Rome. Photo: Shutterstock An extreme, record-breaking heat wave is sweeping across Italy. The local health ministry has raised the alert level to the highest possible for 25 of the country's 27 major cities. Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Naples and Turin are all marked bright red on the risk map, with temperatures climbing to 41 degrees in large areas.
The most worrying phenomenon for the authorities is the nights when the temperature does not drop below 25 degrees, which prevents the body and the living environment from cooling down. Health experts in Italy emphasize that unlike normal heat waves, the current level of risk is defined as a real health danger for the entire population, including young people, completely healthy people and travelers who are at the peak of their fitness.
Following the extreme situation, Italian tourism and health authorities have issued a list of emergency guidelines for the millions of tourists visiting the country these days. The main recommendation is to reschedule your hours of activity, and completely avoid going out on the streets or visiting open tourist sites between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM, the hours when solar radiation and heat stress reach a dangerous peak.
Photo: ShutterstockIn addition, travelers are required to drink larger amounts of water than usual, at least three liters a day, and completely avoid alcoholic beverages or sugary, caffeinated drinks that increase the body's rate of dehydration.
Authorities urge tourists to take advantage of the extreme heat to visit indoor, air-conditioned places such as museums, ancient churches, or shopping centers, and to wear only light, loose, and bright clothing combined with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
Rome police and local authorities have issued a warning to travelers seeking refuge from the heavy rain. It is strictly forbidden to enter, dip, wade or even splash water from the city's famous historical and architectural fountains.
Anyone who breaks the law, including at the Trevi Fountain or the fountains in Piazza Navona, will encounter police officers who will immediately fine him huge sums of hundreds of euros and even remove him from the area.
It is also important to remember that there is no need to buy expensive plastic bottles, as public drinking fountains are located in every central piazza and near every leading tourist attraction.
Nose taps in Italy. Photo: ShutterstockThe small fountains are called Nasoni in Italian, a playful nickname that comes directly from the Italian word Naso, which means nose. The suffix of the word makes its official meaning "big noses," named after their curved, prominent metal pipe that resembles the profile of a large nose in the center of the face. These taps are scattered in their thousands throughout the city and offer cold, clean, and completely safe drinking water - and most importantly, for free.
To find the water points easily, it is recommended to stock up on a reusable bottle in advance and download dedicated navigation apps to your mobile phone that show the locations of these permitted water taps. The most official and leading app is "Waidy WOW", developed in collaboration with the Rome water company and displays an accurate map in real time.
Travelers in Rome can also use the long-standing app "I Nasoni di Roma" which focuses entirely on the capital, while those traveling to other cities can use the "Fontanelle" app which maps the free water fountains throughout Italy and displays the closest refreshment points to you at any given moment.