Greece gets EU help to battle disastrous wildfires
"Today is expected to be a difficult day with a very high risk of fire, almost throughout the territory," fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said, though he added that the situation was improving.
Forecasters predicted that strong winds that have been fanning the flames would die down on Sunday in most areas. But they warned that Kythera, a popular tourist island with 3,600 inhabitants, continued to face "worrying" conditions. Evacuation messages were sent on Sunday to people on the island, which lies off the southeastern tip of the Peloponnese. Giorgos Komninos, deputy mayor of Kythera, told the state-run ERT News channel that half of Kythera had been charred: "Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt," he said.
ERT reported that a broad fire was still burning on the island late Sunday, but in smaller fronts, and the situation was improving. Dozens of firefighters supported by three helicopters and two aircraft were battling the Kythera blaze, which erupted Saturday and forced the evacuation of people stranded on a popular tourist beach. Local authorities have requested a state of emergency so that stepped-up assistance can be provided for the island, which was previously stricken by a major fire in 2017.
'Titanic' struggle
Eleven regions of Greece still face a very high fire risk, according to officials. Greece requested EU help on Saturday, and two Italian aircraft were expected to arrive on Sunday, the fire brigade said. Units from the Czech Republic were already at work. Numerous flare-ups were reported overnight on the island of Evia, near Athens, where flames laid waste to swathes of forest and killed thousands of farm animals. Workers have toiled throughout the day to repair serious damage to Evia's electricity network and some villages were facing water supply disruptions.
Farther south, on Crete, reports said fires that started Saturday, destroying four houses and a church, were now largely contained. In Kryoneri, north of Athens, police reportedly bolstered security as fears grow that looters could target houses abandoned by residents fleeing a fire that erupted Saturday but which was mostly contained on Sunday.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on social media that anyone who lost possessions "should know that the state will be by their side." He said the struggle to block the flames on Saturday had been "titanic" but "the picture today looks better and the battle continues with all available resources."
Greece has endured heatwave conditions for a week, with temperatures passing 40°C in many areas. On Saturday, the temperature reached 45.2°C in Amfilohia, in western Greece. The extreme heat was expected to subside from Monday.
Last month, fires on Greece's fifth-biggest island of Chios, in the northern Aegean, destroyed 4,700 hectares of land, while in early July, a wildfire on Crete forced the evacuation of 5,000 people. The most destructive year for wildfires in the country, which is deemed a climate-change hotspot, was 2023, when nearly 175,000 hectares were lost and there were 20 deaths. Greece, like many countries, is experiencing hotter summers stoked by human-induced climate change, which increases the length, frequency and intensity of wildfires.
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Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Why landowners have introduced fee on this Italian hiking trail
High in the Italian Dolomites, a hiking trail on Seceda mountain has become a renowned place for taking dramatic shots of the spiky Odle Peaks. But its growing fame on social media is becoming a nightmare for residents of the area in South Tyrol. This summer, walkers and locals have been sharing images of the route jammed with queues of tourists waiting to take Instagram-worthy snaps. Some 8,000 people reportedly walked the path on a single day last week. Frustrations have grown to the point that local landowners have decided to take independent action and install a turnstile at the beginning of a trail. The move has been controversial, but it is highlighting a wider, growing issue of overtourism, poor visitor behaviour, and environmental damage in Italy's mountains. Farmers ask tourists to pay fee to hike scenic route At the beginning of July, a group of local farmers set up a turnstile with a toll on the Odle trail to protest against the constant passage of tourists who, they say, disrespect the area. "The trails are abandoned and the meadows