Snow, Slips and Laughter: Groningen in Winter
Winter in Groningen. Snow didn’t just fall, it turned the city upside down, with sleds, skis, snowboards and playful chaos taking over streets and parks.
It arrived quietly, yet with intent… It wasn’t the fragile dusting that vanishes at first light, but a soft, determined white snow that settled everywhere and refused to leave. Groningen began 2026 wrapped in it, the streets grew silent under the snow and the canals were shining under a thin layer of frost.
Schools and universities closed their gates, not out of alarm but rather as a quiet surrender
Every sound softened. Footsteps sank into white carpets. Even the air seemed te have slowed down, patient but yet still cold. Weather warnings advised people to stay inside. Nature asked them to pause. And in that pause, the city felt almost forgotten.
Public transport slowed to a halt. Trains stayed in their depots, buses moved slowly along icy tracks. Schools and universities closed their gates, not out of alarm but rather as a quiet surrender. A city used to schedules had to slow down and wait.
Winter is usually something we just get through, a season of cold and routine. But what happens when the city stops resisting? When calendars dissolve, and urgency melts like frost under the sun? What happens when snow does not simply fall but lingers, inviting you to look, to breathe, to notice?
The city stood still, but nobody stayed inside
This week Groningen forgot it was flat. Noorderplantsoen turned into the Dutch Alpe d’Huez overnight. Skis appeared where bikes usually ride. Snowboards scraped along jogging paths. Sleds, plastic crates, shopping bags, even air mattresses shot down the hills at full speed.
Kids screamed with excitement. Students tried to look serious but tumbled anyway. Parents wobbled and shook their arms, trying not to fall. Everyone lined up at the top, pushing, laughing and throwing snow at each other. Strangers became teammates, competitors and spectators all at once. Snowmen popped up everywhere, some with crooked carrot noses, others wearing scarves a tad too small. Of course, there were a few mischievous creations: slightly naughty shapes that couldn’t help but spark laughter. It was messy, chaotic and yet perfect.