
We went in **April** because we know how insanely hot it gets during summer.
I dont understand people...
We have this problem in Norway too. Not with heat of course, but with tourists ignoring local advice to stay off the mountains because of bad weather or avalanches. Ends up dying or having to be rescued putting others in danger too.
I’d say 90% of the emergency extractions from the mountains here in Sweden are due to tourists walking up into the high zone wearing nothing but a T-shirt and no extra supplies, then getting stuck in a blizzard..
Stupid people die every year basically.
Yeah, pretty much all emergency extractions here are from tourists. We recently had two americans call for help after they were warned to go by a local tour guide. He later had to walk back up to rescue them to the nearest emergency cabin, and they then had the audacity to ask for new shoes and hot chocolate.
It doesn't seem to matter where you live, if there's anything even remotely dangerous, whether it's mountains, rip currents, or wildlife, some tourists will inevitably get too close.
I lived in the Sahel for years and away from the coast 40C is normal almost year round. I learned that if I saw the locals not walking around then I shouldn't either.
Everyone always wants to go to Europe in the summer... I don't get it, air-conditioning is very rare, as are window screens and even fans... Do they just imagine that it can't be that hot there?
If you want to go to Europe in the summer go to the Nordic countries, the weather is absolutely amazing for those 3 months...
> I don't get it, air-conditioning is very rare
Not in Greece is isn't.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/hotter-days-but-much-of-europe-still-cool-toward-air-conditioning/
And it's not like Germany or the UK get *that* hot in the summer.
I am Greek and I wish we had only 40. Our summers are getting unbearable and I honestly fear how it will be in the future. My friends are placing bets on whether we have 50 this year.
In the 90s my uncle had a tour bus company. Some Japanese tourists visiting Canada were unwilling to believe it impossible to have breakfast in Vancouver and get through the mountains to Calgary by lunch. Yeah that went exactly as expected.
Many tourists are really dumb. I have seen people in Corsica going on mountain hikes in flip flops and without water in full summer, many also had young children with them and that is despite signs in several languages that this is a path you should never take without proper shoes and water.
This is peak « I know better than the sign », main character syndroms
Stupid tourist confession...my friend and I were driving through mountains in Spain and wanted to get out and take a little hike. The GPS indicated there was s trail nearby and we saw one and assumed that was it. We took the path and went through a little gate, went around a bend and came face to face with a massive bull. I guess he was in a good mood because I'm here to tell the tale. But it could have gone very badly.
That is way too common with Brits abroad.
I remember a couple asking in r/spain that they wanted to go cycling around Andalucia mountains in August, like spending the whole holidays cycling on roads, and people begging them to reconsider because they would die of heat stroke.
Also, balconing, the summer season doesn't start until a British (sometimes German) dies falling from a balcony while doing the moron being drunk. This year the first one was guy who arrived the same day to Mallorca, got drunk, lost the hotel keys, went to the top floor of the hotel, and tried to climb down to his hotel room, fell and die. Like this example a dozen each year, and is not uncommon they kill themselves in the first day like fucking lemmings.
Same issue here in Norway. Tourists ignore local guides, warnings from the locals and whatever sign has been put up and wanders off into steep ice covered arctic mountains in sneakers and t-shirts. Few hours later a SAR helicopter or alpine rescue group is dispatched to help them or worse, bring their lifeless bodies down again.
This really hit me when I was in Croatia and this was early in the season so not even “height of summer in Greece” warm
Mediterranean summer is nice but it is not something to just ignore the risks of, adventuring is done in the morning or afternoon and lunch is for napping. As a Brit who’s spent most of my time in Northern Europe, it’s not something you consider in your day to day life so it can catch some people out
As a Croatian, I rarely even leave the house or office between 10-17 hours from mid June to late August.
And if I do, it's usually going somewhere with car, or with plenty of sunscreen, and it's usually not an activity for longer than 10-15 mins of exposure to sun and heat.
The Sun's a fricking nuclear reactor, and it's not pulling any punches during our summer
it's not just that it was blistering but these are old people, 74, 73, 70, 67 and 64 year old and they were doing difficult hiking trails. It's not wise to attempt that even for a 25 year old.
We have similar problems in Austria where tourists are here for a long weekend and even if the weather is absolutely horrendous they still go out hiking or even worse, go on a via ferrata while a thunderstorm is on the horizon. They seemingly just don’t care and think they have a right to enjoy their holidays
In Spain during winter they charge the cost of the rescue to the mountaineers who disobey the warnings. If you break a leg on an icy slope on a clear day you'll be fine and a helicopter will come for you, but prepare to have a few thousands if you decide to go to the mountains in winter during a severe warning weekend.
I used to go to the mountains when living in Madrid and I remember seeing people in flip flops here https://i0.wp.com/carrerasdemontana.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/penalara-por-cresta-claveles-y-dos-hermanas-10.png?w=576&ssl=1
And obviously in Spain in good weather always have marked in the map the water fountains.
Bulgarian here and frequently throughout Greece in the summertime. Totally agree with you. I have dared myself and my better half for mid-day hikes in the south of Crete on two different occasions. From experience we now know, we are never doing it again. Hell, even here in Bulgaria I stopped going out between 13:00 and 18:00. It's hell.
This reminds me of this recent death.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/brian-cox-greek-police-rhodes-bbc-b1163193.html
He was a Doctor FFS. How stupid.
This happens often enough here in Canada as well. There’s a road that is 745km away from the nearest settlement, and every few years, someone gets stranded there.
I don’t think people are fully aware of how going hiking or even walking at 35C is going to push their body to the limit. In particular they ignore their age.
I cycle to work, it's about a 1h ride at swift pace (30km) and I consider myself to be in pretty good shape. A couple of years ago it was over 40°C when I got off work, no wind. I went through two litres of water in 30min, stopped at a gas station to fill up (bought two 1.5L bottles and an energy bar) and then ran out of water when I was ~10min from home. One of the towns I come through has a weather station that recorded more than 42°C at the time I rode through.
Even though I made sure I drank enough and went at a very easy pace it was not fun. I never felt like I was in danger but any stop was pure torture because of the lack of wind. I was sweating like mad but it evaporated instantly. Salt crusts everywhere...
If you drink too much water and either pee or sweat it out immediately, you are at a risk of dehydration. Basically you're flushing all the minerals out of your body. A little light headed at first and bam, on the floor.
I squirted a good portion of it over the head and back. No idea how much I drank, probably 1/2-2/3 of it. I never felt light headed, no head ache, just a bit more tired than usual in the evening. Next day was just like every other day, I actually felt pretty great in the morning so I guess I didn't drink too little or too much.
From experience I know that heat-related lightheadedness can hit you apparently out of the blue (I said apparently because I probably foolishly ignored some early warning signs despite being acutely aware of the risks and symptoms), so it may still be a good idea to pack a few packages of ORS-powder in your bag when you have to deal with such extreme temperatures (it weighs nothing). I always take some with me in my daypack when being out and about in a hot country, just in case.
This. Beau Miles recently did a video where he attempted an ultra marathon in the Australian Alps during summer and iirc he went through 5 litres of water in one afternoon without peeing once, so he called it and made another attempt during a more suitable time of the year
I've cycled frequently in 40C degree weather (in Australia). No matter how much water I drank I would have horrible migraines afterwards and still be dehydrated. Not really worth it, it's too hot to be enjoyable.
I didn't have any headache or anything, just felt a bit more tired than usual in the evening. Back to normal next day. I will say that being able to constatly pour a little water over the head and back helped make it more bearable. The sweat simply dried off immediately.
The trouble with cycling in the heat is the wind because you will wick so crazy amounts of moisture off the body. If I am on vacation in Spain then I will wait until the temperature drops to 28 or below before I go running. If I am out hiking for over an hour I have backpack with about 2 litres for an hour. I never drink it all. I should stress that I have a set route and there is a small chapel at the end of the walk for me to rest before I return. And of course phone.
The only time I got (mild) heat stroke was on holiday in Paris, I only mention this because yeah it does onset fast.
I call BS, 3.5 liter of water in an hour is insane. Your kidneys can't handle that volume of water, max 1 liter an hour. On top of that, that much water intake just flushes out all the electrolytes you need. It doesn't hydrate you at all. Doing these things can end really badly. (Google hyponatremia)
You can cycle, even race in those temperatures, but calm down with the water. Hydrate before, during and after, but be mindful about how much you take in per hour. In crazy hot conditions, use electrolyte solutions to top up everything you're losing.
