Heatwaves In Europe: How To Handle The Heat Of Summer

As noted by the 1959 movie, Some Like It Hot, but to many of us, the extreme heat in summer is hard to handle, with heatwave after heatwave making Europe sizzle. It’s only June, and the temperatures are rising, so make sure you know how to handle the heatwaves of 2024.

How to handle the heatwaves of summer in Europe

As international travelers head to Europe, the early summer crowds are already in the headlines with many stories about overtourism. Right now, popular destinations in Italy like Rome and Florence are already giving Excessive Heat Warnings.

Meanwhile, the latest weather forecasts for Athens in Greece are already in the upper 90s, and this is before July and August make things steamy. Moreover, southern Spain has always been known for its heat, but these days with climate change, the temperatures will be soaring

Across Western Europe, variations of dry heat or humidity are making things uncomfortable, so make sure you know how to handle this before you travel to EU nations this summer. While travelers walk around all day, touring and sightseeing, they often have to find an air-conditioned space along the way to cool down. Moreover, exploring in high temperatures can quickly reach heat exhaustion levels that most US travelers aren’t used to.

Naturally, travelers tend to overindulge while on vacation in Europe, consuming alcohol, caffeine and delicious, but heavy meals which make things worse.

Beating the heat by touring early or late

You might not like getting up early when on vacation, but this is one of the best ways of experiencing everything Europe has to offer in fresher temperatures. The same can be said for evenings, where many European countries are light until late into summer. Eat dinner early and then walk off that full stomach, touring the town.

By doing things early or late, you can do all the normal sightseeing without the usual crowds at the major beauty spots and snooze in air conditioning during the day.

Best clothing for Europe in summer heatwaves

Dress for the heat with light, loose-fitting and cool clothing and a snazzy hat to take the sun off your scalp. Meanwhile, those parts of your body that can’t avoid the sun should be slathered with sunscreen.

Another important note is about keeping hydrated along the way. Always rest in the shade while sightseeing and ensure you always have a bottle of water with you. Again, it is better to avoid alcohol and caffeine during the day, which only makes the heat worse.

Long days and great beaches

While handling summer can sound restrictive, the longer days of Europe in summer offer some of the best beach fun and meeting fellow travelers is always a plus.

Basically, ensure you take the necessary precautions to keep cool this summer to ensure you have the vacation of a lifetime.