Red alert remains in place in Rome on 13 August.

Rome remains on a maximum "level 3" heatwave warning as temperatures in the capital reach 36 degrees on Tuesday 13 August, a slight decrease on the day before.

In recent days civil protection volunteers have been handing out free bottles of water to overheated tourists in areas around the Colosseum, Roman Forum and St Peter's.

The city has also issued the following guidelines for coping with the heat: avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day; avoid fizzy drinks, alcohol and coffee; drink at least 1.5 litres of water per day even if you don't feel the need; eat light meals, vegetables and fruit; wear light, comfortable cotton or linen clothes; bathe your face and arms regularly with water; and check your kids' temperature often.

The red alert or "bollino rosso" indicates emergency conditions with possible negative effects on not just the elderly, sick or very young, but also on healthy and active people.

Tourists should note that the water from Rome's plentiful drinking fountains or nasoni is both free and fresh, however dipping so much as a toe into one of the city's historic fountains could result in a steep fine.

The temperature in Rome is set to drop on Wednesday 14 August, with the arrival of fresh air just in time for the national Ferragosto holiday on 15 August when the capital traditionally grinds to a halt.

Rome's civil protection authority is operating a 24-hour hotline for those affected by the heat, tel. 800854854, with more details available on the Comune di Roma website.