Sierra Nevada ski resort: just two hours from the Costa del Sol
From beach mornings to alpine afternoons, Sierra Nevada offers a rare ski-and-sea lifestyle just two hours from Marbella, with over 100km of runs and reliable winter snow.
Sierra Nevada: The epic ski resort just 2hrs drive from the Costa del Sol
There are very few places in Europe where you can wake up to palm trees, have breakfast by the sea, and still make it to a proper ski resort for an afternoon on the slopes. In southern Spain, that contrast is not just a marketing line, it is genuinely achievable.
Sierra Nevada sits above Granada, high in the mountains of Andalucía, and has become part of a winter tradition for many families living on the Costa del Sol. Marbella is known for year-round living, but one of its most underrated perks is how quickly your “weekend plan” can switch from beach walks to fresh snow, without having to catch a flight!
Skiing in Sierra Nevada feels different to the Alps, because the setting is so unexpected. On clear days, the resort’s high points can deliver views that stretch far beyond Granada, often catching the Mediterranean from the mountains when visibility is good.
For Marbella residents, it also changes how you use winter. Instead of waiting for one annual ski trip, Sierra Nevada becomes something you can dip into. A spontaneous day trip or a sneaky one-night escape, with a return to the coast that allows you to leave at midday and be back just in time for lunch.
Semana Blanca and the Sierra Nevada tradition
For those unfamiliar with Spain’s school calendar, Semana Blanca is a winter half-term holiday in Andalucía, usually the last week of February, which coincides with Día de Andalucía on the 28th of February.
Unlike Semana Santa, which is religious and ceremonial to celebrate Easter, Semana Blanca is all about leisure and family time. Schools close for the week, and many families along the Costa del Sol use it as an opportunity to travel. For households near Marbella and Málaga, Sierra Nevada has become a natural choice.
The timing is ideal. Snow conditions are typically strong, days are longer, and the atmosphere in the resort feels lively but relaxed. For many locals, Semana Blanca is a winter ritual that marks the final stretch of the ski season before spring begins to take over on the coast.
What Sierra Nevada is like as a resort
View towards the village of Pradollano
Sierra Nevada’s ski area is based around Pradollano, a purpose-built mountain village where most accommodation is ski-focused and walkable. You arrive, park up, and everything is designed around getting you onto the mountain quickly. Accommodation, lifts, rental shops and restaurants are all within easy reach, making it straightforward even for short stays.
On the mountain, visitors can expect a wide mix of pistes offering over 100km of marked ski runs, suitable for beginners through to confident intermediate skiers, alongside areas dedicated to freestyle and snowboarding. Ski schools and rental services are well established, which makes last-minute trips entirely realistic.
One of the resort’s standout features is the length of its longest runs, which stretch to around 6km in a single descent. Combined with the resort’s high altitude and some of the highest skiable terrain in mainland Spain, the overall experience feels properly alpine, yet without the density or congestion often found in larger European resorts.
View towards the on-slope restaurant and cable car exit
One of Sierra Nevada’s most distinctive features is night skiing, with selected slopes illuminated after dark. It adds a completely different atmosphere to the experience and is something many visitors remember long after the trip ends.
Off the slopes, the mood is sociable and distinctly Spanish. Restaurants are casual, après-ski tends to start early and finish reasonably, and the overall feel is relaxed. Granada is also close enough to combine skiing with a cultural city break, adding another layer to the experience.
Plenty of snow has fallen this winter, almost too much! Check the forecasts before you go
Snow update in Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada has had fresh snowfall throughout winter so far, with the latest reported drop of around 14 cm on 25 January at mid-mountain levels.
Looking at the current local forecast for Pradollano (the resort’s main village), temperatures are sitting firmly in winter territory, with daytime highs around 4°C and overnight lows dropping below freezing. The forecast also points to more snow in the coming weeks, with intermittent wet snow expected.
The distinctive peak of “La Valeta” at the top of Sierra Nevada
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Sierra Nevada - A winter haven near Marbella
Marbella is often described as a place where life is lived outdoors in every season. Sierra Nevada adds something to that story: it extends the definition of “year-round” beyond the coast. It is not just that you can ski. It is that you can do it without changing your base, without planning months ahead, and without stepping away from the Mediterranean lifestyle that brought you here in the first place. And when the coast is bright and calm, while the mountains are fresh with snow, it becomes very clear why southern Spain feels like its own category.
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