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Heatwave: Which parts of Italy will be hottest this week?

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Heatwave: Which parts of Italy will be hottest this week?
Rome's four-legged residents cool off in a city fountain.Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

As Italy's first hot and humid spell of the summer arrives, here are the parts of the country expecting temperatures to soar this week – as well as a few ideas for where to cool off.

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Italy's servizio meteorologico or national Meteorological Service is predicting temperatures in the mid-30s in many areas this week. Combined with the high humidity, or afa, this is likely to feel even hotter. 

And, contrary to what you might expect, the most extreme heat won't be felt in the south of Italy but the north.

Meanwhile, other Italian weather forecasters are saying the mercury could hit the high 30s or even reach 40 by Friday.

Based on the official forecast, here's a look at which parts of the country will be most - and least - affected by this week's wave of hot weather.

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Florence

Florence is always muggy in summer, and this week it will be one of the hottest parts of the country, with temperatures around 33-34C predicted on Thursday and Friday.

The good news is that the city's famous galleries are (partly) air conditioned. The bad news is that the coolers intermittently break down – and that every tourist in town has probably had the same idea.

Oher parts of Tuscany including Empoli, Pontedera, San Gimignano and Siena are also expected to be hot and humid - a trip to the Tuscan coast may be in order, where temperatures will be a few degrees lower.

Bologna

The city of Bologna is famous for many things, but mild weather isn't one of them. The city and province can expect temperatues of up to 33C by the end of the week, with high humidity, making it one of the stickiest parts of the country to be in. Things should be slightly cooler in the surrounding hills.

Other hot spots in Emilia-Romagna include Ferrara and Modena, while closer to the coast Ravenna should be a few degrees cooler.

Milan

Temperatures in Italy's financial capital, in the Lombardy region, are set to hit 32-33C on Thursday and Friday.

The air will be equally hot and sticky in university town Pavia, as well as other towns within the humid Po Valley - one area which often gets the worst of Italy's more extreme weather.

READ ALSO: How to keep cool during Italy's heatwaves

A child cools off in a fountain in Milan. Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP

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Alessandria

The north-west of Italy will be feeling the hear this week, and the province of Alessandria in Piedmont might just face the worst of it. The city, always humid, is expected to reach around 32C on Thursday and Friday - no doubt feeling like it's a few degrees hotter with the humid air.

In fact the whole south-eastern corner of Piedmont altogether is set to be steamy 32C, including nearby Tortona, Acqui Terme, Asti and Alba.

Rome

The capital can "look forward" to more sweltering weather this week with temperatures expected to hover around 30-31C in the coming days - which when you factor in humidity, exhaust fumes and hot asphalt will no doubt feel higher. Nearby towns such as Viterbo will be just as hot.

Luckily, the nearby coast will be several degrees cooler.

Olbia

The north-western coast of Sardinia is expected to be another area with particularly hot weather this week, with temperatures hitting 33C by Friday.


Hot and dry in Sardinia. Photo: Daniel Slim/AFP

Trapani

If you're on the eastern or western coast of Sicily you can expect a scorching week with temperatures of around 32C and high humidity expected in Trapani and Catania. Things are expected to remain cooler inland - at least until the weekend, when currents of hot air from the south are expecting to push temperatures in southern Italy up further.

Matera

Inland Basilicata will be warm and humid this week, with temperatures of around 33C expected in the ancient city of Matera, and in all inland areas around the Basilicata-Puglia border.

If you head south to the beaches, much of the Basilicata and Calabria coast will remain in the mid to high 20s throughout the week.

Rovigo

Thursday will get pretty sticky in southern parts of Veneto, with highs of 31C in Rovigo and Adria.

Things should be cooler around Venice, with temperatures in the region's coastal areas expected to remain in the mid-to-high 20s all week.


Fighting the glare in Pompeii. Photo: Mario Laporta/AFP

Where can you escape the heat?

Thankfully not all of Italy will sweltering this week. You'll be able to find a few oases of cool, and not just by heading for the Alps. 

Naples will be a relatively mild 30C on Friday, with things feeling even fresher on the nearby islands.

Puglia will see similar temperatures, with temperatures in the coastal city of Bari not exceeding 28C on Friday - though high humidity will add stickiness.

Some far southern parts of Puglia and Calabria will be hotter - though still not reaching extreme temperatures - with highs of 32-33C expected.

But enjoy it while it lasts - the south is forecast to be feeling the heat by next week with hot air currents set to move in over the weekend.

In the north, most places in Friuli-Venezia Giulia will experience pretty normal temperatures for June, with coastal areas such as Trieste and the Cinque Terre perhaps even a little on the chilly side at 25C on Thursday. 

The very coolest places, of course, are those at altitude.

If you're really heat-averse, try escaping to the Nivolet Pass in the Alps north of Turin, where you can cool off at 21C, or hiking up Mount Etna, where at 10-13C you'll even need a sweater.

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