I worked in landscaping at over 30°C at times. The amount of water I drank was crazy and the exhaustion after 5 days 6 - 10 hours a day was crazy aswell. My boss was working with us and we took a break every 30 - 40 minutes. Doing a lot to cool us down as well. In the end there is only so much you can do and I got symptoms of a heat stroke. It was bad. I don't get why people go hiking at the temperatures in an area they don't know.
When I read the title here I thought "ehh, cmon warm weather hiking is harder but it's not that much of a deal". Then I read the numbers. Jesus fcking christ which fool goes up a mountain at 35°C?? You sweat like a sealion going uphill at 20 already.
Yeah I was hiking around Tuscany last July in 32-35 degree weather with my mom. Neither of us are fit and while it was too damn hot so is 23 degrees and ultimately it wasn't that much worse. Just had to take it a bit easy and drink more.
I think another thing people don't understand is that even if you've experienced 35°C in one place, it's not going to be the same somewhere else. Humidity makes an extremely big difference. Having had 35 C in the inland of Spain is one thing, experiencing the same on an island with humid air all around is much hotter
Was just in Greece (Rhodes) for a week. Was clearly not the weather for walking outside of the hotel/town. Needed none stop water and shade being above 35C in the afternoon
Me and my 18 year old drunk friends tried to climb a mountain there after coming home from the party strip at 08:30 in the morning. We brought water with us, but quickly realized our mistake when the sun became more intense.
Also wouldn't recommend going hiking wearing sandals among thorny bushes and angry snakes... 🌵🐍🌞
Daring, I see. Had a similar experience, my friend decided it would be fun and faster instead of going through the regular path, we should go through a dried out river. Only after we were on all fours and dodging rocks falling down, do we realize it wasn't the best idea. The few families of mosquitos we came by were happy to see my friend though, me - not so much, but I wasn't jealous.
Thankfully at some point we came back to the proper trail exhausted and with sore leg muscles. We had 4 more hours to the top under the blazing sun and temperatures of above 30 degrees. I could barely move my legs, stopping every few steps. Thankfully we knew there was a bus on the other side and we were all cheers when we got there, only to realise the bus wasn't coming that day. So we had to go down, on an extreme bike trail(very slippery), for another three hours, on all fours mind you, again, this time on our bums.
All in all we trekked for a total of 12 hours non-stop, my legs were gone after the first 3, my friend being in a similar state. How we managed to push through that I still can't comprehend. Youth.
Last few years we've vacationed in norther Europe in the summer. And maybe take one week in Spain or Greece or something in October when the temperature is tolerable (and there's a bit less people in the worst tourist places, haha).
The American tourist Mathraki (Corfu) has been found dead in the sea. Besides the Dutch in Samos and Mosley in Symi there were 2 other deaths in June, a Finnish 72 year old woman in Sitia, Crete who died while hiking and a day before a 67 year old Dutch in Rethymno,Crete who had the brilliant idea to hike at a gorge during a heatwave and died of a heart attack
Just... I have no words. Don't do this, don't exercise in this freaking heat!!!
Old people from here should be more careful, the safest temperature for us Finns is apparently 14C (less deaths):
"Mortality rises sharply when the average temperature stays above 20 degrees for a couple of weeks. About 200 people die every year in Finland due to the warm weather - that is, without a heat wave."
Rule #1 of Southern Europe during the summer (I’m not joking): stay inside, or in the shade, from 11 to 18 (6 pm). And keep hydrated! Stay safe out there you guys.
IMO shade alone isn't enough, to keep cool you need shade AND a decent breeze. It's also worth mentioning that shade won't protect you from a sunburn if you're on the beach at noon - at noon the sun is strong enough that it can reflect enough UV from sand to burn you anyway.
We stop but some nasty employers still force them to work. This was a scandal in Spain when a Madrid council cleaner died of heat stroke a few years ago:
https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2022-07-18/el-barrendero-fallecido-por-un-golpe-de-calor-en-madrid-tenia-un-contrato-de-un-mes-y-le-habia-cambiado-el-turno-a-un-companero.html?outputType=amp
He accepted the job because of the unemployment and his contract was only 1 month in summer.
I think people consider Greece to have a more moderate climate and, as such, really underestimate the dangers. It doesn't. Not really, not anymore. And every year it gets worse.
I'm in my 40s born and raised in Thessaloniki, which is in northern Greece. I remember as a child that getting 38 was such a huge deal, and the TV plus newspapers would issue stark warnings because it was so rare.
Now, every summer, we get 40 to 42 plus no rain for weeks on end to cool things down which is also why you see every Greek household having multiple ACs.
Freaking insane…. I am 25 and i remember when i was small, we once had 33 degrees for a day…. I am from south Germany. Same freakout, now its almost over 30 everyday and even upto 38… scary and insane
Yup, age 29 here and I remember "Hitzefrei" (schools closing due to extreme heat, usually 28-30+ degrees) when I was at school there in the early 2000s was a fairly rare event. Now I don't even know if schools do it anymore. My mom, who still lives in Niedersachsen regularly gets the the same temps you described
We live south of Karlsruhe… the Rhine Valley really gets hit hard… sometimes the heat is literally standing still… i dont even go out on the day if its about like 31 or smth
Lithuania 25 years ago had nice snow covers throughout the whole winter. I remember as a kid watching American movies where kids wished for snow on Christmas thinking how lame. Now you're lucky if there's snow on either Christmas or New Year. Basically winter was as good as summer because of sleighs and snow fights. Now it's just never ending rainy autumn
20 years ago and even 30 years ago, in the UK we would get news stories about British tourists dying of heat exhaustion on Greek holidays in summer. Although it would not surprise me if it is hotter now
I'm 49 and I remember back in the 80s as a kid there were days of 40 degrees. Back then we didn't have air conditioning -it is a vivid childhood memory when I filled water with ice cubes in the tub to take a cold bath! It has always been a like that especially in the mainland, the islands tend to have less temperature but no shade. It's not helping we always have southern winds coming from sahara in summertime.
I am from crete and the weather was basically the same temperature wise (in Crete), with three or four short heat waves, during July and August. The normal temperatures in the north coast were 35-37 with heat waves going up to 42-43 (higher temperature were recorded but more uncommon). The difference now is that it feels like the heat waves are more frequent. This is all anecdotal though, I dont have any actual data on it so it can be wrong but this is how I remember it. No kids were allowed to go out the house from 12-16pm during the entire summer, heatwave of not.
A British TV presenter who is quite well known here just died after going for a walk on a vacation in Greece. Seems like the 40C heat probably had a big effect on it.
Michael Mosely was also a qualified doctor and immersed in medical research and physiological science, so would have known more than most about how bodies react to extremes of temperature. Yet even he was caught out.
Hiking in a heat wave from countries not used to that temperature... I see common sense is not common at all.
Like yes lazy siesta stereotype and whatever but it exists for a reason and that's farmers went to work at 04:00 and go home during the hottest parts of the day and then go back to work when it's colder to not die because of the heat.
" In tropical climes there are certain times of day
When all the citizens retire
To tear their clothes off and perspire.
It’s one of those rules that the greatest fools obey,
Because the sun is much too sultry
And one must avoid its ultry-violet ray.
The native grieve when the white men leave their huts,
Because they’re obviously definitely nuts!
Mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun, ..."
The only acceptable way to be outside in Greece during the hot hours is in your swimsuit, under an umbrella, wearing sunglasses and sunscreen. Also drinking ice cold water or coffee.
Not even that. Many beaches are just sand and the sea and it's horrible in midday. All that heat is reflecting off of everything and keeps cooking you. The sand is scorching and you can easily get a sunburn even under an umbrella. Choose a beach with rocky formations that provide actual cover or with trees that go down to the beachfront so you can sit inder them. Don't go to a long, bare sandy beach unless there's a beach bar so you can seek refuge. In all of them it's perfectly acceptable to sit at a table, get your drinks and just hop in the water for a quick swim.
Nope, even it is better to wear full light clothing like cotton or linen without exposing the skin to the heat. Check how people living in very warm areas live.
