Sun and Snow: The Sierra Nevada Ski Resort
Having just returned from a fantastic day on the slopes (see our instagram reel), I thought i would update this blog post as quite a few things have changed at the resort now and we both said that the Sierra Nevada is a viable alternative to skiing in the alps. The main attraction being its incredibly good value compared to the bigger resorts in Europe and it has really upped its game when it comes to Apres Ski and activities for those people who don’t ski. It’s also an hour from the sea so if you wanted to Ski in the morning and sunbathe on the beach in the afternoon. You can do that!
Standing on the top of a perfectly ploughed piste, I can see to the North the city of Granada and, beyond, our village of Moclin; looking south I can see the sun’s twinkling reflection on the Mediterranean. I can’t see a single cloud. The sky is so deep blue it’s like it has been painted as part of a film set. I’m reminded once again just how lucky we are to be here.
The Sierra Nevada Ski Resort is the most Southerly in Europe and sometimes it’s extraordinary to think that it’s possible to exist when, for more than half the year, we have temperatures exceeding 30 degrees. The highest point, Veleta, peaks at just under 3,400m, this is why there is always guaranteed snow during the winter months but, as there is so much sunshine, the snow cover can sometimes be unpredictable especially at the beginning and end of each season. However, it now has over 400 snow cannons covering 46 pistes, so even when there has been a month or more without snow (not uncommon) there will always be skiable pistes.
From our house in Moclín to the Pradollano (ski village) carpark is exactly one hour (as long as there are no traffic jams which can happen in peak season) and 25 mins from Granada city centre. Famously, from the ski resort to the beach is roughly 55 mins. Over the last five years that we have been living here we have made about 20 trips to the slopes and have now worked out how to get the most out of the day.
SKI PASSES
The website https://sierranevada.es/ contains pretty much everything you need to know about the activities available in the resort. Primarily this is where you will pre-order you ski pass (“FORFAIT” in Spanish).. There are loads of different options from a single day pass to a week/10 day / 15 day or season pass, each with their own discounts. Family passes are also available.
if you have never been to the resort before, you will purchase your pass online and pick up your lift pass from the ATM in the main square in the resort. This pass can then be topped up as and when you choose online.
You can also keep your ski pass on your mobile phone. Click here to find out more.
Lift pass prices vary according to age and season rate but weekday passes costs
Child (6-15) €44
Adult (16-64) - €59,38
Senior (65+) - €47,50
A five day adult non-consecutive pass €302
There are lots of variations to ticket prices and weekends are more expensive.
PARKING
We would definitely recommend paying for parking (Plaza Andalucia) online at the same time as booking your pass - we have, in the past, spent many frustrating minutes trying to find a pay point in the multi-story car park only to find none of them works. It also means that when you arrive at the resort and depart the carpark the barrier will open for you automatically just by reading your number plate. It’s a small thing but it makes you feel like you’re welcome and gets the day off to a good start!
Full day parking in the underground parking Plaza Andalucia - 25€
SIERRA NEVADA APP
I highly recommend downloading the Sierra Nevada app which has all the pass, piste and opening information and a live webcam. (very useful to check the conditions of the approach road).
EQUIPMENT HIRE
Equipment hire (boots, skis and poles) costs between €25 - 40 pp. Depending on your experience level, you can spend much more if you want! We have used various ski hire places and our top two recommendations are RIO SPORT who are super friendly and efficient. This year I tried out SPIN who very efficient when I arrived even at rush hour 09:15. When I called the day before to reserve my kit they said don’t worry we will sort it out in the morning…and sure enough they did AND they were the cheapest i have found, boots, ski’s and poles for a very reasonable €25,00 (I could have spent more on better gear - they have a great range and some amazing snowboards too)
THE PISTES
The resort does cater for all levels of skiing ability, although it’s probably best for beginners and intermediate skiers. There are two gondola lifts (brand new for 2025, there are now seats!) from the main town taking you straight up to Borreguiles which is the central hub of the ski area. As you exit onto the slopes you’ll see all the ski schools to the left, and some bars and restaurants. It’s from here that you’ll learn to ski if you are a complete beginner. There is a fantastic covered ‘magic carpet’ (like a travelator) that will take you to the top of the beginners’ slope so you don’t need to panic about taking a lift before you’ve begun! The green runs (the easiest) are almost all in this gentle sheltered basin and are naturally undulating so that you can seamlessly graduate to slightly more challenging blue runs when you are ready.
One thing to note if you are used to skiing in the Alps or other parts of the world, I found the blue runs a little more challenging than Alpine blue runs and quite often they will have a not-very-noticeable orange and blue circle on the top of the marker pole….this means that the run might have some more challenging sections. The red runs, I think, could be classed as black! But maybe that’s just me…
For experienced skiers there’s a whole host of challenging runs, some with moguls, some just terrifyingly steep and for the experienced snowboarder there is some off piste action to be had but, because the snowfall is few and far between and the sun shines, well, almost every day, you have to time your visit to a day or two after a snow fall.
As I write, the resort has had just about the best start to the season ever. We have had a lot of snow and almost all runs are open (usually March is the best month)
I love the variation of the different parts of the resort. Although it’s not that large in comparison to Alpine resorts, it’s amazing how much the landscape changes and there is no chance of getting bored!
It is possible to ski all the way down to the main town but there are only 3 pistes that reach the bottom and none are green. So beginners will need to take the cable car down.