are full of rubbish," they said in a statement. The turnstile was quickly deactivated by the Puez-Odle Nature Park authorities. However, in recent days, the system has been reinstated. The landowners said in a statement that the initial installation of the turnstile was primarily intended as a provocation - or a 'cry for help' as local newspaper Il Dolomiti describes it. However, since receiving no contact from 'political representatives, associations, or organisations", they chose to reactivate the system. Anyone who wishes to hike along the route is asked to pay a €5 fee - children and residents excluded. There is a person present to take payments, which can be made by cash or card. The landowners say they have been obliged to charge a toll to compensate for the damage to their land and to fund their upkeep of the slopes. Mountain associations denounce the turnstile Local tourism associations and mountain guides have weighed in on the debate, with many denouncing the landowners' move. "If from one day to the next every landowner imposed a toll, what would happen?" Tullio Mussner, president of the Lia da Mont association, told local news outlet L'Altramontagna. There are reportedly now staff members of the tourism association Dolomites Val Gardena posted at the turnstile to inform visitors that it is not mandatory to pay the requested fee. They also direct hikers to an alternative, slightly longer route that bypasses the gate and still reaches the famous panoramic viewpoint of the Odle Peaks. The organisation is reportedly preparing an information sign to be placed next to the turnstile, clarifying that it is a private initiative and indicating the way to the alternative route. Greater regulation of tourism is needed in the Dolomites Others, including local residents, say the provocative move by landowners has been useful. Carlo Alberto Zanella, president of the South Tyrolean branch of the national hiking association Club Alpino Italia (CIA), told local newspaper Salto, 'it serves to bring a real problem to public attention.' He said visitors walk through or cycle across the meadows bordering the trail, spoiling the fields and their crops before the farmers can harvest. 'You need education about how to respect the environment. That's the point.' Local tourism groups also acknowledge that overcrowding is partly due to a lack of regulation by provincial authorities. Mussner called for local farmers to be financially compensated for summer tourism, as is done in winter for owners of land crossed by ski slopes. This is particularly urgent given the booming interest in mountain destinations amid boiling European summers. According to research by the Demoskopika Institute, for the second consecutive year, South Tyrol is one of the destinations in Italy most exposed to tourist overcrowding, on a par with Venice. Is Apple to blame for the Seceda mountain's popularity? Some say the culprit of this area's popularity is the technology company Apple. It used a photograph of the Seceda mountain as the official wallpaper for its iOS 7 operating system a decade ago. Two years ago, it featured the Seceda again in a short promotional video during the iPhone 15 launch event. Local groups say the result of that involuntary publicity was a huge increase in visitors, often driven by the desire to just take a few photos of the views and then leave. They also say that the cable car from Ortisei that takes passengers to the summit is exacerbating the problem. The route has also seen intense overcrowding, with local guides warning visitors to arrive early in the morning to avoid the lengthy queues. Some tourism and environmental groups are now calling for a price increase in summer or even its complete closure in peak season to prevent the unsustainable influx of visitors. The company that operates the cable car has instead proposed tripling its capacity amid much controversy and fears of stoking the overtourism problem.
Fashion Network
4 days ago
- Fashion Network
From Dior to Longchamp: fashion transforms Mediterranean resorts
Seaside luxury is no longer just a summer flirtation—it's a full-season strategy. From Dior to Dolce & Gabbana, fashion's biggest names are turning coastal destinations into branded playgrounds. High-end hotels, beach clubs, and restaurants are being transformed into immersive brand spaces, blending lifestyle, leisure, and luxury in some of the world's most exclusive resort towns. But this sun-soaked real estate isn't just for the mega players anymore. A wave of mid-sized and independent labels— Longchamp, Lacoste, Coccinelle, and others—is making its own mark on the Mediterranean. This summer, Christian Dior extends its world tour with the Dioriviera summer collection. LVMH 's flagship fashion house is multiplying activations with pop‑up stores from Bali to Seoul, featuring exotic bamboo and rattan structures. In Ibiza, Capri, Mykonos, Bodrum, D‑Maris and Portofino, deckchairs, umbrellas and other accessories at selected beaches and pools are adorned with toile de Jouy prints from the Dioriviera collection. Dior also customizes armchairs and sofas for travelling spas and cafés, including the 'Bacaro Dior' at Venice's Hotel Cipriani, owned by LVMH's Belmond hotel chain. Pools feature animal‑shaped buoys, while seaside stops offer excursions aboard Riviera boats decorated with the Dior signature. Roberto Cavalli sets up shop in Cannes and the Balearic Islands. On the Côte d'Azur, the Italian label decorates the private Annex Beach on the Croisette with its zebra stripes and 'Ray of Sea ' print, while at Playa d'en Bossa in Ibiza, it takes over the Oyster & Caviar Bar at The Unexpected Ibiza Hotel, decorating its pool with parasols, beach beds, cushions and towels. Not forgetting the Jacuzzi. Jacquemus is also in Monaco this season, partnering with the Monte‑Carlo Beach Club. Its signature banana‑or‑coconut yellow and black stripes, inspired by its La Croisière collection presented in January in Paris, decorate deckchairs, parasols and towels at the pontoon and Olympic Pool Café. Nearby, two dedicated boutiques embrace the Provençal spirit dear to Simon Porte Jacquemus. Dolce & Gabbana multiplies activations this summer in exclusive venues. Each time, the label dresses the beach in distinctive prints—towels, furniture, buoys, surfboards—as well as cafés and restaurants with tablecloths, cushions and tableware. The leopard theme takes over the Clap House in Ibiza; banana leaves deck Twiga Beach and its Vesta restaurant in Forte dei Marmi for a tropical green ambience. Sicilian ceramic motifs adorn Carillon Beach Club near Portofino and its restaurant and pop‑up. Blue ceramic motifs appear at La Cabane, a club at Marbella's Los Monteros, the pool at San Domenico Palace in Taormina, and across the Atlantic at Gurney's Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa in the Hamptons. Near Saint‑Tropez, the duo install a bohemian‑style pop‑up on Pampelonne's Casa Amor beach, using cart‑inspired motifs also seen at Hotel Cala di Volpe in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Louis Vuitton differentiates itself with a gourmet ice‑cream kiosk positioned outside its Forte dei Marmi boutique. Fully in line with local seaside tradition, the green wooden structure offers ten flavours developed with historic gelato maker Galliano 1923. The experience features brand‑detail cookies, the mascot in flower form, and other visual touches consistent with the Louis Vuitton image. Forte dei Marmi continues to attract fashion activations. Longchamp has again redesigned the Bagno Felice 1 resort near its boutique. A special edition of its Pliage model will be sold all summer. The brand's green identity colours beach furniture, cabins and textiles—from cabin keys to backgammon boards—and hosts live music and events throughout the season. Italian leather brand Coccinelle has partnered with Sirocco Volcanic restaurant on Milos, Greece, featuring products in a beach-and-concept‑store setting. Deckchairs and accessories—including cushions and placemats—bear the brand's name. A pop‑up near Port Adamas also offers curated pieces. Lacoste brings green-and-white stripes and its crocodile motif to Tigu Beach in Sestri Levante. The French sportswear brand designs beds, parasols, towels and cushions, and presents its original Lacoste perfume at the café‑restaurant, open from morning till night. Guess is stepping up a gear with its 'Beach clubs' project, launched three years ago. The American jeans brand has announced no fewer than nine partnerships with some of the most popular beaches in the Mediterranean basin, strengthening its presence in key European markets while expanding into new destinations. These include Kalua Beach Club in Mykonos, Greece; the panoramic terrace and swimming pool of the Sopot Marriott Resort & Spa in Poland, overlooking the Baltic Sea in the heart of Sopot; Purobeach Vilamoura on Portugal's Algarve coast; and Bernie's Beach Club on the Dutch coastline. Guess dresses beach furniture and accessories inspired by seascapes and coastal lifestyle, applying its name and signature 4G motif to towels and surfboards. Alongside the new locations, the label also returns to Turkey—via Ruins in Bodrum and Yuzu Beach in Çeşme—to the Balearic Islands with Blue Marlin Ibiza in Cala Jondal Bay, and to Italy at La Fenice in Forte dei Marmi and Arienzo Beach Club in Positano. 