Watch view of the Vatican as European temperatures soar to nearly 40C

Watch a view of St Peter’s Square in Vatican City, as temperatures reach 38C.

Sizzling temperatures have swept across Europe in recent days, and the heatwave has taken hold across many popular holiday hotspots in the Mediterranean, such as Spain, Italy and Greece.

Much of southern Europe has been in the high 30s, while some parts of southern Italy and areas in Greece have been in the low-to-mid 40s, which is eight to 12 degrees above the seasonal average for the region.

The hottest temperature recorded was around 45C and the heatwave has caused health issues, leading to a strain on local medical services during a busy tourist period.

Fifteen cities in Italy, most of them in the country’s centre and south, were under heat advisories due to a high level of risk for older adults, children and other vulnerable people.

Last week, a 44-year-old man, who was painting a zebra crossing in 40C heat in the northern town of Lodi, lost consciousness and later died in hospital, local media reported.