The snow covers some areas of the ancient Acropolis hill and Plaka the tourist district of Athens, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Schools in the Greek capital and many surrounding areas are to remain closed due to weather conditions after snowfall blanketed Athens, with temperatures in some areas of the country plunging well below freezing. (Eurokinissi via AP)

Athens awoke to a wintry wonderland on Tuesday, as snow blanketed the typically temperate city's ancient ruins and shut down schools.

Photos show Acropolis hill and the Temple of Olympian Zeus dusted in powdery white and tourists gawking at the otherworldly sights covered in snow.

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The snow fell as a storm system and intense cold gripped the Mediterranean, , a record for northern Greece, Reuters reported. Heavy snowfall and wintry weather has struck large parts of central and southern Europe in recent days, most notably .

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While the snowfall in Athens made for a beautiful photo-op, the winter storm caused traffic headaches, disrupted public transit and kept locals from work, .

Another cold snap is .