'This project reflects our commitment to consolidating Guess's reputation in international markets. By collaborating with some of Europe's most prestigious beach clubs, we are not only strengthening the brand's image, but also offering holidaymakers an immersive experience blending fashion, lifestyle and luxury travel,' said Creative Director Paul Marciano in a statement. The Cancemi family commissioned Italian stylist Alessandro Enriquez to furnish their newly inaugurated Braccialieri resort hotel, nestled among olive trees in the heart of baroque Sicily, in the Noto Valley. Known for his bold and cheerful aesthetic, Enriquez brings a pop-infused flair to the entire venue, enriching it with colourful fantasy motifs. His touch is evident throughout the resort, from the café and restaurant to the leisure areas with parasols and deckchairs. The highlight is the swimming pool, which he decorates with large red-and-white tiles inspired by traditional kitchen floors. A large communal garden table also reflects his whimsical yet convivial approach to design. For the second summer in a row, Pollini, the luxury shoemaker owned by the Aeffe Group (Moschino), returns to customise Café del Lago, located near the port of La Salina on the island of Formentera. Facing the lagoon, the space reflects the elegant restraint of the historic Italian footwear brand. Combining design and a Mediterranean touch, Pollini uses natural materials and a soft, coastal palette of sand, ivory, and rope. Every detail has been considered: the label's signature aesthetic appears on cushions, seating, menus, lanterns, and even a pedal boat made available to guests.
Fashion Network
4 days ago
- Fashion Network
From Dior to Longchamp: fashion transforms Mediterranean resorts
Seaside luxury is no longer just a summer flirtation—it's a full-season strategy. From Dior to Dolce & Gabbana, fashion's biggest names are turning coastal destinations into branded playgrounds. High-end hotels, beach clubs, and restaurants are being transformed into immersive brand spaces, blending lifestyle, leisure, and luxury in some of the world's most exclusive resort towns. But this sun-soaked real estate isn't just for the mega players anymore. A wave of mid-sized and independent labels— Longchamp, Lacoste, Coccinelle, and others—is making its own mark on the Mediterranean. This summer, Christian Dior extends its world tour with the Dioriviera summer collection. LVMH 's flagship fashion house is multiplying activations with pop‑up stores from Bali to Seoul, featuring exotic bamboo and rattan structures. In Ibiza, Capri, Mykonos, Bodrum, D‑Maris and Portofino, deckchairs, umbrellas and other accessories at selected beaches and pools are adorned with toile de Jouy prints from the Dioriviera collection. Dior also customizes armchairs and sofas for travelling spas and cafés, including the 'Bacaro Dior' at Venice's Hotel Cipriani, owned by LVMH's Belmond hotel chain. Pools feature animal‑shaped buoys, while seaside stops offer excursions aboard Riviera boats decorated with the Dior signature. Roberto Cavalli sets up shop in Cannes and the Balearic Islands. On the Côte d'Azur, the Italian label decorates the private Annex Beach on the Croisette with its zebra stripes and 'Ray of Sea ' print, while at Playa d'en Bossa in Ibiza, it takes over the Oyster & Caviar Bar at The Unexpected Ibiza Hotel, decorating its pool with parasols, beach beds, cushions and towels. Not forgetting the Jacuzzi. Jacquemus is also in Monaco this season, partnering with the Monte‑Carlo Beach Club. Its signature banana‑or‑coconut yellow and black stripes, inspired by its La Croisière collection presented in January in Paris, decorate deckchairs, parasols and towels at the pontoon and Olympic Pool Café. Nearby, two dedicated boutiques embrace the Provençal spirit dear to Simon Porte Jacquemus. Dolce & Gabbana multiplies activations this summer in exclusive venues. Each time, the label dresses the beach in distinctive prints—towels, furniture, buoys, surfboards—as well as cafés and restaurants with tablecloths, cushions and tableware. The leopard theme takes over the Clap House in Ibiza; banana leaves deck Twiga Beach and its Vesta restaurant in