When people think of Spain, an image of sun, beach and bikinis come to mind, but with Spain being Europe’s second most mountainous country after Switzerland with an average altitude of around 800 metres above sea-level, believe it or not, it has some of the best resorts for the exclusive winter sports of skiing and snowboarding.

Nestled in the mountains a mere 2 hours drive from the famous Costa del Sol, and 40 minute drive from Granada is the resort of Sierra Nevada which means “Snowy Mountain Range”. The resort itself is at 2100m and overlooks a valley into the city of Granada. It boasts some of the highest peaks in Europe offering its visitors 87km of pisted runs to suit skiers and boarders of all standards.

Being a keen skier myself and having just moved to Andalusia, I did not quite know what to expect from this resort and was initially baffled by the fact that you could actually ski in Spain. Sierra Nevadas hosts various ski competitions such as the world cup Giant Slalom and Slalom and the Europa Cup SkierX competition, which was the main reason for me visiting as my partner was competing in the SkierX. The competition was held at the end of March so, on arrival in the resort, I could not see much snow on the surrounding mountains, but once on my way up in the cable car, I was greeted by beautifully manicured pistes. The pisted runs are both wide and long giving enough space to manoeuvre and practice your carving! The resort guarantees skiing here throughout the winter, as there are advanced snow making machines placed along the pistes and they are well prepared each night by packing down the snow. By doing this, it provides an excellent base, so if it does not snow for a prolonged period of time, you will still be able to ski. Besides having guaranteed snow, there is also guaranteed sunshine. So if you are a fair weather skier like me, this is the resort for you!

For those of you who do not ski, there is still plenty to do. There is an ice rink located in panoramic setting complete with a play area and snack bar, toboggan runs with rental shops and café stops and plenty of shops and restaurants. In all ski resorts, a spa is a necessity especially after a long day skiing. Located in the Plaza de Andalusia square overlooking the valley down towards Granada, there is a spa and sports club which is well equipped with a gymnasium, swimming pool and sports hall including full services of massage, physiotherapy, sauna, solarium – go on treat yourself!

To complete the day, an après ski drink is always a must. With plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from the atmosphere is fantastic. The resort tends to quieten down after 8 when people are eating, then in true Spanish style gets busy at 11pm when the night life begins!

Although Sierra Nevadas is renowned for its winter season, it is fast becoming a summer holiday destination too. I have not been in the summer yet, but can imagine how breathtaking the views are. There are numerous hiking trails through the mountains and within the valley towards Granada. There is also plenty of down hill tracks for mountain biking enthusiasts and in 2000 the resort hosted the World Championship Downhill Racing. Other summer activities include horse trekking and paragliding.

Summer time in Sierra Nervada also attracts athletes from around the world as it is home to the “Centro de Alto Rendimiento”, a high altitude training centre. The centre is equipped with some of the most technologically advanced facilities in sport fitness, including a full sized Olympic pool, 400m running track, gymnasium and sports halls.