The unfamiliar sight of Rome's famous Piazza Venezia nestled under a blanket of snow.<br/> <br />The Italian capital has been brought to a standstill by the rare snowfall, with the city's usually bustling streets eerily quiet on Saturday morning.<br/> <br />But many who ventured out were delighted by the heavy snow - with some especially pleased by its impact on the city's notoriously congested traffic.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT GENNARO DI NAPOLI<br/> <br />"Rome has turned into a city for the pedestrians, for the first time Rome is pedestrian and not overtaken by public transport and cars."<br/> <br />Eastern Europe has been particularly badly hit by the cold snap.<br/> <br />Here in Ukraine, where the death toll from the icy temperatures has now risen to 122, people feed swans and try to free them from ice.<br/> <br />Ukraine is experiencing its coldest winter in six years, registering overnight temperatures as low as minus 33 degrees Celsius.<br/> <br />Serbia's capital Belgrade also woke up to snowy streets, with the army sending soldiers to clear the pavements.<br/> <br />The Serbian government has declared a state of emergency in 19 municipalities where six people have died from the cold..<br/> <br />The government is also advising businesses and residents to reduce their energy consumption to help prevent shortages.<br/> <br />Sunita Rappai, Reuters
