Spain's best-kept ski secret is in the deep south. Sierra Nevada, the resort just above Granada, is the most southerly in Europe and one of the highest, which means good snow and a famously sunny, blue-sky season that runs from late November into spring. On the right day you can carve down the slopes in the morning and be dipping your feet in the Mediterranean by the afternoon — few places on earth let you do that.
The resort
The slopes rise above the purpose-built village of Pradollano, with lifts climbing towards the Veleta peak at over 3,000 metres. There are runs for every level, a long top-to-bottom descent for stronger skiers, and a wide nursery area that makes it a good place to learn. Because of the altitude and the southern sun, conditions are best earlier in the day before the snow softens.
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Ski and the city
What sets Sierra Nevada apart is how close it is to everything. Granada, with its tapas bars and the Alhambra, is less than an hour down the mountain, so you can base yourself in the city and drive up to ski, swapping a slope-side chalet for a night out in town. The tropical coast around Almuñécar and Salobreña is only a little further.
Getting there
Granada has its own airport (GRX); Málaga (AGP) offers more flights and is around two hours from the slopes. From Granada itself the resort is a 45-minute drive up a good mountain road. A private transfer carries your ski gear, handles the climb and means you do not have to fit chains to a hire car at dawn. Book a transfer to Granada and Sierra Nevada or see our private transfers in Granada.
