3 days ago
Europe's heatwaves: all the holiday destinations with heat warnings in place
Several countries in southern and eastern Europe are battling with a heatwave that's seen temperatures rise above 40C during the last few weeks. Heat warnings are in place across large parts of France; Spain and Portugal broke temperature records for June, and in some regions of Italy hospital admissions have risen by a fifth due to heat-related illnesses.
'Roll clouds' — created when cold air flows from the bottom of a storm cloud and pushes warm air upwards — have been spotted in Portugal. The heatwave has also lowered water levels in the Rhine, hampering the amount that cargo ships can transport, while a string of wildfires have been breaking out across western Turkey.
Here's everything you need to know if you're unsure whether to go ahead with a planned holiday, from how to stay safe to whether you're protected if you decide to cancel.
Météo-France, the national weather service, issued France's highest level alert for Paris at the end of June 2025. It warned that a heatwave of 'scorching magnitude' was affecting large parts of the country. The top of the Eiffel Tower is closed at the time of Italy, the health ministry put 17 cities, including Florence and Rome, on its highest alert on July 1. Regions including Tuscany have reported an increase in hospital admissions. Germany's weather service, Deutscher Wetterdienst, has issued an alert for July 1 for parts of the south and west, including cities such as Dusseldorf and warnings are also in place in Spain, along with warnings for potential storms and wildfires across the country. AEMET, the country's meteorological agency, has recorded temperatures of more than 42C in the south. Portugal's Directorate-General for Health issued a severe weather warning and has advised citizens to stay indoors between 11am and 5pm.
Warnings are also in place for some parts of Croatia and the Balkans with temperatures expected to remain very hot this week. Meanwhile, the rise in temperatures has seen an increase in wildfires, with the island of Chios in Greece being affected last week and western Turkey suffering over the past few days.
Emergency medical services are on standby in many countries and people have been warned to stay inside as much as possible.
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The high temperatures look set to continue throughout the week. AEMET predicts the heatwave will continue until at least mid-week in Spain, while it's expected temperatures in Italy will not return to seasonal averages until at least Sunday.
Yes, but you should be sensible, and follow local advice and take necessary precautions to keep yourself safe. Travellers should also be mindful that some tourist destinations might be closed to visitors during peak hours to protect them from the extreme heat. The Foreign Office is not, however, advising that people avoid visiting countries currently experiencing extreme heat, such as Spain and Greece.
In most cases, tour operators and airlines will not offer refunds until the Foreign Office explicitly advises against non-essential travel to a destination. However, check your travel insurance policy carefully, as coverage can vary significantly. Many policies have clauses around extreme weather, which means you should be able to recoup some of your costs if you need to cancel. However, many standard trip cancellation clauses do not cover heatwaves unless they result in severe disruption or danger in the destination.
In the event of serious disruption, package holidays (comprising a combination of flight, accommodation and/or car hire) bought from the same supplier with an Atol or Abta certificate should cover you for cancellation, curtailment or repatriation under the package travel regulations. You are more likely to receive compensation for cancellation if the relevant government or local authority in your chosen destination has issued a travel warning because of extreme heat.
Currently, the Foreign Office does not advise travellers against visiting unusually hot destinations such as Greece, Spain and Italy, but in the unlikely event of it updating its guidance to warn against travel, it should be possible to cancel a holiday or rearrange your plans — speak to your travel provider about the possibilities.
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If you have a medical condition that is making you reluctant to travel to your planned destination because of a heatwave, it is unlikely you'll be able to claim on your travel insurance — unless you suffer from a declared medical condition and a doctor deems that you are unfit to travel. Again, coverage varies, so check your policy.
Extreme heat can pose serious health risks, including dehydration, exhaustion, heatstroke, heart attacks and strokes. It can also exacerbate existing conditions, according to the World Health Organization, including diabetes and asthma. Those most vulnerable to heat-related health issues include older people, those with underlying conditions, babies and very young children.
You should wear light clothes, plenty of sunscreen and go indoors if you feel lightheaded. It is a good idea to keep blinds and curtains closed during the day. Stay hydrated, seek air-conditioned or shaded environments where possible, avoid exercise and sunbathing during the warmest times of the day, and avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, which contributes to dehydration.
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