What happens when it snows in Barcelona city centre?

We are not used to seeing snow in Barcelona city centre. Although we have the Pyrenees really near and skiing is a very famous sport in Catalonia, it always surprises us when the snow comes down to Barcelona. The city is at sea level and it is very rare to get snow in the city centre. What I remember so far is that when I was a child it used to snow at least once per year but it really didn’t settle down, so it was just a nice picture through the window.

Today, the 8th of March 2010, Barcelona has been covered by 5 to 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) of snow depending on the area/neighbourghhood. Down to the city center, next to La Pedrera building (Valencia / Passeig de Gràcia), the streets were all white. Up in Sarrià or Pedralbes, they already had a few inches!

A Swiss girl that works with me was amazed today to see so much snow in Barcelona. She told me: ‘at school, the teachers have always taught us that it is impossible to get snow in sea level’. Well, it is not! ‘It is the beginning of the Apocalypse’ she said xD

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Let’s see what happens when a city like Barcelona is all under the snow:

The streets are all beautiful and everybody starts taking pictures (like me!). You don’t know when you’re going to see this again!

Rambla Catalunya

Rambla Catalunya

Passatge Domingo (between Passeig de Gracia and Rambla Catalunya)

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It becomes an adventure to go back home: buses don’t run, metros are blocked or crowded, bikes are available but of course it wouldn’t be a good idea, and motorbikes are all covered by snow… The streets are a mess and the traffic jams, a nightmare. And of course nobody is prepared for the snow: shitty mediterranean shoes and very thin jackets. Nobody wears globes and some of them didn’t even take the umbrella! (they thought once again that the weather forecast was wrong…. but yeah, we must admit it, sometimes they are right!)

Motos under the snowed Barcelona

And more abandoned motos under the snow...

Bicing system all full of bikes... Yeah right, who wants to ride back home under the snow? hehe

An finally, 2 nice videos. The first one, just about the «real show» of the snow in Barcelona. And the second one, snow in slow-motion ;D