If the cost, and the availability of good skiing sites in Europe frustrate you, then we have a treat in store!For the amateur and professional skier, Spain rarely gets much of a mention with places to catch the best snow.
Maybe the Spanish want to keep the secret of where to find good skiing in Spain to themselves? There aren't many places in Europe at least, where people can ski to their hearts content in the morning,on well-managed slopes, with great facilities, and then jump in the car and in only hour and be on the beach in their swimming clothes?
Welcome to the Sierra Nevada!
The Sierra Nevada is a mountainous range in Andalusia, straddling the provinces of Granada and Almería and contains the highest land point of continental Spain,with the peak of Mulhacén at 3,478 metres above sea level.
The name itself means "Snowy range" in Spanish and between the months of November and April, the peaks are covered in lush, fine snow, making it a magnet for all skiers, or for people who come up from the coast to escape the heat, and to take advantage of some of the fabulous facilities the resort here has to offer.
In fact many people choose to book holiday accommodation in nearby towns, at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, in places such as Lanjarón, which is famous across Spain as a producer of some of the finest bottled mineral water of the same name, and is available in all shops across the country.
So what about the resort?
The sierra Nevada is a tourist destination in itself, and is easily reached from the city of Granada, a tourist destination in itself and is fully equipment for singles, couples and families too, with quality hotel accommodation available, and surprisingly quite a bit for the kids to do also, which can be found at the Mirlo Blanco recreation zone.
The kid's stuff includes fun Ski Bikes, sliding down the more shallow slopes on Inner tubes, Ice Skating and a "Roller-Sledding" which is a bit like a toboggan but much slower!The crèche and Snow Garden are well-run establishments with fully trained staff to look after children up to six years old.
There are also restaurants, bars, ski hire, more or less everything and anything you could need for a nice bit of skiing in Spain, and the surrounding landscape and endless views on a clear day, views are rarely forgotten!
Now let's lunch, and hit the beach!
After a fun morning skiing or snowboarding what better way to relax on the beach?
That sentence doesn't often get said by anyone much, apart from the lucky ones who know this area and know the benefits of being so close to the gorgeous sunny shores of the Mediterranean, however now you have read this article, you are also in the know, so let's go!
The quickest way is by car and you need to head down the mountain range, and head towards the main dual carriageway of the A-44 (E-902) going south towards Motril, which eventually meets with the main old coastal road, the N-340.
You now have a choice of which resort to head for, and they include Salobreña, which we are going to have a look at right now.
Salobreña. jewel of the Costa Tropical
Salobreña is a wonderful place to visit, and to holiday too, and there are some amazing places to stay in Salobreña, ensuring you can get the perfect holiday, at an attractive price too!
Spain-holiday.com put together this great video to watch, so why not relax for a few minutes and see what this area has to offer.
The town itself is a wonderful and unspoilt place to visit with steep cobbled old streets and whitewashed houses like something out of a movie from the 1950's!
It is hard to believe that there were people living here over 6000 years ago! If you are desperately searching for a location for your next Spanish vacation that is not full of tourists, skyscrapers or beggars, then this is where you really do need to check out.
There is quite a bit to see too, especially for a small town and you can find a Moorish castle which overlooks the town and dates from way back to the 10th century and the views from the top are amazing!
The town has all the usual tapas bars, shops, places to eat and so on, but it is not a shopping mecca and was never intended to be either. You can really take a holiday here, kick back and relax, especially if you are tired from all that skiing you did earlier in the mountains!
There is also a very interesting 16th century church, Roman remains to view, plus a museum, a surprisingly interesting library and the beach itself, which is a short walk from the town, and devoid of development too, and it is split into two parts, so why not go and see which bit is your favourite spot?
All in all, having a holiday in this area is a unique way to combine two very different climates in one day, and experience the best of what Spain has to offer! Perfect.