The southernmost major ski resort in Europe and the highest in Spain, Sierra Nevada rises above Granada to nearly 3,300 m. Expect bright Andalusian sunshine, a lively purpose-built village at Pradollano, a long season and excellent value for money.
Sierra Nevada is a ski-in/ski-out resort (most of the village is genuinely on the snow) in Spain, in the Sierra Nevada (Spain). The village sits at 2100 m and the lifts top out at 3300 m, with 112 km of pistes and 21 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 74/100, and the season usually runs Nov 25 → May 5.
How we score and classify resortsRun counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Excellent · 1.7k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Guests rate this hotel as excellent (4.6/5 from 1,737 reviews). It sits about 100 m from the slopes. A budget-friendly option for Sierra Nevada, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Very good · 1.3k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Very good · 782 reviews
A long-standing favourite in Sierra Nevada, trusted by thousands of guests before you.
Good · 1.3k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Great · 744 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Very good · 395 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Very good · 345 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Great · 329 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Excellent · 96 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Sierra Nevada, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Good · 279 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Sierra Nevada.
Very good · 83 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Sierra Nevada.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
Yes. Pradollano is a genuine ski-in, ski-out village built right at the foot of the slopes (base around 2,100 m). Many hotels and apartments open straight onto the snow or sit a short walk from the gondolas, so you can click in at the door and ski back to it at the end of the day.
Sierra Nevada is a paradox that works beautifully: a serious high-altitude ski area perched above one of Andalusia's most famous cities. The pistes top out just below the Veleta peak at around 3,300 m, yet the resort basks in some of the sunniest weather in European skiing, which is exactly why so many people fall for it. With roughly 112 km of marked runs served by about 21 lifts, including modern gondolas and chairlifts, the terrain suits beginners and intermediates particularly well, with wide, sunny blues and gentle greens making up most of the mountain and a handful of steeper reds and blacks for stronger skiers. The purpose-built village of Pradollano sits right at the base around 2,100 m, giving genuine ski-in, ski-out convenience, and after dark it turns into one of the liveliest apres and party scenes in Spain. The season runs long, typically from late November into early May, helped by altitude and extensive snowmaking. Add in famously good value compared with the Alps, the option to ski in the morning and sightsee in Granada or even reach the Mediterranean coast the same day, and you have a resort with a character all its own.
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Everything on our site connected to Sierra Nevada: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.
Sierra Nevada offers 112 km of pistes across 21 lifts, from 2100 m to 3300 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
The season runs from Nov 25 to May 5, with a snow score of 74/100. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.
Yes. Pradollano is a genuine ski-in, ski-out village built right at the foot of the slopes (base around 2,100 m). Many hotels and apartments open straight onto the snow or sit a short walk from the gondolas, so you can click in at the door and ski back to it at the end of the day.
Sierra Nevada has 112 km of marked pistes served by 21 lifts, between 2100 m and 3300 m of altitude.
Sierra Nevada counts about 126 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
Resorts with a similar feel, snow record and size.
Andes
French Alps
Andes
Pirin Mountains