Worldwide Ski Resorts • Spain • Sierra Nevada
Overview
Situated in the Penibetic Mountain region of Andlucia in the far south of Spain, this resort has become increasingly popular with the Spanish and has more recently become a more common destination for tourists from elsewhere seeking a skiing holiday with a difference. The resort’s main village is Pradollano, an attractively stylish community built in the modern style and containing all the usual facilities, including shops, bars and restaurants. The accommodation tends to stand out of town in the older part, alongside the road that leads up the foothills. Most of the accommodation is hotel based, although there are some ski lodges and a few private apartments for hire on a self catering basis.
Profile
The resort stands at 2100m and provides access from the village directly to the slopes. The ski area is relatively small with 61 km of pistes that are served by a system of 19 lifts that are fairly modern and refreshingly fast. The pistes are remarkably well groomed and have the most extensive snow making facilities in Spain. Snow surety is not at all bad for such a southerly resort. Because of its size, there is not a lot here to tempt the avid expert, although the six off piste courses offer some challenges.
There are some rather good intermediate runs to suit all levels of skill, some of which are surprisingly long and with good vertical drops. Snowboarders are very welcome here as Sierra Nevada considers itself to be Spain’s premier boarding resort with terrain parks and specialist schools and shops on offer. Novices have an excellent choice of pleasant nursery slopes around the village and some very suitable progression slopes. There is a choice of ski schools and child care facilities are available in the village.
Mountain Information
From the village a choice of four lifts takes the skier up to the mid station of Borreguiles. This is where the nursery slopes are located and from where other lifts link the rest of the slopes including the wide open pistes below the high peak of Veleta. From here it is possible to look across to the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. Most of the slopes are north west facing and are inclined to suffer from closure during windy conditions. The mountain consists of a number of distinct, linked sectors, each with its share of a range of slopes differing in degrees of difficulty, although the hardest runs are at Loma Dílar. None of the slopes are tree lined and inclined to be somewhat bleak. Illuminated night skiing is a regular attraction. There are restaurants on the mountain, but none have a great reputation.
Apres Ski
The Spanish version of après ski is very appealing. There is no such thing as an early night (or an early start for that matter). The Spanish like to party and they do! There are some excellent bars, discos and night clubs in Pradollano where a good time can be had by all.
Spanish Resort Guide
Resort Information • Sierra Nevada
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Resort Height | 2102m |
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Top Station | 3398m |
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Bottom Station | 2102m |
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Vertical Descent | 1151m |
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Drag Lifts | 0 |
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Chair Lifts | 4 |
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High Capacity | 2 |
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Opening Dates | Dec - April |
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Rating Expert | 5 |
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Rating Intermediate | 7 |
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Rating Beginner | 8 |
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Apres Ski Rating | 6 |
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Snow Reliability | 7 |
