Let's face it, hands are still the best way to prevent weed, but in this lack of time times, we can use different things, like garden mulch or other weed killers.
As the winter in Mediterranean climates is also the rainy season, weeds can germinate and cover wider areas so rampantly, that the gardener is usually interested in preventing weeds or at least keeping them down before they spread, develop, and really start to cause problems. In large-scale situations, the professional landscaper may resort to using pre-emergent herbicides, which kill the weeds shortly after they’ve sprouted. Some products are available for application in the private garden, and many home gardeners are attracted by the thought of their garden being weed-free for the duration of the winter.
I'm against herbicides so better to have an empty garden then full of artificial plants.