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Sierra Nevada resort information & après-ski

Après-ski

Sierra Nevada attracts a young crowd, including students from the university town of Granada below, alongside its family visitors, and is one of the more animated Spanish resorts come nightfall. There are dozens of clubs and bars to cater for those looking for a fun-filled night, with prices typically much lower than in the Alps.

Jaleo Bar (tel: +34 605 25 36 38), a coffee bar that converts to a ‘disco pub’ from 2230 onwards, has been one of the most popular venues for many years. Disco Pub Wall Street in the Hotel Nevasur (tel: +34 958 480 350; www.gruporeino.com) is another animated late-night option.

For something a little quieter, La Bodeguita (tel: +34 958 480 400) wine and tapas bar might be more suitable, although there is a karaoke machine that’s wheeled out on request. It’s friendly, rustic and open until midnight.

Eating out

With around 20 separate places to eat – ranging from simple tapas bars to gourmet restaurants – there’s a great choice of dining options in Sierra Nevada.

Among the most popular is the family-run La Antorcha Restaurante (tel: +34 654 345 117), a mixture of traditional Spanish and alpine cuisine, with its signature dish being a kind of ‘meat tree’ with various cured meats and sausages suspended from a branch.

La Muralla (tel: +34 677 413 331) is also good, again a locally run, intimate establishment with a small downstairs bar where free tapas are served to dining guests before they move upstairs for the meat feast, with cooking over an open flame.

The resort’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea means seafood is something of a forte at several local establishments including La Visera (Pl. AndalucIa, Edf. Montebajo, local 1).

International styles of cuisine are also available, such as delicious pizza at Los Jamones (tel: +34 958 340 124), one of several Italian choices.

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

There’s a huge range of things to do in the resort away from the slopes, all centrally managed through the Sierra Nevada Club (tel: +34 902 708 090).

The Mirlo Blanco recreation area offers lots of activities, including snow tubes, ski bikes, mini skis and even an archery range.  There’s also a ‘snow coaster’ – akin to a downhill roller coaster – that covers a 450m-long (1,476ft) track over a 250m (820ft) vertical, on which you can speed up to 40kph (25mph).

Other on-snow options include snowshoeing tours, snowmobiling excursions, ice driving lessons (driving a car on the slopes after the lifts close) or mountain biking on snow. For something truly stunning, take a trip up to the Veleta summit by ski cat for sunrise and sunset vistas over the magnificent national park below.

Off the slopes, the YHI Spa in the Meliá Sol y Nieve hotel (tel: +34 912 764 747; www.melia.com) is a major attraction with its rich selection of treatments and wealth of relaxation facilities, including a spa pool and hydrothermal circuit.

Family fun

Sierra Nevada is a very family-friendly resort, with affordable accommodation, suitable dining options, easy access to the slopes and child care and ski school tuition. The numerous green and blue ski run options are perfect for families wishing to ski together. 

Young children can play and learn to ski at three different ‘snow gardens’ while non-ski nursery care (tel: +34 958 481 081) is available for children aged four months to 12 years in Pradollano, near the gondola base station.

Most of the popular non-ski activities are also open to families with young children, including children’s snowmobiling on a small circuit using special kid-sized snowmobiles.

Retail therapy

Although not necessarily a shopper’s paradise, there are about 40 shops in Sierra Nevada ski resort, primarily offering holiday and ski essentials.

For example, visitors will find a handful of ski rental outlets, mini markets and various pharmacies routinely dotting the resort’s streets. However, more consumer-focused stores are available, including electronic retailers and souvenir shops. The greatest concentration of shops is within the central Plaza de Pradollano shopping arcade.

Splashing out

Thanks to warm thermals from the sea below, Sierra Nevada is a great place to paraglide. Take a 15 to 30 minute tandem paragliding flight from 3,000m (9,800ft) above sea level and admire the stunning views of the national park and beyond on your descent to Pradollano.

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Hotels

As a purpose-built ski resort, Sierra Nevada unsurprisingly has largely apartment-style accommodation and low- to mid-range hotels. However, some newer establishments have raised the bar on what remains a predominantly 1- to 3-star standard resort, with a handful of 4- and 5-star rated options. 

 

Show hotels in the

following price range

Luxury Moderate Cheap

Meliá Sol y Nieve

+34 912 764 747 / +34 958 480 300

Until recently, this 4-star hotel was the most highly rated hotel in the resort and its key asset remains its central location. Its premium slope-facing rooms are the best choice here, as they are generally quieter than those overlooking the village.

Plaza de Pradollano, 18196, Sierra Nevada, Spain

Hotel Vincci Selección Rumaykiyya

+34 958 482 508

Perched on an elevated promontory away from the resort centre, this 5-star hotel boasts elegant Alpine-style rooms with a good range of facilities and excellent service. It is conveniently located just a short chairlift ride from the slopes.

Urbanizacion Sol y Nieve, Monachil, 18196, Sierra Nevada, Spain

Inside Plaza Sierra Nevada

+34 958 480 706

This recently renovated apartment complex is next to the resort’s main square with parking below, so you do not necessarily need to use your car again once you have arrived in the resort. Apartments are available for up to six people and each comes complete with a kitchenette.

Plaza de Andalucia, 1 Monachil Building, 18196, Sierra Nevada, Spain

Hotel Telecabina Montana

+34 958 482 000

A friendly 2-star in an excellent location next to the lifts, Hotel Telecabina is a good choice for families as some rooms feature multiple beds. Guests here can dine on site at the La Bodega restaurant.

Plaza de Andalucia, 18196, Sierra Nevada, Spain

Hostal Yeti

+34 958 481 292

Just 50m (164ft) from the lifts, the affordable Hostal Yeti houses a series of light and spacious rooms. Wi-Fi internet access is available and ski rental and lift passes can be organised from the 24-hour reception.

Edificio Sapporo, Edificio America, 18196, Sierra Nevada, Spain

Hostal El Duende Blanco

+34 958 481 110

Although a fair walk up the hill from the resort centre, this hostel can be reached relatively easily by chairlift during the day. Rooms here are on the smaller side, but it is a good option for those on a budget. The hostel also boasts a heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

Virgen de la Nieves, Edificio America, 18196, Sierra Nevada, Spain

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Getting there and around

Getting there

Nearest airport: Granada Airport (GRX).

Distance to resort: 54km (34 miles).

Driving time: 60 minutes.

Nearest railway station: Granada.

Distance to resort: 38km (24 miles).

Driving time: 45 minutes.

Getting around

The original resort development is quite compact, meaning it is easy to reach the majority of the main facilities on foot. Chairlifts and pistes connect the top and bottom of the resort.

A ski bus service operates from approximately 0800 to 2100 between the centre and more remote areas of the resort. There is a bus station at the base of the resort and some accommodation has parking areas for visitors with cars.

Visa and passport information is updated regularly and is correct at the time of publishing. You should verify critical travel information independently with the relevant embassy before you travel.