It’s definitely worth mentioning the Sulayr Snowpark. If you’re into snowboarding, jumps, tricks etc, this is the place to go. Clearly we have not tested it out but from what I’ve seen and heard its pretty well respected and used.
SKI LESSONS
There are many ski schools to choose from and we have tried 3 so far. Ian is at beginner level (although not for long!) I am intermediate/advanced. If your Spanish isn’t great or non-existent, I would definitely recommend The British Ski Centre. I have had an advanced lesson with them and Ian has had maybe 4 lessons with various different teachers, all great at confidence boosting, technique and pushing you to challenge yourself. They also give you a discount when you book your ski hire through Rio Sports (double check this for 2025 season).
Two years ago I decided to try an advanced solo lesson with SNX Sierra Nevada Experience. I also recommend following them on instagram
I’ve got to a level where I am happy swishing down most ski runs but my style wasn’t great and I didn’t know how to get better. Carlos was my teacher and in two hours he turned my slightly swishy washy turns to proper carving turns, we even went a bit off piste. It was super fun and he also videoed some of my runs which we then analysed whilst we were going up the chair lifts. I would highly recommend these guys if you want to up your ski game (they also teach beginners too of course) Prices from €55
APRES SKI
The resort has changed quite a bit since we were there two years ago. They have realised how important the Apres Ski is and a host of new restaurants and clubs have opened up. As we havent stayed over night this year yet…I cant comment on the nightlife changes but the main square has a great new restaurant/outside club called MESIT lots of different seating areas including cool glass pods. There is usually a DJ playing and when we went on New Year’s Eve , but early afternoon, just as the sun was setting, we enjoyed a couple of glasses of cava listening to some great music there and wished we had booked a hotel for the night, the vibe was great!
Our favourite restaurant is La Fondue de Noa. Well, when skiing one must have Fondue right? It’s very small, very smelly (as all good cheese restaurants should be) and very delicious! You must book well in advance.
Tia Maria lunchtime treats
La Muralla - great for grilled meats.
La Antorcha - salami trees, steak sizzling on stones… its delicious! (Not for vegetarians)
Tia Maria - This isn’t anything special but it’s just perfect for post ski cool beer in the sunshine and they do some very good chicken nuggets!
The main Borreguiles ski zone houses a large area full of restaurants and in recent years some concessions have come and gone but there is a variety of food styles including Japanese, Mexican and German (sausage) style and this year I see a few Amercian hotdog style kiosks. It’s perfect for just filling up before getting back on the slopes but if you want to sit down at at a table you can go upstairs to the Restaurant Alcazaba.
ACCOMMODATION
There are so many hotels to choose from! If you want to play it safe and guarantee comfort and good service, the Melia Sierra Nevada is a safe bet. Our neighbour’s daughter runs the Spa there and so we can vouch for its quality! The ‘best’ hotel is supposedly El Lodge, It’s definitely the most ‘swishy’ hotel in the resort. Our friends stayed here and we have had a drink in the bar and had a look around. In our opinion, although it looks great, it was just too pretentious and hugely expensive. We didn’t feel welcomed and the service was cold. I’m sure if we had booked in for a week things would have be different!
The old Hotel Ziryab has been transformed into The Mountains Hotel which looks fabulous and it’s next on our list to stay in. Ski - in/out when snow permits and a wellness Spa.
The apartments that we would recommend is Inside Plaza, which are right in the centre of the town. Quite cosy and the rooms are small but we discovered that almost all the apartments are small and invariably crammed with bunk beds! However it was comfortable and clean and when you’re lugging your skis and boots from the ski lift you’ll be thankful of its location.
A few years ago we spent Christmas Eve at the Kenia Nevada which is one of the oldest hotels in the resort and really has a fabulous retro Alpine vibe which was exactly what we were looking for. Big log fires and comfortable seating areas, good locker rooms for all your gear and comfortable rooms. I wouldnt say it was luxurious but we really enjoyed staying there and it’s a great location.
If you don’t want to stay at the resort, why not come and stay in Moclín? It’s only an hours drive away, perfect for a few day trips. We recommend:
Esperanza 9 - OK, we are a bit bias here obviously, but its under floor heating and log burner make it super cosy in winter) Sleeps
Casa Alamanda - as featured in BBC’s Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Job, this 3 double bedroomed self-catering house in the centre of Moclin is a perfect base for day trips to the Sierra Nevada, walking and Granada.
View from the balcony of Inside Plaza Apartments
ACTIVITIES FOR NON SKIERS
There are now loads of fun non-ski activities to enjoy at the resort. There is a tobogan area with rollercoaster style tobogan on rails, doghnuts to slide down hills.
If you take the telecabin up to borreguilles (€22) there are even more activities,
Snow Mobile ride €40 and my personal favourite which I would LOVE to do…Ride on the snow mobile or ‘piste basher’ as I used to call them €48
Every year the resort expands and there are more things to enjoy, so if you havent visted for a while I would suggest re-visitng. We hope to go again before the season is over, more snow is forecast next week so its going to an epic season!
THE RESORT IN NUMBERS
479 snow cannons
195,000 m³ Water storage capacity for snowmaking
46 pistes
37 km of snow-covered area
3,932 car parking spaces
23 lifts
Andrew enjoying a cava at MESIT. In the background is one of the pods you can book.
