Snow storm hits Barcelona

Britons might think again about going to Barcelona this week. Yesterday they were hit with heavy snowfall, probably the worst the region has seen in 25 years.

Transport to the region has been affected with Ryanair flights out to Girona Airport, an hour north of Barcelona, cancelled this morning. However, flights to the city’s main hub are operating a normal service with just a few disruptions.

Transport connections in the city left thousands of commuters trying to find alternative ways home after buses and trains ground to a halt. City authorities ordered the Barcelona metro system to be kept open all night in a bid to help ease the travel problems. Schools in the region were closed yesterday and hundreds of homes affected by power cuts.

The weather stranded some 500 passengers in a train between Barcelona and Portbou. The rail broke down due to lack of power caused by the bad weather.

More than 60 roads in Catalonia have either been closed or have restricted access with Spain’s border with France at La Jonquera also closed, causing some 4,000 trucks to be stranded.

At Barcelona’s Nou camp, the club’s footballing multi-millionaires were forced to train in freezing temperatures.