Which ski resorts are open in Spain for a skiing holiday this Christmas? Top Spanish ski slopes you have to visit

Spain is home to more than 30 top-class ski resorts with conditions to suit beginners and the most adventurous snow bunnies

Spain is certainly best known for its pristine coastline and balmy Mediterranean climate, but it is also home to an incredible mountain system, since it’s the second most elevated country in Europe. Each winter, adventure tourists from around the world flock to one of Spain’s 32 show-stopping ski resorts and with the majority of them opening their doors in the coming days, we’ve rounded up all of the slopes the country has to offer skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts.

Spain’s ski slopes are spread across nine autonomous communities: Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Galicia, Andalusia, Madrid and La Rioja.

Cantabria

There are no fewer than eight ski resorts in the Cantabrian mountain range, distributed between Asturias, León, Cantabria, Burgos and Ourense. All of these slopes have ideal skiing conditions although its low elevation means that there can sometimes be a lack of snow. The slopes are on the small side and since the going can be a little uneven, they’re best suited to more experienced athletes.

Valgrande-Pajares, Asturias
Fuentes de Invierno, Asturias
San Isidro, León
Leitariegos, León
El Morredero, León
Alto Campoo, Cantabria
Lunada, Burgos
Manzaneda, Orense

The Pyrenees

Along with Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees are probably the most famous ski destination in Spain, and with good reason. The Pyrenees offer the perfect winter sporting conditions and the slopes, concentrated in Aragon and Catalonia, are world-renowned. The mountain range is home to the largest ski slope in Spain, the Baqueira Beret in Lleida.

The Catalan ski slopes opened this past weekend but the Vallter station remains close, banking on more snowfall in the coming days.

Aragonese Pyrenees

Astun, Huesca
Candanchu, Huesca
Formigal, Huesca
Panticosa, Huesca
Cerler, Huesca

Catalan Pyrenees

Baqueira Beret, Lleida
Boí Taüll Resort, Lleida
Espot Esquí, Lleida
Port Ainé, Lleida
Port del Comte, Lleida
La Molina, Girona
Masella, Girona
Tavascán, Lleida
Vallter 2000, Girona
Vall de Núria, Girona

Central Mountain System

Located between Madrid and Segovia, the ski season in the central mountain system tends to be shorter than the others due to a lack of rainfall. Nevertheless, a lot of work has gone into these resorts in recent years which has greatly improved the quality of the slopes.

Valdesqui, Community of Madrid
Navacerrada, Community of Madrid
La Pinilla, Segovia
La Covatilla, Salamanca

Iberian Mountain System

The Iberian mountain range is technically not high enough to receive the right amount of rainfall for ideal skiing conditions, but two jutting mastiffs that are routinely topped up with artificial snow offer several kilometres of impressive slopes. These mountainous clusters are located to the north, the Sierra de la Demanda and the Urbión peaks, and to the south, the Sierras de Gúdar and Javalambre and the Montes Universales.

Valdezcaray, La Rioja
Santa Inés Snow Point, Soria
Javalambre, Teruel
Valdelinares, Teruel

Sierra Nevada

Finally on to Spain’s most celebrated skiing location, the Sierra Nevada. This resort is one of the busiest and most popular, thanks to the high quality of the slopes which have attracted world winter sports championships on many occasions.

In addition, the Sierra Nevada boasts the highest altitude in the country with the 3,300 meters of the Veleta peak.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

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