UK Heatwave Tips: What 42 °C in Greece Can Teach Us About Staying Cool in Britain
UK Heatwave Tips- What Greece Taught Me About Coping With Heatwaves
Last week, we went to Greece for our annual holiday (summer 2025) and while we were expecting it to be hot, we were not prepared for 42 degrees celsius daily. We knew this would be difficult but we were not quite prepared for how difficult. During heatwaves in the UK it is often said that european countries have less humidity and so it is easier to deal with. While this was partly true, it was not as noticeable as I expected and I personally found that the heat in greece was easier to deal with due to many different factors which we could adopt in the UK during heatwaves. I have created some UK heatwave tips to discuss the different things I noticed below which shows that by changing a few things and a little investment, we could also cope with heat waves in the UK.
Here are some of the changes I noticed that would help us in the UK:
1. UK Heatwave Tips- Getting Used to Heatwaves
In Greece, people don’t hide from the sun — they adapt to it. By spending time outdoors, they become more accustomed to higher temperatures. In the UK, The NHS advice during a heatwave is often to stay indoors with curtains closed, which makes it harder for our bodies to adjust. Even elderly and disable people were outside enjoying the sunshine in Greece, becoming accustom to the heat and getting their bodies acclimatised. This really made me wonder why we encourage people to stay indoors during heat waves and the only real reason I could find is because we do not drink enough water here in the UK, with the recommended amount of water being 2.5 litres per day, we would really need to change our habits and start drinking a lot more water to ensure we can cope with future heatwaves.
2. UK Heatwave Tips- Free Iced Water vs. Charged Tap Water
The moment you sit down at a restaurant in Greece, you’re offered a glass of iced tap water without even asking. It’s a simple gesture that keeps you cool and hydrated. In the UK, it’s common to be charged for tap water and many restuarants may not even allow you to drink tap water. On top of this it is common belief that tap water is expensive in the UK and we are consistently being encouraged to save water to save money. After consideration, I strongly feel that I would choose a rstuarant that offers free tap water over one that does not offer free tap water, especially during heat waves and so this could easily increase sales for restuarant owners all over the country, perhaps we could make this a common practise in the UK, not just during heatwaves but all year round to encourage brits to drink more water?
3. UK Heatwave Tips- Cooling Technology in Public Spaces
Restaurants in Greece often have mist fans in their beer gardens, creating a refreshing, cool breeze for diners. It’s an inexpensive but highly effective way of making the heat bearable. Following my visit, I did some research and these types of fans arent even available in the UK. The water cools the air so the fan isnt just pushing hot air around and also creates a barrier to prevent the cool air going too far which in turn cools customers down. Perhaps I was in a highly populated restuarant area but this really made me want to eat rather than getting my jobs done and going back to the restuarant as soon as possible, with most pubs/ restuarants in the uk providing heating in the beer gardens/ smoking areas, should this become common practise in the UK?
4. UK heatwave tips- Tackling Odours with Air Fresheners – not just for heat waves
Something small but noticeable — air fresheners are everywhere in Greece, helping to keep public areas smelling fresh, even when people are naturally sweating more in the heat. This small touch made a big difference when shopping which made the difference in making shops and restuarants/ hotels bareable to stay inside even when everyone is sweating. We often visit shops in the UK and notice a sweaty smell (not just during heat waves) and this small device really got me thinking. Would you go shopping more if the shops smelt nicer?
5. UK heatwave tips- Affordable Air Conditioning – prepare for heat waves
Air conditioning is far more widespread in Greece. One reason is that they don’t worry about hiding the pipework with expensive trunking. I did see some adverts on the local TV during downtime and the price of air conditioning seemed to be very similar to prices in the UK, however In the UK, many homeowners dislike visible pipes because we value neat exteriors on our homes. This unfortunately adds extra cost and in turn puts people off installing cooling systems due to the costs. Without the trunking and fittings, the installation could be reduced to nearly half, would you allow the pipework to be visible or do you prefer the pipework hidden?
6. UK heatwave tips- Shade on Every Corner
Shops and restaurants in Greece invest heavily in canopies and shaded areas. This makes walking around in the heat much more comfortable and reduces the risk of overheating. In contrast, shade is often hard to find in UK high streets. Hopefully as heatwaves become more common, we will see more restuarants investing in canopies and shaded beer gardens to provide breaks from heat waves. Unfortunately as we also have storms in this country, we also battle with stromng winds and so this puts restuarants off buying canopies/ exterior shelters
What I learnt for heatwaves in the UK
The main lesson I took away is that with the right measures in place, we can cope with rising temperatures here in the UK too. Going outside during heatwaves is much better than hiding away into air conditioned homes, making sure we carry water and asking for tap water in restuarants as soon as you arrive is not something to be ashamed of and can make the difference between enjoyment and complete displeasure while dining outside. Air conditioning is a great solution to help you sleep at night and prevent sleepless nights but if we over do it then our bodies wont get used to the heat and we can end up hiding away every time we get a heat wave.
What the UK can learn to adopt in Heatwaves
We need to all change our perspective of heatwaves from something as simple as offering iced water in restaurants, to providing more shaded spaces in towns, and embracing cost-effective air conditioning solutions, small changes could make a big difference as our summers continue to get hotter.
At J & S Plumbing and Heating, we’re already helping local homeowners prepare for these warmer summers. Whether it’s installing efficient air conditioning systems that don’t require bulky or unsightly pipework, or offering advice on the most cost-effective ways to keep your home comfortable, we can help you stay cool when the next heatwave arrives.
Because while we can’t bring Greek canopies and mist fans to Lincoln, we can certainly bring you the comfort of a cooler, fresher Bedroom to keep you cool at night.
Found this helpful? Share it with a friend or neighbour who’s struggling to keep cool this summer.
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