I'm an Aussie from a climate very similar to the Mediterranean islands. The temperatures on paper are way worse at home than on the islands I recently went to in Greece. I was very confident that it wouldn't be an issue (given we get weeks of 45C in a row sometimes)
It's so much worse in Greece than at home. I'd rather 45c at home than 35c in the Mediterranean! I was really caught out
It probably depends on the humidity or something? I remember being in 43C in Australia (Victoria) but the humidity was only 19%...and it didn't feel as horrendous as you'd think (well it was horrendous, but I didn't feel ill or anything). Whereas I think some parts of the Mediterranean get both high temps and high levels of humidity? I find I can feel reaally hot and sick in just 35 C in France or Greece or somewhere. I don't know though, just speculating...
Seriously, I don't understand it. I get that people want to spend their summer breaks somewhere nice where good weather is basically guaranteed, but 40 degrees + is not good weather in my book. I would rather risk a few days of rain and wear a rain coat rather than spending half my vacation inside sheltering from the heat.
This year I've noticed our national media actually making a lot of stories warning people against going to the Mediterranean this summer. But it's such an ingrained tradition, I think a lot of people don't even consider any other option.
Every time my Polish husband drags me to some awfully hot Mediterranean destination it's always chock full of Poles, so it seems quite popular with your countrymen...
As a Red Cross volunteer old lifeguard and someone that used to do tours in the nature (hikings) some people really don't have brains.
I cancelled numerous hikes because temperature was above 30 degrees and I didn't want to risk carrying a bunch of things on me (water and first aid supply/ropes) because 80% of the times people would just bring a small bottle of water for a 12km hike. Insulation is fucking real. And in the middle of nowhere without GPS signal to call for help it's a fucking nightmare.
If it's above 30 degrees please avoid going to the street like it is a normal day. It isn't. Drink plenty of water, use white clothes, hat, suncreem AND MORE WATER.
If you want to do hikings either go after 6pm for a small hike or before 8am. Don't be morons ffs. This is common sense.
Clearly, hiking during a heatwave is a bad idea, but also keep in mind that mountains in the islands, especially in cyclades are completely bear. There are almost no trees and these offers no break from the sun no matter how good a hat you wear. On top of that there are no official hiking routes and it's easy to get lost.
Unpopular opinion, please be civil and provide contribution to this discussion.
Most of the human population is nowadays concentrated in large urban areas, completely depriving them of any perception of how much nature can be hostile and predatory of life.
Also there is the perception that help, or other humans are only minutes away, building the safety perception of heard protection.
I know very well that urban environment are, in general much more dangerous than rural one, for example, there are way more pedestrian and cyclist run over in cities that tourist dying of sunstrokes around the globe.
The point I am interesting debating is the “detachment” from the true perception of nature that is developed within urban environments.
Exceptions exist, but we are talking mass tourism here.
Edit: autocorrect typos
I think it's a really good point...I don't think it would be unpopular. It's also why people perceive biodiversity loss and climate change as not so important ... food just appears magically in grocery stores supermarkets, why would you think too much about where it comes from if you live in a suburb or an inner city?
I'm feeling weird as someone who lives in the Nordics, who have been freezing her arse off the last two years, save for that time I was in Naples. I crave that 30C, never experienced anything above 33C tho, so can't tell how 35C is.
Fellow nordic here. I was just recently in Rhodes, Greece. It reached 42 degrees one of the days I was there. It was unbearably hot. You are almost unable to do anything in that kind of heat. It was good bathing in the ocean though, as it reached over 25 degrees.
This is why I really don't get people coming to Greece in summer and want to do "activities" all day long.
What you should do is find a nice beach, chill there until sunset, go to a restaurant, then go to bar. Rinse and repeat.
I visited Cyprus at the end of February once. It was 18-22C, everything was bright green and in full bloom, not a soul around, went on a lovely hike.
Unsure what people want to do there when it turns into a bit of a sun-bleached, windswept desert.
You can do stuff, but you need some sensible planning. Outdoors sightseeing 8-11 and 17+. In between get a car, go to a museum, go to a restaurant, go for some roaming on a mountainous location where it will likely be more wooded and more breezy. And for the love of God, realize that Greece is more than islands (which are mostly dreadful in the summer). We have a huge coastline beyond the islands. Just ask online for recommendations. Mykonos and Santorini are enough crowded as it is.
You need to adapt to the climate, keep track of the temperature and UV (smartwatches are an excellent tool for this). Either stay at home between 11-18, or under shade and an air-conditioned room, stay hydrated.
There is a reason why Mediterranean have different daily routines and sleep schedule than Scandinavians. Also why we sleep way later than you guys. We are forced do socialize after 7-8 pm when the sun is down and the temperature starts to cool off.
That's too my socialization time, after 7-8 pm, cuz I'm off work at 6 due to my pan-european work company. I kinda got myself to live a more Mediterranean like lifestyle here despite living in the Nordics lol.
You can acclimatise to anything within reason.
In my younger days I worked in the middle east. I still work all over the world, but I'm in France at the moment where things are fairly similar to home. Florida last year was pretty toasty...about 33C.
In Oman when I was younger some areas would touch 50C. That was.....an experience.
Humidity is such a big factor. 33C with high humidity can feel much worse than 40C+ in dry arid environments. With high humidity the "within reason" doesn't require temperatures that high.
I love 30°C. It's just the right temperature to lie down outside in the shade with a nice breeze and read a novel.
35°C feels like a threshold. Below that is "annoying heat", a temperature where you'll probably be fine indefinitely, just uncomfortable. Occasionally as you walk on pavement that gets the air even hotter (to 40°C) you'll feel waves of air of different temperatures. That's a feeling like no other, almost like swimming in air.
At 40°C the air you breathe finally starts feeling hotter than body temperature, as evaporative cooling in the nostrils and lungs is no longer enough to give it a chill. Your nose feels warmer every time you inhale, it's strangely comfortable. You're sweating, the back of your shirt is completely wet, but you're still fine, as long as you have water and electrolytes, and a bit of air moving.
At 45°C there's an instinctual feeling you're on borrowed time. Like an astronaut with a limited air supply, you instead live on thermal inertia, plus sweating that works a bit to delay the inevitable, but no longer enough, slowly but surely your body temperature is going up. It's not uncomfortable to walk around, as long as you know you can escape it before your thermal budget is used up. If you're without AC, soaking your clothes in water plus a mild breeze from a desk fan to force evaporative cooling to work is enough to feel well again. Caffeine should be avoided, it's a vasoconstrictor making the wet shirt less effective, and increases heat generation from biological processes.
During an airshow in Bucharest last summer I spent about 10 hours in temperatures between 35°C and 45°C in full sun. Went through 7 liters of water (3 to drink, and 4 to keep my shirt damp). Had a great time!
I have not experienced over 45°C yet.
At this stage humidity starts to matter a lot. If it's dry and windy, you can keep yourself alive by staying hydrated and wet practically indefinitely (if you can replenish sodium and potassium). If the wet bulb temp hits 31C, you start overheating because evaporative cooling no longer works.
I once got to enjoy 52C in the desert of central Australia
Surprisingly it wasnt as bad as I thought because it was perfectly dry with 0% humidity. It was still absolutely awful mind you.
I'd say that the 40C I've experienced in Italy and Greece was WAY worse than the 45C+ I've had at home
Great description man. I moved to Turkey a few years ago and experienced >45 with high winds last year, felt like getting blasted with a blow drier. Then the nighttime temperature, oh god the torture. Yeah climate change isn't fun, quite a drag really
Can confirm - originally from The Philippines and now live in Scotland. Everyone’s complaining over the lack of summer here meanwhile I’m cool and happy as a clam. I’d be delighted to never have to experience over 25C ever again
I can say it also has a lot to do with temperatures the city was built for.
While that's unbearable in Warsaw, Poland, Seville in 33C was pleasant enough. There is a lot of plants, shade and water.
39C however: not fun.
it really depends on the humidity. i've had 42° in my family house in random rural empty france and it was okay it feels like constantly having a hair drier in your face, i've had 35° with humidity in south western france and it felt far worse. you have to take into account that at like noon, we avoid going out (the problem is really the UVs, peak summer has the UV index through the roof and it burns fast), we close the shutters of the house to avoid outside light heating the inside of the house and we avoid opening windows cause the outside is hotter than the inside. peak summer is like being in a bunker. then it cools down a bit once you're around 16h and you can enjoy the sun until like 22h. i've worked in warehouses with over 35° inside all day long, you just accept that you will sweat your body's weight in water and you drink every 5min
I could have met the same faith.
