Skiing in Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada Ski Resort © Michelle Chaplow
The Sierra Nevada Ski Resort, the only ski resort in Andalucia

Skiing in Andalucia - Sierra Nevada

Ski Season

The length of the ski season varies according to weather conditions, but typically lasts from late November to late April.

Opens:  2 December 2023

Scheduled to close:  30 April 2024 

Sierra Nevada, the only ski resort in Andalucia, and Europe's southernmost is located at Pradollano in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, about 30 km south-east of Granada city. Sierra Nevada is also the name of a large National Park which is popular with walkers and tourists, especially in the summer months. Read more about the Sierra Nevada Natural Park. This page refers to Sierra Nevada as a ski resort and catch up with the Ski News.

The Sierra Nevada ski resort features ski chalets, hotels and apartments ideal for anyone looking for a ski or snowboarding holiday.  A visit can be combined with a trip to Granada city and the famous Alhambra Palace. This is Europe's most southerly ski resort, and it is small in comparison to other European resorts. Sierra Nevada is at higher altitude, and the air temperature is warmer than most other winter sports resorts in Spain. There is also active nightlife in the resort, more in tune with Andalucia than with other European ski resorts.  The facilities are considered first-class and it has hosted numerous national and international ski and snowboard events. Read the history of this resort and the latest ski news.

The following links offer Live Snow report, Check which pistas (runs) are open and view Live Webcams at the Sierra Nevada resort. 

2022/23 Season

An early snowfall on 30 September 2022 left a layer of snow on the Sierra Nevada above 2,600m. However due to sunny and warm conditions, the following day the snow did not remain. The season was due to open on 26 November 2022, but the official inauguration was postponed until 3 December 2022. In the spring of 2023 the natural snow line was above Borriguiles at 2,750m, extensive use of the snow cannons was required to keep the resort open.

Sierra Nevada is just 32 km from Granada city - it takes about 50 minutes to drive from the city to the ski resort. The ski season is from late November to late April, as the resort uses snow… More →

Sierra Nevada is Europe’s southernmost skiing range: the highest summit of the Sierra Nevada mountain range is Mulhacén at 3.481 metres, while the highest ski lift and piste climb to just below… More →

The fifth edition of the Sun&Snow Weekend Festival will take place on the first weekend of April 2024. The festival promises to take the European club scene to new heights (2,500m) and is now… More →

News about Four New Ski Lifts, Snow production, Snow Grooming Machines and Themed Slopes.

Restaurants in Sierra Nevada Ski resort

Ski lift passes are available in a variety of formats, depending on how many days you need.

Pradollano and Borreguiles are the two connected 'towns' or districts of the Sierra Nevada ski resort.

Sierra Nevada Ski Resort has hosted a number of top events over the years. These include the World and European Ski Cross Cups, the World Freestyle Cup, and the Freestyle and Snowboard Cup… More →

Here you can see the piste map of Sierra Nevada Ski Resort, handy for checking the difficulty levels of the ski slopes, and also important information such as location of pharmacies, clinics,… More →

As soon as you step into Sierra Nevada village to get equipped for your day's skiing, you are overwhelmed by the amount of signs saying ´alquiler´ (ski hire) and ´escuelas´ (ski schools). Almost… More →

With all the press devoted to sun and beaches it might be difficult to imagine taking a ski holiday in Andalucía, but Sierra Nevada in Granada makes that not only possible, but an excellent idea… More →

Looking at the webcam can be very useful for planning a Sierra Nevada stay, or for a day excursion to Sierra Nevada. You can check the weather conditions, the state of the ski slopes, in terms of… More →

Today the Sierra Nevada ski resort is a thriving centre of activity, but little over a century or so ago, it was nothing more than an isolated area within the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

Those who wish to enjoy the snow, but who do not want to partake in any type of skiing, or snowboarding, have plenty of options. Families will especially enjoy the snow activities on offer.

There are in the beginners’ area of Borreguiles including Pista del Mar, Pista de El Bosque, Kidspark.

Like all ski resorts, Sierra Nevada has a range of runs to suit different abilities. The difficulty grading is indicated by colours, in an internationally recognised code. The colour grading is… More →

Ski mountaineering (esquí de montaña, or esquí de travesía), also known as “skimo”, involves climbing mountains while either on skis, or carrying them, depending on the steepness… More →

When you’re doing an action sport which involves moving at high speed in challenging weather conditions, it is important to use good-quality equipment that keeps you warm, dry and safe. Ski and… More →

There are nine ski areas in total. Borreguiles (2,645m), 500m above Pradollano the arrival resort town,e Loma de Dilar, and Laguna de la Yeguas are the main areas. In addition, there is Veleta,… More →

Superparque Sulayr is a snowpark with various different types of jumps and obstacles for freestyle skiers and snowboarders. It has the longest line of modules in Europe, and the biggest halfpipe… More →

Tickets for activities in Sierra Nevada

Buy tickets for activities in Sierra Nevada

Family ski lessons

Family ski lessons
Family ski lessons

An instructor's guidance is very important when you first learn to ski with your family, to ensure you have the correct technique right from the start. If you do not learn with a professional, and you and your kids fall over or lose control on the slopes, you may become discouraged. In fact, if you have an overwhelmingly negatyive experience, you might never try again. However if you are taught as a family by a skiing instructor from the beginning, you will probably learn fast and enjoy this exhilirating sport with its beautiful landscapes and clean, fresh air. You will spend an unforgettable family day, with the instructor guiding you for two hours so that you can then practise what you have learned for the rest of the day.

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Nightlife at the resort

There is an active nightlife in the Sierra Nevada resort. Spaniards have a reputation for being night owls due to living in a hot climate that encourages people to lie low during the day and come out only once the cool of the evening has set in. However, the winter scene at Sierra Nevada shows that they're always up for a party, whatever the weather.

Who goes to Sierra Nevada?

Most skiers and visitors to Sierra Nevada come from Spain - mainly Madrid and the cities of Andalucía. According to the statistics from 2018/2019, over 90 per cent of those using the facilities at the ski station were Spanish. Out of the foreigners skiing in Sierra Nevada, 62 per cent were British.

When to go

You should plan your ski holiday in Sierra Nevada carefully: be aware that children in Malaga province have the last week of February off school, nominally to enjoy the snow and go skiing, which is why it's called "White Week" (Semana Blanca). Most children don't actually go skiing, but February is reported to be one of the busiest months, so beware. Also, as would be expected other peak times are Christmas holidays and Easter week. Bank holidays are particularly busy, and weekends, especially after a snowfall.

Getting to Sierra Nevada Ski Resort

The Sierra Nevada ski resort and ski station are easily accessible from both Granada or Málaga provinces. From Granada, it is 45 minutes by car, or by bus from Granada´s Estacion de Autobuses just south-east of Granada city. Sierra Nevada ski resort is about one hours drive from Granada Airport. More>

Arrival at Sierra Nevada Ski Resort

After climbing the mountain road (A-395) from Granada, you suddenly reach the resort at Pradollano and are confronted with a roundabout showing confusing, bi-directional lane signs. Here is our arrival guide >

 

Look no further for your snowboarding or ski holiday. Whether it’s a luxury hotel experience or a more budget-conscious skiing holiday deal or package that you prefer, the Sierra Nevada ski resort in southern Spain can provide what you’re after.

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