The crowds, which were out in force this summer despite the talk of economic doom, are thinner, the weather is less scorching, and in the Cyclades, still the most famous and most visited island group, the meltemi winds have stopped whipping, making flying, sailing, and having breakfast on your terrace easier.

FORBES: Six Places That You Should Visit In Greece This Fall

Asked why there had been no appreciable rise in the mortality rate in July, despite that month's equally scorching temperatures, he suggested that the extreme weather had taken time wear down its victims.

BBC: Russia confirms death rate rose by quarter in heatwave