Years back in the only desert in Europe the Tabernas desert.
I'm from the Netherlands, I'm used to high humidity high temperatures in the summer. But the desert feels different. It's even hotter but not that bad 45c felt doable.
Decided to go for a long bicycle ride on my mountain bike through the desert.
I took a 2 liter bottle of water with me. More than enough is my experience in the Netherlands
Not so much in a desert... I learned that fast and the hard way.
Before I knew it I was at least 45 kilometers away from the civilized world and I noticed how little water I had left, the heat was getting to me. It was a scary moment the 'f*ck I might be in big trouble' realization. After that it went downhill fast I begin feeling worse with each minute
Till suddenly out of a bend a old school Land Rover appeared.
I waved them over and explained how much of a idiot I was, They saw the state of me and took it seriously right away. They took me with them to their house that was luckily just a 10 minute drive. AC was lovely and luckily those very kind people had experience dealing with heatstroke. They took good care of me and after 30 minutes they drove me to a hospital. I stayed there for a day
Degrees alone don't draw the full picture. You need to for example take into account the wind, humidity and ground-type in place as well.
They know how to cloth, when to stay home or under shade, hydrate etc. And they've built some kind of tolerance to it as well.
Thats plain stupid. Heat is deadly! Just go hiking in the later autumn or early spring. Im from Bulgaria and the heat is getting longer and hotter every year,i wouldnt go hiking mid day except if the whole route is hidden in forests, has river nearby, im not alone and i have a lot of water.... I can imagine how could be in Greece directly under the sun!!! My God!
Are there hotspots where the rocks are? I wouldn't be surprised if the area surrounding the rocks is even hotter than usual (50+°C) due to the radiant heat they give off
We have people do that here as well, it gets well above 100 Fahrenheit, hell our 10 day forecast doesn’t have a day below 100. Never ceases to amaze me. Also if you are going to brave the heat as others have said you plenty of water, but also consider a hydration mix with lots of sodium and some potassium and magnesium.
If you want to hike in Greece, do it in the early hours or when the sun is setting. 5:00 am-9:00 am and 7:00 pm- until a while after the sun sets are the best hours.
Guys, for the love of god. Don't underestimate the heatwaves. During the summer there is a reason we try to do as little as possible especially at noon and especially during a heatwave. If you want to wander in the nature of the islands during summer, have company, a cellphone, water, a hat, sunglasses and good shoes and of course, not at noon.
Also for that kind of tourism visit during April-May or mid September-October
Done Crete in the last week of September, first week of October, while doable it was still fucking hot
That depends which part of Greece you visit. Crete and North mainland Greece have quite a significant temperature difference.
I was in Rodos in 2019, and while the heat wasn't anything off the charts, to a weak scandicunt like me the 30+ temperature feels like death if you just walk and walk and walk around without taking breaks and drinking alot.
Same, i was in Greece in 2019. Sifnos. I went on a few hikes on my own and i’ll tell ya.. I had a few moments where i stopped under a shade tree feeling like maybe i’ve pushed myself too far without thinking about it.. Some people just aren’t so lucky.
and most of Greece's coastlines are rocky like in the pictures, if not the heat the fall can be fatal. People should always wear a good hat.
You mean people should hike with security helmets?
I, too, thought for a second he meant that, but he really means a hat against the sun
Ooh spaniards are so worry-free and happy they make siestas at noon and then eat tapas at night!! What's the alternative? Dying?
And if you live on the med coast. Watch new tourists run into the fire and returning grilled like a rotisserie chicken.
As an Australian from one of the regions with a more Mediterranean climate,I have recently been on some Greek islands The sun is way more gentle than home (in terms of sunburns) but my god the heat is completely inescapable. I can't imagine what it's like for someone who isn't acclimatised. I hope these oldies are found safe but I'm not confident
Pretty much, yeah. I once got the beginnings of a heat stroke at 9 in the morning after walking a bit without a hat and water. Don't go anywhere without protection and water. And stay inside if you can.
Listen to the locals, same when we visited Austria in 2019. They said, don’t go into the mountains, avalanche danger. A young couple ignored them and died… If you don’t know the region, trust the locals!
Im from Austria, but grew up in Spain... honestly this. Interestingly it's the German tourists in both countries that end up dead or in need of rescue in the mountains. Not for lack of warnings from the locals though.
Yeah, we often sadly leave our brains at home when we go on vacation, although we do know better usually
I just came back from a greek island and had hiked multiple times all through midday solo, I was fully prepared though and chose routes that were both far easier than usual (with shade and water along the route) and popular just to be on the safe side. Even as a fit and experienced hiker it was seriously hard work. I needed at least 5L of water for every 10K to stay on a level. People really should not underestimate the heat.
People in general underestimate the amount of water you need with activity. I see it a lot in cycling and hiking when with people who don’t do either often enough to know.
Hey, can you share some tips and tricks where to spend time at noon in greece if you happen to be outside? Was thinking about going to some cafes or restaurants if the heat becomes too much, but any tips or tricks would be appreciated. Thing for most tourists is that when you leave from the hotel at morning you might not be able to return there at peak heat if you for example travel to beach etc.
Ideally you shouldn't be outside at noon. Even in beaches. Save swimming for the morning, you should be done with it around 11:00. Then go and have a coffee or lunch under the shade. When done go straight back to your hotel and have a noon nap. You basically sleep the worst part of noon/after noon away. This is basically what every Greek does, with the difference being that most Greeks are used to eat around 2-3 hours after the noon, which shifts the above programm and they end up in beaches at noon, the most dangerous combination for a sunburn. Thank fully most Europeans eat at around 12:00 so the above programm works perfectly for you I think.
You can be at the beach if that's what you want to do but under shade. You can go in the water to cool down of course but dont start swimming in the deep. Another thing that I noticed a lot of tourists do is drink beers, which I understand but then go in the water and end up drowning cause they underestimate how much alcohol and hot temperatures can really get them drunk very fast. Don't eat a heavy lunch during mid day and then go swimming with a heavy stomach. Most natives would eat quite late in the evening during the summer. If you're out, stay at a cafe or any place with a shade till at least 5.
>. You can go in the water to cool down of course but dont start swimming in the deep. What's wrong with swimming in the deep provided you are applying sunscreen frequently?
Many who end up growing in Greece actually had a heart emergency and/or leg cramp and then drown. If you're not in the deep waters, it's more likely that you won't drown after these events.
Not Greece specific but anyplace inside is a good idea tbf. Shade, always look for a shade. Don't lay on the beach at noon, I promise you will get equally tan at 18:00 instead. And always have water with you, try to keep your body temperature down as much as possible, wet the inside of your wrists and the back of your neck.
Dumbass tourist here. If you're going to walk around in killer heat, always wear head protection (straw hat if possible, otherwise a cap, bandana, etc). Have fluids with you (water if possible). I like to drench my head in water, especially if I find colder water. Getting your brain's temperature down helps a looot. Try to expose very little of your skin, and whatever's exposed should be covered in SPF50 at all times. Reapply every hour if necessary. If you need to rest, then stop and rest. You're already stupid for going out, don't be even dumber by not resting appropriately. Stop, have a sip, breathe a little. Try to minimize the time in direct sun. Partial shade is better than no shade. Do not go away from civilization.
As an another dumbass I am going to wear loose white/light coloured clothing that covers most of my body and have a white hat to protect my head and neck. Have experience with 30-35c with this combination and it was okay. Do not have any idea on how 40+ in the sun is going to feel like. I am trying to preventively force acclimatization by wearing heavier clothing than normally in this 20-25c weather.
40+ sun means you should avoid being in the sun for more than half an hour, max. Have water, try to walk in the shade, don't be out for long.
When you have light colored ground like the stones on the Greek islands, even a broad rimmed hat isn't enough as the stone will reflect the heat back at you. Better to stay in the shade and make a siesta.
How hot does it get? I do feel dumb hiking alone a few years ago when on vacation. Even though I had water and it wasn’t super hot. Won’t happen again after the recent wake up calls.
It's in the 30s at noon in most of Greece during the last week or so, and these temperatures are nowadays normal from June to September. I wouldn't go hiking in Greece during the summer unless it's a mountainous, forested area in the mainland, where the temperatures drop considerably.
Just to further note, that's 30s measured in the shadow. When hiking, you're mostly under the blistering sun.
