Ski and sunshine breaks in Marbella

Marbella and skiing are not two concepts that you’d usually see together, but you can incorporate skiing into your winter holiday in Marbella. Read here

Marbella and skiing are not two concepts that you’d usually see together, but in fact you can incorporate skiing into your winter holiday in Marbella pretty easily. This is because we are only two hour’s drive from the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and it makes an easy day trip. It is amazing to wake up by the beach and drive up to the snow and we’d highly recommend it!

What you need to know about the Sierra Nevada

  • It is Europe’s Southernmost ski resort, but its high altitude (3,481 meters at its highest point) means that you can enjoy some great snow conditions and warm sun too
  • There is a total of 106.8 kilometres of slopes, with 125 runs
  • It is a good resort for beginners and intermediate skiers with 19 greens, 42 blues and 50 reds. There are only 7 black runs, so very advanced skiers may find it limited.
  • There is plenty of parking so you can drive up and back in one day, or you can stay overnight in an apartment or hotel
  • It gets very busy at weekends and on Bank Holidays, so try and avoid those times if you can
  • The season runs from December to April
  • It is a good family resort, with a crèche for younger kids and ski schools offering classes for both children and adults
  • The village has some great bars, cafes and restaurants 

Snow conditions

Obviously, snow conditions can change quickly, but at the time of writing, the resort is in great shape. Marbella has seen some rain in January and what falls as rain down in Marbella, usually falls as snow up in the mountains. There’s lots of snow, with nearly all the runs open and more snow and low temperatures forecast, so it’s a great time to come and visit. Check out the snow conditions and look at the conditions right now on the webcams.

In the past few years there has also been good snow right until the end of the season, with April often seeing a large amount of snowfall, so it’s not too late to get in a last minute ski and sun holiday.

How to combine your sun and ski holiday

Book yourself a holiday rental in Marbella and a rental car before the end of April and book your flights. If you plan just to visit the mountains for the day, we’d recommend you wait until shortly before you arrive, or when you’re here to decide when you visit.

We normally check the snow report and the weather forecast and then choose a day in the week that looks the best, that way you get the best conditions and haven’t committed on a day which will be windy or foggy for example. Remember to check if there are any Bank Holidays in the Granada area during your stay and rule out the weekends when queues can be big, the rest of the time it’s wonderfully quiet and a real pleasure to ski.

Decide whether you’re happy to drive, or would rather get a transfer. It is around a two-hour drive and pretty straight forward, although the road up to the resort is a twisting mountain road. If that sounds like hard work, we can arrange a transfer for your group so you don’t have to worry about the drive and can relax to and from the slopes.

Top Tips for enjoying your day in the mountains

  • When you’ve chosen the right day to visit, set your alarm for early and try and get on the road by 8am latest – you want to get as much skiing as you can!
  • If you leave Marbella around 7am, you can be on the slopes by 10am and have an amazing day skiing or boarding, before heading back down at around 5pm and you’ll be home for dinner!
  • Buy your ski pass online, or go to the automatic machines in the village if there is a queue at the main ticket office
  • There are lots of ski hire places around the village so have a quick look around to look at prices and queues. We have found that the ones slightly further away from the cable car are better value and tend to have less of a wait than the ones closer by, so it’s worth having a quick check.
  • For lunch there are several self service cafes up on the slopes which are fine for a quick bite if you are keen to get back on the slopes as soon as possible. If you want something a bit nicer, the restaurants down in the village are great, or you can try the Sun Deck restaurant at El Lodge which has a great ski in, ski out location, delicious food and a great atmosphere
  • Before heading home stop for a luxurious hot chocolate or a vino caliente to warm yourselves up before you get into the car

 

We hope this article has been helpful to get you inspired for your next holiday. Browse our website for the perfect holiday rental, or ask us what you are looking for and we’ll send you a list of perfect properties for you.

If you want to try a ski and sunshine break ask our guest experience manager who can help you sort everything out. Contact us to find out how we can help.

Marbella is a great place for a winter break! Read our article and find out how to enjoy Marbella in the winter to make sure you have the best time.

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From Vacation Marbella wants that everyone knows the benefit about staying in Marbella. There are a plenty of activities that you can do with your family, friends or even with you pet. Share the information with everyone and who knows, maybe could join your plans!