Tourists in Greece refused because of the heat wave of 40 degrees Celsius

Greek authorities closed the Acropolis in Athens for a second afternoon on Thursday as the country sweltered in unusually high temperatures. The culture ministry said the hill citadel, which is Greece’s most popular ancient site, would be closed from noon to 5pm (0900-1400 GMT) due to the heat.

All other archaeological sites in the Greek capital will be closed during the same hours. People who booked visits for that period can use their tickets later in the day, the ministry said.

Temperatures are expected to top 40C (104F) on Thursday across much of central and southern Greece, including Athens, the Cyclades islands and Crete. Officials are on high alert for the wildfires that plague Greece every summer.

Athens authorities are making air-conditioned areas available to the public and have issued fans to secondary schools where end-of-year and university entrance exams are held. Cooler temperatures are expected on Friday and Saturday.

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