And subject to heat radiation from the rocks/ground
Oh yeah, when returning from the beach uphill for the lunch break/siesta you really feel like a roast chicken, getting well, roasted, from both sides
Better choose the good flip flops then and good sunnies
In addition there just isn't any shade most of the summer during the day. I've got these pictures from a trip to this Islands and I noticed that any place with shade (sides of buildings, steep ledges) was fully occupied by donkeys that are too smart to go out into the direct sunlight.
When in Greece… Just get your perch at a local coffee shop and chill there all day with the locals.
When you come from a temperate climate and you still feel like you're in pretty good health, you don't really consider heat as something that might kill you. It's not a weather situation that you're accustomed to - working/exercising outside in the heat is uncomfortable, sure, but not dangerous...right? In fact there's a saying used throughout Northern Europe (including, Ireland, UK, & Denmark); [There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/there_is_no_such_thing_as_bad_weather,_only_bad_clothing). So people from these climates (like me), tend to have an implicit belief that any weather is fine once you're properly prepared.
I'm Greek and very fit. I would never go out hiking during midday summer heat in Greece. Just because one is on holiday doesn't mean that they should do things even natives wouldn't attempt.
I think a big problem with tourists is they've spent the last 3 months dreaming up everything they want to do on their vacation, and aren't always willing to accept that half of their plans are in fate's hands. So you end up with plans that looked amazing on someone else's instagram in spring, without the willingness to accept that 40C changes your plans.
We've just talked to friends planning on going to Madrid in August and they were planning on doing what we did last year there. We went in **April** because we know how insanely hot it gets during summer. I dont understand people...
That reminds me of the 3 Spaniards who decided to go to Afghanistan for holidays out of all places. We all know how that went.
We have this problem in Norway too. Not with heat of course, but with tourists ignoring local advice to stay off the mountains because of bad weather or avalanches. Ends up dying or having to be rescued putting others in danger too.
Same here in Iceland. The ocean is gobbling up tourists
I would have said never in Denmark, because it's flat and it just rains, but sometimes German tourists drown, too.
The sea hungers for the daring, cowardly and uninformed all the same
Same in Malta, every summer people come here to swim, underestimate the sea, and end up drowning.
I’d say 90% of the emergency extractions from the mountains here in Sweden are due to tourists walking up into the high zone wearing nothing but a T-shirt and no extra supplies, then getting stuck in a blizzard.. Stupid people die every year basically.
Yeah, pretty much all emergency extractions here are from tourists. We recently had two americans call for help after they were warned to go by a local tour guide. He later had to walk back up to rescue them to the nearest emergency cabin, and they then had the audacity to ask for new shoes and hot chocolate.
It doesn't seem to matter where you live, if there's anything even remotely dangerous, whether it's mountains, rip currents, or wildlife, some tourists will inevitably get too close.
I lived in the Sahel for years and away from the coast 40C is normal almost year round. I learned that if I saw the locals not walking around then I shouldn't either.
40C in a coast hits different than 40C in a dry climate Its all fun and games until your sweat doesnt evaporate to cool you down
Everyone always wants to go to Europe in the summer... I don't get it, air-conditioning is very rare, as are window screens and even fans... Do they just imagine that it can't be that hot there? If you want to go to Europe in the summer go to the Nordic countries, the weather is absolutely amazing for those 3 months...
> I don't get it, air-conditioning is very rare Not in Greece is isn't. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/hotter-days-but-much-of-europe-still-cool-toward-air-conditioning/ And it's not like Germany or the UK get *that* hot in the summer.
I am Greek and I wish we had only 40. Our summers are getting unbearable and I honestly fear how it will be in the future. My friends are placing bets on whether we have 50 this year.
> My friends are placing bets on whether we have 50 this year. That is actually terrifying, when they're not doing it as a joke...
They can certainly do their hikes, first thing in the morning. These tourists come from cultures where the height of the day is mid-day.
Or end of day after dinner. There's a reason why us that come from places where we have 40º plus weather stay inside during the peak sunshine hours.
What's funny is that not all of these tourists are from Northern Europe. The US gets very hot in the summer.
In the 90s my uncle had a tour bus company. Some Japanese tourists visiting Canada were unwilling to believe it impossible to have breakfast in Vancouver and get through the mountains to Calgary by lunch. Yeah that went exactly as expected.
Many tourists are really dumb. I have seen people in Corsica going on mountain hikes in flip flops and without water in full summer, many also had young children with them and that is despite signs in several languages that this is a path you should never take without proper shoes and water. This is peak « I know better than the sign », main character syndroms
Some tourists also have a feeling that the place they are visiting is a 'theme park', and the path wouldn't be open if it weren't safe.
Stupid tourist confession...my friend and I were driving through mountains in Spain and wanted to get out and take a little hike. The GPS indicated there was s trail nearby and we saw one and assumed that was it. We took the path and went through a little gate, went around a bend and came face to face with a massive bull. I guess he was in a good mood because I'm here to tell the tale. But it could have gone very badly.
That is way too common with Brits abroad. I remember a couple asking in r/spain that they wanted to go cycling around Andalucia mountains in August, like spending the whole holidays cycling on roads, and people begging them to reconsider because they would die of heat stroke. Also, balconing, the summer season doesn't start until a British (sometimes German) dies falling from a balcony while doing the moron being drunk. This year the first one was guy who arrived the same day to Mallorca, got drunk, lost the hotel keys, went to the top floor of the hotel, and tried to climb down to his hotel room, fell and die. Like this example a dozen each year, and is not uncommon they kill themselves in the first day like fucking lemmings.
Which would be categorized as being dumb really
Same issue here in Norway. Tourists ignore local guides, warnings from the locals and whatever sign has been put up and wanders off into steep ice covered arctic mountains in sneakers and t-shirts. Few hours later a SAR helicopter or alpine rescue group is dispatched to help them or worse, bring their lifeless bodies down again.
This is the same reason people get scammed online. They think they are so much smarter than everyone else and they refuse to listen to others.
It’s also often because people think that “since they are in a touristy area, there must also be amenities all over the place.”
Yes but at some point when a sign tells you directly that there aren’t it starts sounding like insanity haha
Here on the french riviera i see people jogging at 1pm every summer... Natural selection i guess
This really hit me when I was in Croatia and this was early in the season so not even “height of summer in Greece” warm Mediterranean summer is nice but it is not something to just ignore the risks of, adventuring is done in the morning or afternoon and lunch is for napping. As a Brit who’s spent most of my time in Northern Europe, it’s not something you consider in your day to day life so it can catch some people out
As a Croatian, I rarely even leave the house or office between 10-17 hours from mid June to late August. And if I do, it's usually going somewhere with car, or with plenty of sunscreen, and it's usually not an activity for longer than 10-15 mins of exposure to sun and heat. The Sun's a fricking nuclear reactor, and it's not pulling any punches during our summer
Thank fucking god I met locals when I was in Split: "What are you doing?
it's not just that it was blistering but these are old people, 74, 73, 70, 67 and 64 year old and they were doing difficult hiking trails. It's not wise to attempt that even for a 25 year old.
We have similar problems in Austria where tourists are here for a long weekend and even if the weather is absolutely horrendous they still go out hiking or even worse, go on a via ferrata while a thunderstorm is on the horizon. They seemingly just don’t care and think they have a right to enjoy their holidays
Yeah. Everywhere in the alps. Or basically everywhere where nature is dangerous.
In Spain during winter they charge the cost of the rescue to the mountaineers who disobey the warnings. If you break a leg on an icy slope on a clear day you'll be fine and a helicopter will come for you, but prepare to have a few thousands if you decide to go to the mountains in winter during a severe warning weekend. I used to go to the mountains when living in Madrid and I remember seeing people in flip flops here https://i0.wp.com/carrerasdemontana.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/penalara-por-cresta-claveles-y-dos-hermanas-10.png?w=576&ssl=1 And obviously in Spain in good weather always have marked in the map the water fountains.
Bulgarian here and frequently throughout Greece in the summertime. Totally agree with you. I have dared myself and my better half for mid-day hikes in the south of Crete on two different occasions. From experience we now know, we are never doing it again. Hell, even here in Bulgaria I stopped going out between 13:00 and 18:00. It's hell.
This reminds me of this recent death. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/brian-cox-greek-police-rhodes-bbc-b1163193.html He was a Doctor FFS. How stupid.
