Snowfall blanketed much of Greece on Monday, from Athens and Crete to Naxos and Santorini, as the country turned into a winter wonderland with layers of snow.

A severe snowstorm disrupted road and air traffic Monday in the Greek capital of Athens while snow blanketed most of Greece, including Tinos, Naxos, Mykonos and Santorini as well Evia. And the Acropolis was covered in a layer of heavy snow on Tuesday as the Greek capital received its heaviest winter storm in 12 years. Ancient ruins around the city were covered in a coat of white snow, making for unique photoshoots of monuments across Athens.

The Greek government has also declared a holiday Tuesday in the greater Athens area, parts of central Greece and the islands to keep people safe. Only essential services including supermarkets, gas stations and pharmacies remain open.

The snow closed parts of Greece’s highways and temporarily stopped ferry service from Athens to the Greek islands. Flights to and from regional airports were also disrupted,  Authorities urged the public to refrain from nonessential travel.

Greek carrier Aegean Airlines cancelled most flights on Monday and said it expected schedules to be disrupted on Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.

The cold weather is expected to stay in Greece until Wednesday, moving further south to the island of Crete.