The Acropolis in Athens is again closed during the hottest hours of the day
**Greece's most visited tourist attraction, the Acropolis in Athens, was closed again on a Wednesday due to a heatwave during the hottest hours of the day. The Greek Culture Ministry announced that tourists could not visit the archaeological site from 12.00 to 17.00 hours local time (11.00 to 16.00 hours CET). It was the second time in about a month that the opening hours of the Acropolis had been restricted due to the heat.
Due to the earliest heatwave in Greece since weather records began, the Acropolis had already been closed for two consecutive days in June for several hours. The Greek meteorological service forecast temperatures over 43 degrees Celsius for parts of the country on Wednesday.
In 2023, almost four million people visited the Acropolis - an increase of 31% compared to the previous year. The visitor numbers in the UNESCO World Heritage Site are partly due to cruise ships that anchor in the nearby Piraeus harbor.**
Because of the ongoing heat wave, Athen experienced temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius, leading to the closure of the Acropolis during the day's hottest hours, from 12:00 to 17:00 local time. This closure was announced by the Greek Culture Ministry, which had previously had to restrict the Acropolis's opening hours due to the heat wave about a month ago in Athens. Despite the scorching heat, the Acropolis, being Greece's most visited tourist attraction, still attracted over three million visitors in 2023, mainly due to the presence of cruise ships in the nearby Piraeus harbor.