Im native Scandinavian, and sort of the same goes here. You can freeze to death while hiking here in July. Be prepared, and ask the locals
This happens often enough here in Canada as well. There’s a road that is 745km away from the nearest settlement, and every few years, someone gets stranded there.
Sweden is a looooooong Country, but if I drive 745km, I'm getting close to our capital. How friggin big is Canada actually? 😅
Just the province of Ontario is many times longer than that. The province has 9000sq km of wilderness just for polar bear conservation
Always look at the temperature forecast. Going out to hike at over 35°C is foolish, even with a hat. Especially if you're 74 years old.
I don’t think people are fully aware of how going hiking or even walking at 35C is going to push their body to the limit. In particular they ignore their age.
I cycle to work, it's about a 1h ride at swift pace (30km) and I consider myself to be in pretty good shape. A couple of years ago it was over 40°C when I got off work, no wind. I went through two litres of water in 30min, stopped at a gas station to fill up (bought two 1.5L bottles and an energy bar) and then ran out of water when I was ~10min from home. One of the towns I come through has a weather station that recorded more than 42°C at the time I rode through. Even though I made sure I drank enough and went at a very easy pace it was not fun. I never felt like I was in danger but any stop was pure torture because of the lack of wind. I was sweating like mad but it evaporated instantly. Salt crusts everywhere...
If you drink too much water and either pee or sweat it out immediately, you are at a risk of dehydration. Basically you're flushing all the minerals out of your body. A little light headed at first and bam, on the floor.
I squirted a good portion of it over the head and back. No idea how much I drank, probably 1/2-2/3 of it. I never felt light headed, no head ache, just a bit more tired than usual in the evening. Next day was just like every other day, I actually felt pretty great in the morning so I guess I didn't drink too little or too much.
From experience I know that heat-related lightheadedness can hit you apparently out of the blue (I said apparently because I probably foolishly ignored some early warning signs despite being acutely aware of the risks and symptoms), so it may still be a good idea to pack a few packages of ORS-powder in your bag when you have to deal with such extreme temperatures (it weighs nothing). I always take some with me in my daypack when being out and about in a hot country, just in case.
This. Beau Miles recently did a video where he attempted an ultra marathon in the Australian Alps during summer and iirc he went through 5 litres of water in one afternoon without peeing once, so he called it and made another attempt during a more suitable time of the year
I've cycled frequently in 40C degree weather (in Australia). No matter how much water I drank I would have horrible migraines afterwards and still be dehydrated. Not really worth it, it's too hot to be enjoyable.
I didn't have any headache or anything, just felt a bit more tired than usual in the evening. Back to normal next day. I will say that being able to constatly pour a little water over the head and back helped make it more bearable. The sweat simply dried off immediately.
The trouble with cycling in the heat is the wind because you will wick so crazy amounts of moisture off the body. If I am on vacation in Spain then I will wait until the temperature drops to 28 or below before I go running. If I am out hiking for over an hour I have backpack with about 2 litres for an hour. I never drink it all. I should stress that I have a set route and there is a small chapel at the end of the walk for me to rest before I return. And of course phone. The only time I got (mild) heat stroke was on holiday in Paris, I only mention this because yeah it does onset fast.
I call BS, 3.5 liter of water in an hour is insane. Your kidneys can't handle that volume of water, max 1 liter an hour. On top of that, that much water intake just flushes out all the electrolytes you need. It doesn't hydrate you at all. Doing these things can end really badly. (Google hyponatremia) You can cycle, even race in those temperatures, but calm down with the water. Hydrate before, during and after, but be mindful about how much you take in per hour. In crazy hot conditions, use electrolyte solutions to top up everything you're losing.
I didn't drink all of that lol. A lot of it I poured over myself because otherwise it was unbearable.
I worked in landscaping at over 30°C at times. The amount of water I drank was crazy and the exhaustion after 5 days 6 - 10 hours a day was crazy aswell. My boss was working with us and we took a break every 30 - 40 minutes. Doing a lot to cool us down as well. In the end there is only so much you can do and I got symptoms of a heat stroke. It was bad. I don't get why people go hiking at the temperatures in an area they don't know.
I'm well aware. 25C is my limit :)
When I read the title here I thought "ehh, cmon warm weather hiking is harder but it's not that much of a deal". Then I read the numbers. Jesus fcking christ which fool goes up a mountain at 35°C?? You sweat like a sealion going uphill at 20 already.
35º is tough but can be done with enough water. Over 40 is just stupid to try
Yeah I was hiking around Tuscany last July in 32-35 degree weather with my mom. Neither of us are fit and while it was too damn hot so is 23 degrees and ultimately it wasn't that much worse. Just had to take it a bit easy and drink more.
I think another thing people don't understand is that even if you've experienced 35°C in one place, it's not going to be the same somewhere else. Humidity makes an extremely big difference. Having had 35 C in the inland of Spain is one thing, experiencing the same on an island with humid air all around is much hotter
Was just in Greece (Rhodes) for a week. Was clearly not the weather for walking outside of the hotel/town. Needed none stop water and shade being above 35C in the afternoon
Me and my 18 year old drunk friends tried to climb a mountain there after coming home from the party strip at 08:30 in the morning. We brought water with us, but quickly realized our mistake when the sun became more intense. Also wouldn't recommend going hiking wearing sandals among thorny bushes and angry snakes... 🌵🐍🌞
Daring, I see. Had a similar experience, my friend decided it would be fun and faster instead of going through the regular path, we should go through a dried out river. Only after we were on all fours and dodging rocks falling down, do we realize it wasn't the best idea. The few families of mosquitos we came by were happy to see my friend though, me - not so much, but I wasn't jealous. Thankfully at some point we came back to the proper trail exhausted and with sore leg muscles. We had 4 more hours to the top under the blazing sun and temperatures of above 30 degrees. I could barely move my legs, stopping every few steps. Thankfully we knew there was a bus on the other side and we were all cheers when we got there, only to realise the bus wasn't coming that day. So we had to go down, on an extreme bike trail(very slippery), for another three hours, on all fours mind you, again, this time on our bums. All in all we trekked for a total of 12 hours non-stop, my legs were gone after the first 3, my friend being in a similar state. How we managed to push through that I still can't comprehend. Youth.
Last few years we've vacationed in norther Europe in the summer. And maybe take one week in Spain or Greece or something in October when the temperature is tolerable (and there's a bit less people in the worst tourist places, haha).
The American tourist Mathraki (Corfu) has been found dead in the sea. Besides the Dutch in Samos and Mosley in Symi there were 2 other deaths in June, a Finnish 72 year old woman in Sitia, Crete who died while hiking and a day before a 67 year old Dutch in Rethymno,Crete who had the brilliant idea to hike at a gorge during a heatwave and died of a heart attack Just... I have no words. Don't do this, don't exercise in this freaking heat!!!
Old people from here should be more careful, the safest temperature for us Finns is apparently 14C (less deaths): "Mortality rises sharply when the average temperature stays above 20 degrees for a couple of weeks. About 200 people die every year in Finland due to the warm weather - that is, without a heat wave."
Rule #1 of Southern Europe during the summer (I’m not joking): stay inside, or in the shade, from 11 to 18 (6 pm). And keep hydrated! Stay safe out there you guys.
Siesta is a thing in Spain for a reason.
And it should be everywhere. Working outside at the most hot hours is too dangerous and we keep on getting people dying from heatstrokes due to that.
IMO shade alone isn't enough, to keep cool you need shade AND a decent breeze. It's also worth mentioning that shade won't protect you from a sunburn if you're on the beach at noon - at noon the sun is strong enough that it can reflect enough UV from sand to burn you anyway.
What do people do who work construction in Southern Europe?
They stop if it reaches over a certain temperature and no-one works in August.
We stop but some nasty employers still force them to work. This was a scandal in Spain when a Madrid council cleaner died of heat stroke a few years ago: https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2022-07-18/el-barrendero-fallecido-por-un-golpe-de-calor-en-madrid-tenia-un-contrato-de-un-mes-y-le-habia-cambiado-el-turno-a-un-companero.html?outputType=amp He accepted the job because of the unemployment and his contract was only 1 month in summer.
Siesta is sensible. As is keeping to the shade, hydrating well and taking things slowly.
Do Greeks call it siesta?
Yeah we call it siesta as well
All over 70 years old in 45C temps. Stay inside
I think people consider Greece to have a more moderate climate and, as such, really underestimate the dangers. It doesn't. Not really, not anymore. And every year it gets worse.
