Skiing and Ski Holidays in Spain

Although skiing is not at the forefront of your mind when talking of Spain, there are actually more that 20 ski resorts to choose from in a country which is better know for its sun, sea and sangria, some of which offer facilities to rival those in the French and Austrian Alps or the Italian Dolomites. Skiing in Spain is a popular sport but the slopes are normally filled with Spaniards, foreigners who are living in Spain or those for whom the extortion and over commercialism of the better know alpine resorts has gone too far.

Where Should I Go?

The ski resort of Pradollano in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada is the most southerly in Europe and is probably the best know of all the Spanish resorts as it held the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1996. Not far from the beaches of the Costa Del Sol, skiers can spend the afternoon sunbathing after an exhilarating morning on the ski slopes and the accessibility to visitors from other countries has makes it a resort with an unique international feel to it. Granada and its international airport are just 32km away and Malaga airport, which is served by a number of the budget airlines, is a little further (but still just a few hours drive) to the west at 160km.

Pradollano has a good selection of pistes, serviced by over 300 snow cannons, which cater for everyone from beginners to expert alike and also has a good selection of bars, restaurants and accommodation to suit all tastes.

As is to be expected, the majority of the ski resorts to be found in Spain are located in the Pyrenees, at the opposite end of the country from Pradollano. As these resorts don’t have major international airports within a reasonable driving distance, they retain many of their Spanish qualities. Baqueira-Beret is an up-market resort in the Catalonian Pyrenees which attracts the likes of King Juan Carlos each season.

If you like a challenge, then the resort to head for is most definitely Candanchu in the Aragonese Pyrenees where more that 30% of the ski slopes have been designed with expert skiers in mind, which when taken together with the resort of neighbouring Astun, this adds up to almost 30 black runs. Formigal and Cerler are two other popular Aragonese resorts worthy of note.

If you’re after quiet pistes then you may want to give Masella, one of the biggest resorts in the region, a miss as the facilities to be found there are geared towards catering for large groups and consequently schools from all over Europe use it for their week long ‘school trips’. It’s probably ideal for the kids, but maybe not couples or small groups of friends wanting peace on the slopes.

Valencia, not wishing to be left out, has a couple of ski resorts of its own. In the north west of the province near Teruel are Valdelinares and Javalambre, which although they are some of the smallest of the Spanish resorts and have limited skiing, are located amongst some stunning scenery so are well worth a visit. Just don’t expect the same facilities as the bigger resorts.

How Do the Facilities Compare?

The ski resorts of Spain, especially the bigger ones, now have facilities which rival their Alpine / Dolomite cousins. Ski schools, bars, restaurants and accommodation can all be found close to the slopes and this along with the other activities such as snow boarding, cross country and heli-skiing are helping to transform Spain’s vision of a beach or golf only destination.

Be aware that the smaller resorts in Spain are still catching up and as such don’t offer much in the way of accommodation near the slopes so it may mean that you will need to find your own hotel (or villa near the beach!) a little further away and drive-to-ski each day. Maybe not your ‘ideal’ skiing holiday, but it may work out cheaper in the end as prices in the bigger more catered resorts do tend to be higher.