Not just for seasoned skiers

For many who have made Granada their home, part of the city’s appeal is its proximity to both the sea and the mountains. The Sierra Nevada mountain range, which dominates the south ern landscape of Granada Province, is known for its extraordinary natural beauty and for the abundance of outdoor opportunities it offers year-round.

This range is part of the larger Betic Cordillera and features several notable peaks, including Mulhacén, the highest in the Iberian Peninsula and mainland Spain, standing proudly at 3,479 meters (11,414 feet) above sea level. And indeed, it is these snowy peaks that become Granada’s photoge nic backdrop during winter months – a welcome contrast for anyone who’s ever experi enced a summer in the city.

These snow-covered mountaintops are also home to Europe’s southernmost ski resort, Sierra Nevada, accessible from the small town of Pradollano, less than an hour’s drive and 32 serpentine kilometers away from downtown Granada. It’s also possible to get there by bus, with transfers provided by Autocares Tocina. Tickets cost 5€ each way and can be purchased at movelia.es.

Hitting the slopes

The resort town of Pradollano and its 300 year-round res idents welcome more than a million visitors each year. And it’s no wonder – the Sierra Nevada ski resort, one of Spain’s most popular, is a veritable winter wonderland. The resort has over 110 kilometers of trails distributed over 134 slopes, the longest of which, Aguila, is over six kilometers long. It also boasts the highest slope in Spain, with an impressive 1,200 meters of “vertical drop” skiing from the top lift to the bottom station. There are over 20 lifts to get visitors up to the top, most of which feature comfortable, high-speed chair lifts that allow for more ski time down the long runs.

The 2024/2025 skiing and snowboarding season is expected to commence on November 30th, and typically runs until early May. Day lift tickets this year will run between 49€ – 60€ per adult, depending on the day and how far in advance you book them. There are also family packages and deals when you buy tickets for consecutive days or a full season pass.

There are a few equip ment rental options at the resort, and Intersport Rio Sport tends to have the best rates and good quality equipment. One-day rentals, which include standard skis, boots and poles, start at 27€, and a snowboard set with boots goes for 30€. Check out all the options at riosport.es.

A freestyler’s paradise

Over the past decade, the Sierra Nevada resort’s Sulayr Freestyle Park has hosted some of the biggest freestyle events and snowboarding championships in Europe. A range of competitions for this season can be found at sierranevada.es/en/ invierno/eventos.

According to Giles Birch, owner of Sierra Essence and the British Ski Center for nearly 30 years, the freestyle scene at the Sierra Nevada is on steroids. “The resort has made a huge investment in that department, with moguls, Spain’s longest half-pipe, a ski-cross course and a full range of off-ramps and obstacles for all levels. If I’m not mistaken, we once had the longest slope-style line in Europe, with 71 different obstacles from top to bottom,” says our local expert and seasoned skier. “Ski touring and mountaineering, which is when you walk uphill with seal skins on the bottom of your skis, are also very popular activities at Sierra Nevada,” adds Giles.

Winter fun for all

But the winter Sierra Nevada is not just a mecca for adrenaline seekers. For those looking for a more family-oriented agenda, there are numerous ski activities and schools for little ones, including the Family Kids Club for kids aged 3 to 12, the Alpine Children’s Garden, and the Snow School, which is a daycare center for kids between the ages of 4 months and 6 years of age.

Among other family ac tivities is the Mirlo Blanco fun park which has a mini roller coaster, an ice rink and magic carpet slides. Aside from the ski slopes themselves, the central ski area of Borreguiles is also home to tubing trails, where you can ride on inflatable ‘donuts’ and laugh your way down the hill. For more grown-up fun at Borreguiles, keep your eyes open for Audi representatives as you get off the chairlift – you could test drive one of their vehicles in snowy driving circuits up on the mountain. Aside from this, non-skiers can take advantage of the larger terrace areas overlooking the slopes to relax in the sun while watching others wind their way down the hills.

Come April 4th, Borreguiles will be hosting the Ultra Sierra Nevada, a 97.5-kilometer mountain race of contin uous ascent along trails and paths from Granada to Pico Veleta and the ski resort. That same weekend, there’s the renowned Sun & Snow electronic music festival that promises to heat up the mountain. Early bird tickets are available at sunandsnowweekend.com.

The area of Borreguiles and the main resort town of Pradollano are also connected by two pedestrian gondolas which offer spectacular views of the area and let you enjoy all the activities and attractions of both locations. Same-day, roundtrip gondola tickets cost 21.50€ for the Pradollano – Borreguiles route.

Planning your winter escape

While some visitors to Granada embark on a day trip to the Sierra Nevada, it’s easy to spend a few days at the resort, and there are plenty of dining and lodging options that make the snow-drenched peaks a perfect getaway for winter lovers. The town of Pradollano is divided into three main zones, with most of the hotels being on the lower zone and apartment rentals in the middle and high zones.

Giles, who spends his entire winter on the slopes running a ski school, says the peak skiing season is usually from December 27th up until Reyes, or the Three Kings celebrations on January 6th. Later in the New Year, the busiest times tend to be from mid-February to the beginning of March, and all of the weekends. The quietest times on the slopes are from mid-December up until Christmas. “Spaniards are very family-oriented and tend to stay home at Christ mas,” he says, “so Christmas day is also usually quiet on the slopes. And then there’s the late season, starting mid March, after all the school breaks are over, which also tends to be less crowded.”

According to Giles, the resort offers some of the best late season skiing in Europe, thanks to its high altitude and dry climate. “There’s usually less than 20% humidity, which means the snow doesn’t melt or get slushy as quickly, even with all the sunshine we get year-round.” He is optimistic that, after three or four years of uncertain weather, this season will be a better one for skiers. And even during milder winters, the resort is equipped with an extensive snowmaking system, ensuring a consistent supply of snow.

If the opportunity arises, Giles also recommends night skiing, which he claims is a surreal experience that all skiers should try. Depending on the snow conditions, this option is usually available from 7 pm – 9:30 pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. “The two open pistes are freshly groomed, so the snow quality is awesome, and you have the mountains almost all to yourself. Everything beyond the slopes is black, offering spectacular views of the stars.”

For more information on night skiing, current weather conditions, events, lift tickets, and rentals, as well as a wealth of information and resources to help you plan your winter escape to the Sierra Nevada, visit sierranevada.es/en, where you can find the most up-to-date information in English. The site even has live webcams to give you a taste of what it’s like up the mountain! Download their app on your phone to take advantage of the resort’s Mo bile Skipass via Bluetooth and their intriguing new option that allows you to test your speed as well as track the number of vertical meters, lift rides, and kilometers of slopes you hit that day.