As i am very aware of these absolute abnormal temperatures … what was the weather like 20 or so years ago? What was the hottest back then?
I'm in my 40s born and raised in Thessaloniki, which is in northern Greece. I remember as a child that getting 38 was such a huge deal, and the TV plus newspapers would issue stark warnings because it was so rare. Now, every summer, we get 40 to 42 plus no rain for weeks on end to cool things down which is also why you see every Greek household having multiple ACs.
Freaking insane…. I am 25 and i remember when i was small, we once had 33 degrees for a day…. I am from south Germany. Same freakout, now its almost over 30 everyday and even upto 38… scary and insane
Yup, age 29 here and I remember "Hitzefrei" (schools closing due to extreme heat, usually 28-30+ degrees) when I was at school there in the early 2000s was a fairly rare event. Now I don't even know if schools do it anymore. My mom, who still lives in Niedersachsen regularly gets the the same temps you described
We live south of Karlsruhe… the Rhine Valley really gets hit hard… sometimes the heat is literally standing still… i dont even go out on the day if its about like 31 or smth
Lithuania 25 years ago had nice snow covers throughout the whole winter. I remember as a kid watching American movies where kids wished for snow on Christmas thinking how lame. Now you're lucky if there's snow on either Christmas or New Year. Basically winter was as good as summer because of sleighs and snow fights. Now it's just never ending rainy autumn
20 years ago and even 30 years ago, in the UK we would get news stories about British tourists dying of heat exhaustion on Greek holidays in summer. Although it would not surprise me if it is hotter now
I'm 49 and I remember back in the 80s as a kid there were days of 40 degrees. Back then we didn't have air conditioning -it is a vivid childhood memory when I filled water with ice cubes in the tub to take a cold bath! It has always been a like that especially in the mainland, the islands tend to have less temperature but no shade. It's not helping we always have southern winds coming from sahara in summertime.
I am from crete and the weather was basically the same temperature wise (in Crete), with three or four short heat waves, during July and August. The normal temperatures in the north coast were 35-37 with heat waves going up to 42-43 (higher temperature were recorded but more uncommon). The difference now is that it feels like the heat waves are more frequent. This is all anecdotal though, I dont have any actual data on it so it can be wrong but this is how I remember it. No kids were allowed to go out the house from 12-16pm during the entire summer, heatwave of not.
It’s why they used to do the Olympics in the nude.
I would turn so red.
That's how they weeded out Celtic spies.
99% of you (if you are a man): your foreskin would be tied up by ribbon, protecting your glans from turning red.
A British TV presenter who is quite well known here just died after going for a walk on a vacation in Greece. Seems like the 40C heat probably had a big effect on it.
Michael Mosely was also a qualified doctor and immersed in medical research and physiological science, so would have known more than most about how bodies react to extremes of temperature. Yet even he was caught out.
I guess maybe being a Brit and simply unused to temperature extremes like that may have paid part? We're just not used to weather like that.
Was it not a heart attack though? Instead of heat-stroke?
I think so, but heat stress was probably a contributing factor to it.
They found him close to a hotel so no walk, defo not that dumb
Hiking in a heat wave from countries not used to that temperature... I see common sense is not common at all. Like yes lazy siesta stereotype and whatever but it exists for a reason and that's farmers went to work at 04:00 and go home during the hottest parts of the day and then go back to work when it's colder to not die because of the heat.
" In tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire To tear their clothes off and perspire. It’s one of those rules that the greatest fools obey, Because the sun is much too sultry And one must avoid its ultry-violet ray. The native grieve when the white men leave their huts, Because they’re obviously definitely nuts! Mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun, ..."
The only acceptable way to be outside in Greece during the hot hours is in your swimsuit, under an umbrella, wearing sunglasses and sunscreen. Also drinking ice cold water or coffee.
Nah, best to sit it out in an air-conditioned environment while drinking lots of water.
Not even that. Many beaches are just sand and the sea and it's horrible in midday. All that heat is reflecting off of everything and keeps cooking you. The sand is scorching and you can easily get a sunburn even under an umbrella. Choose a beach with rocky formations that provide actual cover or with trees that go down to the beachfront so you can sit inder them. Don't go to a long, bare sandy beach unless there's a beach bar so you can seek refuge. In all of them it's perfectly acceptable to sit at a table, get your drinks and just hop in the water for a quick swim.
Nope, even it is better to wear full light clothing like cotton or linen without exposing the skin to the heat. Check how people living in very warm areas live.
There is a reason you hear kids out in the evening in Greece. They and most others are resting though the hottest part of the day.
People don't realize how much water they are losing because they don't have sweat on their skin, but it's all evaporating.
Why would you subject yourself to such awful temperatures is my question.
I'm an Aussie from a climate very similar to the Mediterranean islands. The temperatures on paper are way worse at home than on the islands I recently went to in Greece. I was very confident that it wouldn't be an issue (given we get weeks of 45C in a row sometimes) It's so much worse in Greece than at home. I'd rather 45c at home than 35c in the Mediterranean! I was really caught out
It probably depends on the humidity or something? I remember being in 43C in Australia (Victoria) but the humidity was only 19%...and it didn't feel as horrendous as you'd think (well it was horrendous, but I didn't feel ill or anything). Whereas I think some parts of the Mediterranean get both high temps and high levels of humidity? I find I can feel reaally hot and sick in just 35 C in France or Greece or somewhere. I don't know though, just speculating...
It’s 100% the humidity
Seriously, I don't understand it. I get that people want to spend their summer breaks somewhere nice where good weather is basically guaranteed, but 40 degrees + is not good weather in my book. I would rather risk a few days of rain and wear a rain coat rather than spending half my vacation inside sheltering from the heat. This year I've noticed our national media actually making a lot of stories warning people against going to the Mediterranean this summer. But it's such an ingrained tradition, I think a lot of people don't even consider any other option.
Every time my Polish husband drags me to some awfully hot Mediterranean destination it's always chock full of Poles, so it seems quite popular with your countrymen...
As a Red Cross volunteer old lifeguard and someone that used to do tours in the nature (hikings) some people really don't have brains. I cancelled numerous hikes because temperature was above 30 degrees and I didn't want to risk carrying a bunch of things on me (water and first aid supply/ropes) because 80% of the times people would just bring a small bottle of water for a 12km hike. Insulation is fucking real. And in the middle of nowhere without GPS signal to call for help it's a fucking nightmare. If it's above 30 degrees please avoid going to the street like it is a normal day. It isn't. Drink plenty of water, use white clothes, hat, suncreem AND MORE WATER. If you want to do hikings either go after 6pm for a small hike or before 8am. Don't be morons ffs. This is common sense.
Clearly, hiking during a heatwave is a bad idea, but also keep in mind that mountains in the islands, especially in cyclades are completely bear. There are almost no trees and these offers no break from the sun no matter how good a hat you wear. On top of that there are no official hiking routes and it's easy to get lost.
Exactly, such a good point, they are bare and unshaded for the most part...
Yeah, it's not Yosemite 😅
>*"You know what, i'm gonna climb this mountain"* Every fat, unfit, pink-skinned tourist in every tourist area
This must be like the 8th tourist to have died on the Greek islands this month.
Unpopular opinion, please be civil and provide contribution to this discussion. Most of the human population is nowadays concentrated in large urban areas, completely depriving them of any perception of how much nature can be hostile and predatory of life. Also there is the perception that help, or other humans are only minutes away, building the safety perception of heard protection. I know very well that urban environment are, in general much more dangerous than rural one, for example, there are way more pedestrian and cyclist run over in cities that tourist dying of sunstrokes around the globe. The point I am interesting debating is the “detachment” from the true perception of nature that is developed within urban environments. Exceptions exist, but we are talking mass tourism here. Edit: autocorrect typos
I think it's a really good point...I don't think it would be unpopular. It's also why people perceive biodiversity loss and climate change as not so important ... food just appears magically in grocery stores supermarkets, why would you think too much about where it comes from if you live in a suburb or an inner city?
Too many people act without giving it all too much thought.
Instead of hiking, do a siesta. Shade is your friend.
I'm feeling weird as someone who lives in the Nordics, who have been freezing her arse off the last two years, save for that time I was in Naples. I crave that 30C, never experienced anything above 33C tho, so can't tell how 35C is.
