On April 28, the Iberian Peninsula went dark for about 10 hours. A power blackout affected Spain and Portugal, disrupting telecommunications, transit systems, and virtually every service that relies on electricity. Despite the confusion and challenges it caused, the power outage also gave people a rare opportunity to get creative, detach from their phones, and simply unwind the best they could while they waited for the emergency to be over.
Once the lights came back on, images captured during these trying hours made their way to social media. Clips and pictures showed the Spaniards' resilience, doing things such as navigating stores in the dark and turning to paper maps to get around. The most alluring ones showed more than perseverance, though; they revealed some laid-back fun. With many being unable to work, study, or simply get to where they needed to go, they found themselves hanging out with other people and relaxing in all different parts of the country.
From limbo competitions to conga lines, dancing seemed to be a popular way to pass the time. This also allowed them to engage and make friends with people they may have never crossed paths with if not for the power outage. One video shows a man playing the guitar while surrounded by his pals, another captures how ping pong tables and chess boards were brought out onto the streets.
As the night fell, an even more unusual sight took over. Due to the lack of light pollution, the stars came out, giving many a chance to stargaze and this inspired astrophotographers to grab their cameras. Photographer Chema G. Marmol shot the night sky in Montilla, a town where it took over 24 hours for power to be restored.
”I opened the Photopills app,” Marmol explains, “and the conditions were perfect for some impromptu street astrophotography with the Milky Way as it passed over Montilla, something impossible until now due to light pollution.”
When the power came back on in the big cities, people rallied together for one final time, cheering and clapping from the streets and balconies. The party may have been over, but they were more than grateful for life to return back to normal. If anything, they now have a great story to tell—what they did on the day of the big, historical apagón. But more than anything, they are proud of the fact that the power may go out, but their inner light can never be turned off.
On April 28, the Iberian Peninsula went dark due to a historical power outage that lasted about 10 hours.
Photos and videos capture the Spaniards’ resilience during this time, as they navigated stores in the dark and used paper maps to get around.
This unexpected situation also gave people a rare opportunity to get creative, detach from their phones, and simply unwind the best they could.
Massive power blackout in Spain and Portugal! No internet, payment are off and flights are cancelled.
Media: Chaos! People are in Panic!
What really happened: We just took blankets, beer and had a great time all together. pic.twitter.com/VQsxXexmEc
— Alex Socoloff (@socoloffalex) April 28, 2025
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@shotsbydyl They brought light to Guindalera during the #elapagon #fyp #madrid #spain @Somos un periódico @El País #blackoutspain #explore ♬ original sound – Dylan | Fútbol ⚽️ | Madrid
Due to the lack of light pollution, the stars were also visible in big cities, giving many a chance to stargaze.
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When the power came back on, people rallied together for one final time, cheering and clapping from the streets and balconies.
Amo Madrid #apagón pic.twitter.com/xptCZWceQb
— Xavier Vallés (@xavier_va) April 28, 2025
Sources: How Spain powered back to life from unprecedented national blackout
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