Heatwave in Greece 2024: Holidaymakers issued urgent advice and told 'don't be alone' as tourists slammed for being 'foolhardy'

UK holidaymakers who are heading to the popular holiday destination Greece have been issued urgent advice on social media as a historic heatwave grips the country. Users on X, formerly Twitter, have shared top tips for tourists as news surfaces that a US tourist has gone missing on the Greek island of Amorgos after going on a hike alone. 

Greek officials are searching for Albert Calibet, 59, after he vanished on Tuesday afternoon (11 June). His disappearance comes days after the British television presenter Michael Mosley went missing on the Greek island of Symi, where his body was found four days later. 

Temperatures in Greece have soared to as high as 43C with schools and tourist hotspots being forced to close due to the heatwave. The heatwave is so severe that there is a danger to life forcing the Acropolis, which welcomes four million visitors last year, to close. According to BirminghamLive, seven air conditioned spaces have been opened to the public.

On X, Alicia E. Stallings shared her advice to UK holidaymakers who are in Greece or who are heading to the country this summer. She said: “Dear Tourists to Greece: It is very hot. It is hotter than you think it is. Do not take hikes in the middle of the day. 

“Do not hike by yourself. Wear a hat. Bring water. (4 people have died and one is missing so far and it is only June.)”

Other users were quick to respond to her post sharing their advice as well. Mandy Watkins wrote: “Do not hike in heat. Do not take unnecessary risks in extreme heat! Why are tourists being so foolhardy in a heatwave? 

“Did they fail to pack common sense? Yesterday my car temperature registered 51! A temp I had never seen before and it is JUNE!”.

Vassiliki Kotzia who lives in Greece said on X that “it's too hot even for us and we've lived here all our lives”, adding “don't play superhero, go to the beach, have fun in the water and if you NEED to go for a walk, do it super early in the morning.” Another user shared on X: “Don't hike in the sun. It can go really hot really fast.  Don't go on your own. Let someone know where you are going. 

“Same thing at the sea. Swim parallel to the coastline. Don't go far away, anything can happen. Don't be alone.”