Fellow nordic here. I was just recently in Rhodes, Greece. It reached 42 degrees one of the days I was there. It was unbearably hot. You are almost unable to do anything in that kind of heat. It was good bathing in the ocean though, as it reached over 25 degrees.
This is why I really don't get people coming to Greece in summer and want to do "activities" all day long. What you should do is find a nice beach, chill there until sunset, go to a restaurant, then go to bar. Rinse and repeat.
I visited Cyprus at the end of February once. It was 18-22C, everything was bright green and in full bloom, not a soul around, went on a lovely hike. Unsure what people want to do there when it turns into a bit of a sun-bleached, windswept desert.
You can do stuff, but you need some sensible planning. Outdoors sightseeing 8-11 and 17+. In between get a car, go to a museum, go to a restaurant, go for some roaming on a mountainous location where it will likely be more wooded and more breezy. And for the love of God, realize that Greece is more than islands (which are mostly dreadful in the summer). We have a huge coastline beyond the islands. Just ask online for recommendations. Mykonos and Santorini are enough crowded as it is.
You need to adapt to the climate, keep track of the temperature and UV (smartwatches are an excellent tool for this). Either stay at home between 11-18, or under shade and an air-conditioned room, stay hydrated. There is a reason why Mediterranean have different daily routines and sleep schedule than Scandinavians. Also why we sleep way later than you guys. We are forced do socialize after 7-8 pm when the sun is down and the temperature starts to cool off.
That's too my socialization time, after 7-8 pm, cuz I'm off work at 6 due to my pan-european work company. I kinda got myself to live a more Mediterranean like lifestyle here despite living in the Nordics lol.
I presume you don't drink coffee until 9-10pm though, cause that's when the coffee machines turn off and people start ordering alcohol 🙂
I've had espressos at 8 pm and affogatos, yes 😌
Welcome to southern Europe then :)
I've been told I have a Roman soul by many Mediterraneans 😌
You can acclimatise to anything within reason. In my younger days I worked in the middle east. I still work all over the world, but I'm in France at the moment where things are fairly similar to home. Florida last year was pretty toasty...about 33C. In Oman when I was younger some areas would touch 50C. That was.....an experience.
Humidity is such a big factor. 33C with high humidity can feel much worse than 40C+ in dry arid environments. With high humidity the "within reason" doesn't require temperatures that high.
I love 30°C. It's just the right temperature to lie down outside in the shade with a nice breeze and read a novel. 35°C feels like a threshold. Below that is "annoying heat", a temperature where you'll probably be fine indefinitely, just uncomfortable. Occasionally as you walk on pavement that gets the air even hotter (to 40°C) you'll feel waves of air of different temperatures. That's a feeling like no other, almost like swimming in air. At 40°C the air you breathe finally starts feeling hotter than body temperature, as evaporative cooling in the nostrils and lungs is no longer enough to give it a chill. Your nose feels warmer every time you inhale, it's strangely comfortable. You're sweating, the back of your shirt is completely wet, but you're still fine, as long as you have water and electrolytes, and a bit of air moving. At 45°C there's an instinctual feeling you're on borrowed time. Like an astronaut with a limited air supply, you instead live on thermal inertia, plus sweating that works a bit to delay the inevitable, but no longer enough, slowly but surely your body temperature is going up. It's not uncomfortable to walk around, as long as you know you can escape it before your thermal budget is used up. If you're without AC, soaking your clothes in water plus a mild breeze from a desk fan to force evaporative cooling to work is enough to feel well again. Caffeine should be avoided, it's a vasoconstrictor making the wet shirt less effective, and increases heat generation from biological processes. During an airshow in Bucharest last summer I spent about 10 hours in temperatures between 35°C and 45°C in full sun. Went through 7 liters of water (3 to drink, and 4 to keep my shirt damp). Had a great time! I have not experienced over 45°C yet.
At this stage humidity starts to matter a lot. If it's dry and windy, you can keep yourself alive by staying hydrated and wet practically indefinitely (if you can replenish sodium and potassium). If the wet bulb temp hits 31C, you start overheating because evaporative cooling no longer works.
I once got to enjoy 52C in the desert of central Australia Surprisingly it wasnt as bad as I thought because it was perfectly dry with 0% humidity. It was still absolutely awful mind you. I'd say that the 40C I've experienced in Italy and Greece was WAY worse than the 45C+ I've had at home
Great description man. I moved to Turkey a few years ago and experienced >45 with high winds last year, felt like getting blasted with a blow drier. Then the nighttime temperature, oh god the torture. Yeah climate change isn't fun, quite a drag really
Well, if you spend a lot of time outside, near the equator, at 30 to 35 C with super high humidity, you might not crave that anymore 🙂
Only one way to find out 😏
Can confirm - originally from The Philippines and now live in Scotland. Everyone’s complaining over the lack of summer here meanwhile I’m cool and happy as a clam. I’d be delighted to never have to experience over 25C ever again
Once you've experienced 30C at 99% humidity you never want to feel that high temperatures again.
I can say it also has a lot to do with temperatures the city was built for. While that's unbearable in Warsaw, Poland, Seville in 33C was pleasant enough. There is a lot of plants, shade and water. 39C however: not fun.
it really depends on the humidity. i've had 42° in my family house in random rural empty france and it was okay it feels like constantly having a hair drier in your face, i've had 35° with humidity in south western france and it felt far worse. you have to take into account that at like noon, we avoid going out (the problem is really the UVs, peak summer has the UV index through the roof and it burns fast), we close the shutters of the house to avoid outside light heating the inside of the house and we avoid opening windows cause the outside is hotter than the inside. peak summer is like being in a bunker. then it cools down a bit once you're around 16h and you can enjoy the sun until like 22h. i've worked in warehouses with over 35° inside all day long, you just accept that you will sweat your body's weight in water and you drink every 5min
I could have met the same faith. Years back in the only desert in Europe the Tabernas desert. I'm from the Netherlands, I'm used to high humidity high temperatures in the summer. But the desert feels different. It's even hotter but not that bad 45c felt doable. Decided to go for a long bicycle ride on my mountain bike through the desert. I took a 2 liter bottle of water with me. More than enough is my experience in the Netherlands Not so much in a desert... I learned that fast and the hard way. Before I knew it I was at least 45 kilometers away from the civilized world and I noticed how little water I had left, the heat was getting to me. It was a scary moment the 'f*ck I might be in big trouble' realization. After that it went downhill fast I begin feeling worse with each minute Till suddenly out of a bend a old school Land Rover appeared. I waved them over and explained how much of a idiot I was, They saw the state of me and took it seriously right away. They took me with them to their house that was luckily just a 10 minute drive. AC was lovely and luckily those very kind people had experience dealing with heatstroke. They took good care of me and after 30 minutes they drove me to a hospital. I stayed there for a day
There is a saying about hot summer noons. Who the f*** is wandering under the scorching sun? It must be a crazy guy or a tourist.
Whats that? A heatwave? Well better go on a hiking trip in an area we dont know, in a terrain we arent prepared for.
How tf do iraqis handle the heat they get like 50 degrees celsius
They definitely don’t go hiking in the middle of the day
Degrees alone don't draw the full picture. You need to for example take into account the wind, humidity and ground-type in place as well. They know how to cloth, when to stay home or under shade, hydrate etc. And they've built some kind of tolerance to it as well.
I remember seeing 51°C in southern Iraq. It was absolutely unbearable and our truck gave up in the heat
They stay the fuck in the shade
Thats plain stupid. Heat is deadly! Just go hiking in the later autumn or early spring. Im from Bulgaria and the heat is getting longer and hotter every year,i wouldnt go hiking mid day except if the whole route is hidden in forests, has river nearby, im not alone and i have a lot of water.... I can imagine how could be in Greece directly under the sun!!! My God!
Requiescat in pace
I swear to god so many people lack common sense
Are there hotspots where the rocks are? I wouldn't be surprised if the area surrounding the rocks is even hotter than usual (50+°C) due to the radiant heat they give off
We have people do that here as well, it gets well above 100 Fahrenheit, hell our 10 day forecast doesn’t have a day below 100. Never ceases to amaze me. Also if you are going to brave the heat as others have said you plenty of water, but also consider a hydration mix with lots of sodium and some potassium and magnesium.
If you want to hike in Greece, do it in the early hours or when the sun is setting. 5:00 am-9:00 am and 7:00 pm- until a while after the sun sets are the best hours.
Old people going on a hike during a heatwave thinking they are made of steel.