Ever wondered if you can ski in the South of Spain? Yes, you can! Sierra Nevada Ski Resort offers good quality slops and a brilliant ski holiday whilst just a 3h ride away from the beach!
Sierra Nevada is a magical winter wonderland in the South of Spain. In Andalusian coastal cities, you don’t really experience snow in winter, but just around a 2-6h ride (depending on where you are) up the mountains, you'll reach the snowy village, Pradollano, and this stunning ski resort. Sierra Nevada is a part of Granada province, only a 2h drive from Malaga airport.
Fun Fact: Sierra Nevada is the most southerly ski resort in Europe!
Is Sierra Nevada good enough?
Any downsides?
Ski Pass in Sierra Nevada
Parking in Sierra Nevada
How to get to Sierra Nevada
Accommodations in Sierra Nevada
Video
Is Sierra Nevada good enough?
When going to Sierra Nevada ski resort I didn’t expect much, especially after venturing the Alps, but to my surprise, the ski resort itself is quite big featuring many lifts and slopes for all skill levels, plus a snow park for freestylers. Even after 3 days, I hadn't attempted all the slopes.
Sometimes if it is a warm winter or if it hasn't snowed too much, some of the slopes may be closed.
In total, there are currently (10.01.2022.) 131 slopes encompassing 110km to roam around. Here is the plan of the slopes: https://sierranevada.es/media/11173/plano-pistas-ingles-sin-leyenda-2019-2020.jpg
Sierra Nevada Ski Resort also offers multiple cafes and restaurants in different locations with a variety of cuisines. Therefore, you never need to worry about lunch breaks, or simply resting on the terrace, in the sun, with an ice-cold beer in between runs.
Regarding rentals, again do not worry about that as there is an abundance of options in the main square, around the city, and most probably, your hotel will have a rental too or some kind of arrangement with nearby facilities. Just allocate an extra half an hour on the first day for that and you won't have any issues. I won't highlight any specific one as they all have similar offerings and price range, but just so you are aware the best price I saw was 10 Euros for a ski set and 12 Euros for a snowboard set.
Any downsides?
Firstly, it is expensive, because the village itself is quite small and although full of hotels, there always will be a large demand, as getting there is very easy and cheap. To avoid extra expenses you can stay in Granada and travel every day up, but remember you will need to pay about parking then, so double-check if it is worth it. Either way prepare to spend!
Try to plan your timing and be savvy to avoid traffic! Sunday evenings are the worst coming back or at the end of a bank holiday, as there is only one way out of Pradollano. So leaving early or leaving during the week is best.
As amazing as it is to have sun every day and great weather, that can be a downside too. If there isn't enough snow, some slops might be closed. To make sure your holiday goes smooth, it's best to check the weather before and choose a weekend when it is sunny but it has been snowing too much, so you can avoid icy slopes or not enough snow. There is a really good group on Facebook that constantly updates you about the weather and situation in the Sierra Nevada: https://www.facebook.com/groups/603833180069193/. Another group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557368697690801/ where you can find the latest updates and posts.
From my personal experience, I would say January is the best month to go there and even February. December and March sometimes can be tricky.
Ski Pass in Sierra Nevada
Ski passes cost around 50 Euros per day (depending on how many days you buy). The longer you stay the cheaper price per day gets. You can also purchase a season ticket which can work out cheaper for you if you are planning to go multiple times. You can buy tickets online (it is actually a bit cheaper to buy them online) or you can get them in the main square of Pradollano, where the main ticket office is. You will also find a few self-service machines at different points throughout the town to purchase tickets, which will allow you to access the ski resort from anywhere, so you don't need to necessarily go down to the main square.
Buy ski passes online here: https://sierranevada.es/
Parking in Sierra Nevada
It is quite popular to visit Sierra Nevada Ski Resort for one day, in this case, parking is crucial! Thankfully infrastructure is quite good around the area and you will find 4 large parking areas nearby. They are clearly visible, so you won't miss them. If you want to prepare in advance, here is the list of all available parking: https://sierranevada.es/en/categor%C3%ADas/lugares/servicios/parkings
How to get to Sierra Nevada
First, you need to get to Granada, which is easy, choose from whichever: train, bus, plane or car. Although plane wise, a more common journey would be to fly to Malaga and then from there to Granda get by train, bus or car. Once in Granada, there is only one way up - A-395! From there, the only way to reach the ski resort is by bus or car. A taxi is another option, but will be quite expensive as the road up from Granda is around half an hour long.
Accommodations in Sierra Nevada
The 2 most popular ways to stay in Sierra Nevada is to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment. All apartments are usually listed on both: Airbnb and hotel booking sites. I haven't seen too many hostels. Try to book as much in advance as possible, because good spots get booked very early and the closer you are to peak season, the prices get more expensive.
I personally, always stay (3 times already) in 'GHM Monachil Hotel'. It is not a perfect hotel but the location is excellent, and due to this, it beats all the downsides. One of the slopes is literally at the doorsteps of the hotel, so you merely step out of your hotel and you can ski. The hotel has a rental in the lobby too, so it makes everything very easy. I highly recommend this place! Detailed hotel review read HERE.
If money is not a problem, you have to check out 'El Lodge' as it is an unreal place to stay. It is the most incredible hotel in the area! Hot tub on the balcony, heated outdoor pool, cool terrace bar and it is also next to the same slope, so you can effortlessly step out of your room and ski. Incredible place!
I hope the above tips will help you plan your perfect ski trip to Spain. One of my trips you can see here:
If you are looking for skiing near Spain, then you might also consider Andorra! Offering a much bigger ski resort, Andorra is just a 3h drive away from Barcelona. More about skiing in Andorra read in my ANDORRA blog or watch the video: