“The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has announced Very High Fire Risk (Risk Category 4) and Extreme Fire Risk (Risk Category 5) for many areas in Greece, including areas close to Athens, which can be seen on the Daily Fire Risk Map. This high risk of fire is expected to continue in the coming days,” the alert says. “US citizens living in or traveling near any of the affected areas should follow instructions from local authorities and closely monitor the local media and emergency alerts.”
The good news for travelers is that currently, there are no fires in areas that are frequented by tourists on the mainland or on the Greek Islands, Vinke says.
“Given the heat in Athens and the air quality, I would suggest to anyone visiting the capital to adjust their pace, avoid going for long walks especially in the middle of the day, and perhaps visit a museum rather than climbing up Filopappou Hill or running in the old Olympic stadium,” she recommends. “The conditions in Athens are not ideal for a long stay, but that holds for August in general. The islands, in contrast, are lovely and breezy right now, wonderful for enjoying holidays without having to deal with the unbearable heat large parts of southern Europe suffer this time of year.”
“In short, I see no reason for anyone who has booked holidays in Greece to change plans, and indeed, coming for holidays as planned is also the best way to help [local residents and businesses]” says Vinke.
Which airlines have canceled flights to Athens?
At the time of writing, no airlines have altered their flight schedule or canceled flights to or from Athens due to the wildfires. “The main concern is if the fires get any closer to Athens, flights will be affected. The airport is north of Athens and the fires are north of Athens,” explains Ronnie Liadis, a Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist with an expertise in Greece.
“Several airlines operate directly into the islands and Athens can be avoided,” she says. “Airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Aegean, and SkyExpress operate direct flights from several cities in Europe such as Frankfurt, Paris, and London. This is an option for travelers who are flying to Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Corfu. ”
As for transit around Greece, the Coastguard has redirected all ferries from the Rafina port in Athens to Laviro, a port located further south, Athens-based travel blogger and Condé Nast Traveler contributor Rebecca Hall tells Traveler.
This is a developing news story and will be updated with more information. A version of this article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK.
