Hit the slopes – and the beach – in southern Spain

With pistes open as late as May, Sierra Nevada resort is the place to head for a spring ski holiday close to the Costa del Sol, says Abigail Butcher

2024-03-02 -

Stand at the top of Europe’s most southerly ski resort and, on a clear day, you can catch a glimpse of Morocco in the distance, hundreds of miles across the Mediterranean Sea. In the foreground, the vast brown plains of Andalucia stretch like a faded jute rug as far as the eye can see – a stark juxtaposition to the crisp, white snow at the summit of Veleta, the tallest mountain in the Sierra Nevada and the third highest in Spain.

While the resort of Baqueira Beret, further north in the Spanish Pyrenees, has launched into the British mainstream with package holidays from the UK’s largest operator, Crystal Ski, the resort of Sierra Nevada in the south has long held a place in Britons’ hearts – particularly those with a fondness for the sun. With 65 miles (105km) of wide, mainly blue and red pistes, a decent beginner’s area, throbbing après-ski ambience and English-speaking ski schools, it is a worthwhile proposition for skiers who want to enjoy a convenient and reasonably priced break.

Holidays here have been available with the likes of Ski Solutions, Sno and Iglu Ski for years – but it still remains under the radar of the masses.

Lofty peaks and unrivalled convenience

Despite its southerly location, the resort is one of Europe’s highest and the season is long. Lifts began turning on December 9 this winter and aim to run until May, thanks to its altitude and bolstered snowmaking capacity.

Veleta – the area’s tallest peak – sits at 3,398m, with the resort’s hub, Pradollano, lying at 2,100m. Compared to Val Thorens – the highest resort in France and Europe at 2,300m – and Pointe du Thorens – the tallest point in the French Three Valleys ski area at 3,266m – Sierra Nevada’s lofty credentials are hard to contest.

The resort lies just two hours’ drive from Malaga and 55 minutes from the Andalucian hotspot of Granada. Both are served by regular flights from regional UK airports – and importantly, unlike major Alpine hubs, not just at weekends.

The convenient schedule and short transfers are the perfect ingredients for a combined beach-ski holiday if you visit at the right time of year.

This unique pairing is what sees guests returning to Sierra Nevada year after year.

“We have been coming here for 16 years,” said Lesley Park from Plymouth, whom I met drinking a coffee and people-watching in the sunshine at the side of the pistes. “We fly from Exeter or Bristol and drive from Malaga. We spend three days here and three on the beach.” It is a tempting combination.

A bright future

Well above the snowline, admittedly, Sierra Nevada isn’t the most charming of resorts. Its barren position and a historic Eurotrash reputation are the most likely reasons why it hasn’t hit the British mainstream. The modern and mainly tired accommodation is strung out along a road that winds steeply through the resort and, at first glance, I admit to finding it ugly.

But the area is undergoing a facelift, with new hotels and hefty investment in the skiing infrastructure. Four new lifts opened this winter alone, as part of the biggest investment project in the resort’s history. This includes €6.7million (£5.7million) spent on the new, faster main Al Ándulus gondola, which, along with the rearrangement of the Borreguiles beginner area, hugely improves mountain traffic. There are also more than 30 high-tech snow cannons now in use, replacing machines that were more than 40 years old.

Last winter, the ski-in/ski-out Alpine chic four-star Maribel hotel reopened after extensive refurbishment by new owner Puente Romana Beach Resort, which also manages the neighbouring upmarket property, Le Lodge. Both offer a more elevated experience than the rest of Sierra Nevada. The owner’s property in coastal Marbella – two and a half hours’ drive away – proves the perfect pairing for the ski-beach breaks that guests like Lesley seek.

As well as upping the style stakes, the sunny terraces of Maribel and Le Lodge provide the ideal lunch spot for discerning skiers looking for more than Tex-Mex or Domino’s pizza (the fast-food giant has an outlet on the slopes). It comes at a price, though: while a pasta lunch in the main self-service restaurant at Borreguiles might set you back €10 (£8.60), spaghetti with porcini and garlic at Maribel weighs in at a heftier €26 (£22.30).

A mountain of savings

Back in town, the restaurants and bars of Pradollano serve up energetic music, quality views and a distinctly Spanish seaside ambience. In any of the outlets in the small under-cover tapas hall, prices start at €3.50 for a juicy rioja, €10 for pizzas and €15-20 for a large plate of jamón ibérico. The small, rickety two-man Parador chair takes foot passengers from Pradollano to the top of the town, with two stations along the way. At the lift’s base another small square of buzzing tapas bars serve up fantastic value – bocadillos (sandwiches) in Las Gondolas cost €6-7, pastas €10 and burgers €8-9.

Families are undoubtedly drawn to the resort too, attracted by easy travel, long sunshine hours, reasonable prices and one other big bonus – unlike many of their European counterparts, Spanish children don’t have a February half-term break at the same time as Britian. And the cherry on top? The resort operates dynamic lift-pass pricing throughout the season, with access to the slopes costing €37-45 per day or €175-245 for a week.