Vacationers say they can survive Europe’s record-breaking heat with the help of hydration, air conditioning and swimming trips. The heat affects both travel destinations and the day’s program.
Simo Ortamo,
Katarina Baer
Exceptional heat is ravaging several countries in southern and central Europe.
The heat wave intensified by climate change has broken several heat records, and according to the World Meteorological Institute, the heat will not subside in many places until August.
asked Finnish vacationers how they have survived Europe’s hot weather.
“There was a pickup nearby on the bike trip”
In Matera, Apulia, Italy, temperatures have risen above 35 degrees Celsius. Vacationing in the city Jaana Isokoski says that residents stay inside in the heat and only tourists wander in the heat.
– We also went on a bike trip and there was a pickup nearby, Isokoski says via email.
People also vacation in the same regions in Apulia’s Torre Vado Kristiina Savolainen with his family. They have not suffered from the heat, because the daily rhythm is adapted to the heat.
– We cool off in the sea and during the day we take a riposo, or siesta, inside, Savolainen says via email.
“Exceptionally quiet”
Helsinki Sanna Yliheijo is currently vacationing with his family in a small seaside village near Malaga.
– It is exceptionally quiet here considering the time of year, there are fewer tourists compared to before, Yliheijo says in an interview with .
The family is not going to Granada and Cordoba and other inland cities this time, because the temperatures are even higher on the coast.
Padel pro Axel Waris has been training and competing in the same areas in Malaga and Marbella.
– On Wednesday, the meter rose to 40 degrees. Then the wind felt like it was burning my face, Waris says by email.
“The coolest summer of the rest of our lives”
Been driving in Europe since the beginning of July Asko Alasalmi says that he experienced rain last time in Denmark. The temperatures have only risen as he has progressed through Germany, Austria and Slovenia to Croatia.
– When I got out of the car, I felt as if a wall came up against me, Alasalmi describes in his e-mail the encounter with the heat in Split, Croatia.
Traveling around Central Europe by train Matti Vahtera has faced temperatures of around 35 degrees in Prague and Slovenia’s Ljubljana last week.
Vahtera hopes for the popularity of train travel, because flying is contributing to climate change and record heatwaves.
– Unfortunately, this has not only been the warmest summer in the history of the world, but also probably the coolest summer of the rest of our lives, Vahtera writes.