Outside the Acropolis, a sea of hats bobs up and down the hill to the ancient site: straw boaters, Panama hats, baseball caps and bucket hats in the relentless heat.
Hat racks are hard to miss in central Athens this summer. Kiosks and stores keep outdoor stands piled high as more tourists in the Greek capital seek relief from the midday heat.
The Acropolis drew about 4.6 million visitors in 2025, a record year for Greek tourism. Many spend hours in 35°C or so temperatures with little shade. Even a carriage horse at the foot of the ancient monument has joined in, sporting a brown bucket hat with holes cut for its ears.
“You need a hat. I’m already red as it is,” said Jack Yosif, an Australian tourist wearing a black baseball cap. “It’s a bit more of a common thing nowadays, and people are a bit more aware.”
Scorching temperatures didn’t deter a record 38 million visitors last year, the most recent for which there is data. The combination of extreme heat and high demand for sites – which means not everyone can visit in the morning – is adding urgency to sun protection.
Greek health campaigners have welcomed a growing awareness of the dangers of ultraviolet exposure and risk of heat stroke. Red Cross volunteers at the Acropolis hand out kits with sunscreen, water, information leaflets and red caps.
On nearby Syntagma Square, kiosk owner Konstantinos Mallios says hat sales have risen in recent years. His stylish and souvenir models run up to €20 (RM90) while the cheapest costs €6 (RM29). Available elsewhere is semi-disposable headgear: mass-produced hats made using compressed paper pulp.
And there are more ostentatious options. At her basement workshop, hatmaker Lisa Sarigiannidou turns straw braids into boaters using century-old presses and moulds in a matter of minutes. Her hats start at around €50 (RM236), with elaborate designs costing more than €100 (RM471).
“People’s attitudes toward hats have changed,” said Sarigiannidou, who was trained by her hatmaker father. “In the past, when a young woman tried on a hat and looked at herself in the mirror, she usually laughed. Now they try them on seriously ... and they wear them straight out the door.” – AP
