family and group activity holiday in Southern Spain

As featured on the BBC's 'Living in the Sun'

Skiing and Snowboarding

Most people don’t realize that you can actually go skiing in Southern Spain, but just under an hour and a half away are the ski slopes of Sol y Nieve in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which successfully hosted the 1996 World Ski Championships. For sun, snow and lively après-ski, the resort offers good skiing and plenty of fun on the side, and we offer great skiing and snowboarding trips during the winter season.

Sierra Nevada, is one of the highest resorts in Europe, boasting an excellent snow record, warm sunny weather, value for money. The resort, based around the village of Pradollano (2100m), is the most southerly ski resort in Europe, but despite the southern situation, its high altitude and over 400 snow canons ensure good snow cover all winter. With slopes up at 3300m, when the weather is clear you can see straight over the Mediterranean to the mountains of North Africa!

The Sierra Nevadas can offer a long season, from early December through to early May, and with snow cannons covering 32km of piste, you are almost guaranteed good snow. With 87km of piste: 11 green, 36 blue, 35 red and 5 black runs, served by a good network of 24 lifts with a current capacity of nearly 48,000 passengers / hr, there should be enough to keep intermediates happy for a few days - click for piste map.

There is also plenty to do off the slopes. In the small resort town of Pradollano, non-skiers can perfect their spins on the ice rink or relax in the Turkish steambath at the Montebajo Sports Club. On a fine day, take the lift onto the mountain and relax on the sunny terrace of one of the many restaurants, while admiring the spectacular views that stretch across the Mediterranean to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

If you need more adrenalin you could get your motors running at Borreguiles, and carve up the mountain on a snowmobile tour, or get the wind through your hair as you fly down the mountain on a snowtube. For something quieter, snowshoe trekking or a half hour dogsled trip is a great way to enjoy the mountain scenery.

In the evenings, the spirit of the Sierra Nevada really comes alive. Skiers just off the slopes congregate at the bars around Pradollano’s main square. Many restaurants serve great tapas and traditional Andalusian cuisine, and for those with real stamina, the discos start pumping around midnight, where the action continues well into the morning.