Have you been suffering or revelling in the sweltering heat these past weeks? Of course, there are many places in Europe where extreme summer temperatures and endless days of sunshine are the norm – we highlight three and for each pick a ‘cool’ property for sale…

Malta
Floating in the Med between Sicily and the North African coast, the guaranteed hot climate of Malta, which along with the smaller islands of Gozo and Comino forms the Maltese archipelago, shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s even prone to the odd dusting of Saharan sand, thanks to the warm Sirocco wind that blows in from Africa from time to time, making things feel even hotter.

According to the Met Office website, Malta’s summers are long and tend to be very hot with practically no rainfall. Summer there starts in June and lasts till late September, bringing 12 hours of sunshine a day and average highs of 28-32 degrees C.

Malta’s north-east coast is where most of the developed areas and resorts are, in particular around St Julian’s, Sliema, St Paul’s Bay and up as far as Mellieha. In the south are the pretty seaside towns of Marsaskala and Marsaxlokk. Or try less developed and tranquil Gozo next door.

Inland Andalusia, Spain
Andalusia is home to the Costa del Sol, favoured for its balmy year-round climate, but it’s the interior parts of this region in southern Spain where the mercury hits eye-watering levels. Fittingly, the province of Seville, famous for its culture, architecture and flamenco, is often dubbed ‘the frying pan of Europe’ because of its extreme summer temperatures. Somewhere between 28 and 36 degrees C in July and August is normal, but be prepared for some days to be in excess of 40 degrees C. In fact, Seville is where the fourth hottest temperature was ever recorded in Spain, reportedly 47 degrees C.

Elsewhere in Andalusia, temperatures are prone to similar highs in the provinces of Córdoba and Jaén. In fact, new records were set in the former during Spain’s 2017 heatwave. According to the Spanish newspaper El País, the weather station at Córdoba airport logged a temperature of 46.9 degrees C last July – the highest figure recorded at this spot since the station was built. Likewise, in Montoro, a municipality in Córdoba, the mercury hit 47.3 degrees C, making it the hottest village in Spain and the new hot weather record-holder since Spain began records!

Greece and Crete
Greece is famous for extreme temperatures, with Athens and the neighbouring district of Elefsina often cited as the hottest places in Europe – the mercury is said to have once hit a record 48 degrees C in both places. Crete, the southernmost and largest of the Greek islands, is also one of the driest and hottest parts of the country – unsurprising given its proximity to North Africa. However, there are significant differences between the coastal zones and mountainous areas of the island’s interior, as well as between the western and eastern regions.

Summer on Crete begins in June and lasts till the end of September, with average temperatures across the island of 27.5 degree C to 29.5 degrees C, between nine to 12 hours of sunshine and very little chance of rain. But looking solely at the coast, especially in the east, expect it to hit the high 30s and surpass 40 degrees C in peak summer weeks. Rethymnon and the Chania region in western Crete are popular with second homeowners and expats. Many opt for property in the pretty villages a few minutes inland, where you can choose between a traditional town or farmhouse, or a new villa in a small development.