IN BRIEF
- A 'heat dome' is bringing record-breaking heat to the UK and Europe.
- It's a phenomenon accelerated by climate change, with Europe heating at double the rate of any other continent.
With Europe and the United Kingdom sweltering under record-breaking temperatures, some Australians may be experiencing a renewed longing to escape the southern hemisphere's colder months.
However, one expert has warned that the current heatwave is a sign that climate change may wilt the well-known Euro Summer dream.
"Aussies have a very romantic vision of European summer, especially in places like Italy. But with global warming, it's becoming less hospitable," said Andrew King, a climate scientist with the University of Melbourne.
"Summers are changing. They're not what they used to be."
'Unprecedented' heat
The heatwave, caused by a 'heat dome' of warm air from northern Africa trapped by a high-pressure system, has already shattered UK records and is expected to sizzle over Spain and Italy until the end of the week.
King said conditions in the UK are "really exceptional".
"It's unprecedented in terms of temperatures for May, and it's not even technically summer yet," he said.
Kew Gardens in London recorded its highest May temperature with 34.8C on the gauge, according to the UK Met Office.
Paris reached a croissant-melting 31.9C on Monday, while Spain expects a peak of 38 °C this week. Parts of Italy imposed restrictions on outdoor work during the heat of the day.
Such figures might be shrugged off by some Aussies, but King said the problem is that the UK and Europe "aren't really built for the heat at all".
Buildings designed to retain warmth, a lack of air conditioning, less sun-safety messaging, and unsuitable clothing contribute to making 24C feel more like 40C, he said.
"We do know that with these heat events there will be increases in hospital admissions and, unfortunately, fatalities as well," he said.
"That's the side effect of this heatwave."
Europe warming 'twice as fast'
The current heatwave is also a sign of things to come, with Europe warming "a lot faster than the rest of the world, about double the rate", King said.
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service's European State of the Climate Report, the European continent is warming by 0.56C per decade more than the global average.
Last year, 95 per cent of Europe saw above-average temperatures.
The UK and Ireland are warming at the slightly lesser rate of 0.25C per decade, according to the UK Met Office, which has also marked a 9 per cent increase in rainfall since the 1980s.
"Land is warming faster than the ocean is, so continental areas in most parts of the world are warming faster than coastal areas," he said.
"There's a growing awareness that the summers we have today are quite different from the summers of the past."
Europe 'still on table'
Despite the rising temperatures, there's little sign that Australian travellers are being deterred. Last year, Australians spent an estimated $280 million on European summer holidays.
And while Foreign Minister Penny Wong earlier in the year warned Australians to "think very carefully about their travel plans" amid war in the Middle East leading to major hubs shutting down, demand for European flights has remained strong.
Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Travel Industry Association, said that Europe is "absolutely still on the table for Australians."
"The pathway might look different for some at the moment due to the restricted Middle East traffic, but there are reliable, well-serviced routings through Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo," he said.
Ross Ioppolo, CEO of European travel company Ormina Tours, told SBS News that travel to Europe has "already normalised".
"In fact, May 2026 was our biggest month on record, and we expect 2026 to outperform last year's record bookings," he said.
For Ormina, Italy is more popular than ever, with lesser-known regions like Sardinia rising on Australians' travel radar.
And there are signs travellers are more than willing to adapt to a hotter Europe.
Euro Autumn?
CMO of Ormina Tours, Anna Jones, said travellers are already adjusting their plans to avoid extreme heat.
"Australians don't want to travel in the intense heat of August, especially in places like Pompeii where there's zero shade," she said.
As summers grow hotter, Jones said tour operators are working with local service providers to stay open in the off-season, long after they might usually have closed for the year.
"These are places that open at Easter and close in October. We're pushing them to stay open in November and into December," she said.
Even in the colder seasons, Jones said, it's still warm enough to swim in many European summer hotspots.
"Travellers are adaptable," she said.
"It's no fun to stand outside in the sun."
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