Forte dei Marmi for a tropical green ambiance. Sicilian ceramic motifs adorn Carillon Beach Club near Portofino and its restaurant and pop‑up. Blue ceramic motifs appear at La Cabane, a club at Marbella's Los Monteros, the pool at San Domenico Palace in Taormina, and across the Atlantic at Gurney's Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa in the Hamptons. Near Saint‑Tropez, the duo install a bohemian‑style pop‑up on Pampelonne's Casa Amor beach, using cart‑inspired motifs also seen at Hotel Cala di Volpe in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Louis Vuitton differentiates itself with a gourmet ice‑cream kiosk positioned outside its Forte dei Marmi boutique. Fully in line with local seaside tradition, the green wooden structure offers ten flavours developed with historic gelato maker Galliano 1923. The experience features brand‑detail cookies, the mascot in flower form, and other visual touches consistent with the Louis Vuitton image. Forte dei Marmi continues to attract fashion activations. Longchamp has again redesigned the Bagno Felice 1 resort near its boutique. A special edition of its Pliage model will be sold all summer. The brand's green identity colours beach furniture, cabins and textiles—from cabin keys to backgammon boards—and hosts live music and events throughout the season. Italian leather brand Coccinelle has partnered with Sirocco Volcanic restaurant on Milos, Greece, featuring products in a beach-and-concept‑store setting. Deckchairs and accessories—including cushions and placemats—bear the brand's name. A pop‑up near Port Adamas also offers curated pieces. Lacoste brings green-and-white stripes and its crocodile motif to Tigu Beach in Sestri Levante. The French sportswear brand designs beds, parasols, towels and cushions, and presents its original Lacoste perfume at the café‑restaurant, open from morning till night. Guess is stepping up a gear with its 'Beach clubs' project, launched three years ago. The American jeans brand has announced no fewer than nine partnerships with some of the most popular beaches in the Mediterranean basin, strengthening its presence in key European markets while expanding into new destinations. These include Kalua Beach Club in Mykonos, Greece; the panoramic terrace and swimming pool of the Sopot Marriott Resort & Spa in Poland, overlooking the Baltic Sea in the heart of Sopot; Purobeach Vilamoura on Portugal's Algarve coast; and Bernie's Beach Club on the Dutch coastline. Guess dresses beach furniture and accessories inspired by seascapes and coastal lifestyle, applying its name and signature 4G motif to towels and surfboards. Alongside the new locations, the label also returns to Turkey—via Ruins in Bodrum and Yuzu Beach in Çeşme—to the Balearic Islands with Blue Marlin Ibiza in Cala Jondal Bay, and to Italy at La Fenice in Forte dei Marmi and Arienzo Beach Club in Positano. 'This project reflects our commitment to consolidating Guess's reputation in international markets. By collaborating with some of Europe's most prestigious beach clubs, we are not only strengthening the brand's image, but also offering holidaymakers an immersive experience blending fashion, lifestyle and luxury travel,' said Creative Director Paul Marciano in a statement. The Cancemi family commissioned Italian stylist Alessandro Enriquez to furnish their newly inaugurated Braccialieri resort hotel, nestled among olive trees in the heart of baroque Sicily, in the Noto Valley. Known for his bold and cheerful aesthetic, Enriquez brings a pop-infused flair to the entire venue, enriching it with colorful fantasy motifs. His touch is evident throughout the resort, from the café and restaurant to the leisure areas with parasols and deckchairs. The highlight is the swimming pool, which he decorates with large red-and-white tiles inspired by traditional kitchen floors. A large communal garden table also reflects his whimsical yet convivial approach to design. For the second summer in a row, Pollini, the luxury shoemaker owned by the Aeffe Group (Moschino), returns to customize Café del Lago, located near the port of La Salina on the island of Formentera. Facing the lagoon, the space reflects the elegant restraint of the historic Italian footwear brand. Combining design and a Mediterranean touch, Pollini uses natural materials and a soft, coastal palette of sand, ivory, and rope. Every detail has been considered: the label's signature aesthetic appears on cushions, seating, menus, lanterns, and even a pedal boat made available to guests.
