上午滑雪，午饭后游泳：内华达山脉的一天

On a clear winter day you can ski in the Sierra Nevada in the morning and walk on the beach in Almuñécar in the afternoon. The ski resort, Pradollano, is about 100 km from the coast. You need an early start and a little planning for the road and the lift pass.

Before you go: the sums

From Salobreña to Granada is about 68 km, around 50 minutes. From Granada to the resort is another 32 km, about 45 minutes, mostly uphill. In total that is about 100 km and under two hours without stops.

Because it is only a day trip, you can decide the night before whether to go to the mountain or the beach, depending on the forecast.

The route

Take the A-7 from Salobreña to the A-44 junction near La Gorgoracha. Follow the A-44 north to Granada, where it joins the GR-30 ring road. Then follow the brown Sierra Nevada signs onto the A-395, the mountain road up to Pradollano.

When the season runs, and what a pass costs

The 2026/27 season should run from 28 November 2026 to 25 April 2027. These dates are approximate until the resort confirms the opening. The 20% early-booking discount on season passes ended on 15 October.

An adult day pass costs about 52 to 60 euros at the ticket office, depending on the day. Prices go up and down with demand, so buy online the evening before. Avoid weekends and Spanish public holidays if you can: on a weekday the car park and the lifts are much quieter.

Altitude, kit and the car

Pradollano is at about 2,100 m, and the highest lift reaches about 3,300 m. Dress for the top of the mountain, not for the coast. Use sun cream: the sun is much stronger at altitude.

You do not need snow chains on most days, but the road can require them after heavy snow. Petrol stations on the way sell them. From mid-November, keep a set in the car.

The main car park, Plaza Andalucía, is at the entrance to Pradollano. It has 2,664 spaces and is open 24 hours. The lower levels have a 2.20 m height limit, which matters if you hire a van.

The day, hour by hour

A good day looks like this: leave early, ski the first runs, and come down before dark.

1. 07:30

   Leave the coast

   Coffee to go in Salobreña, then the A-7 and A-44 north as the sun comes up over the mountains.

2. 08:45

   Pass Granada

   The GR-30 ring road, and then the Sierra Nevada signs onto the A-395.

3. 09:30

   First runs

   Park in Plaza Andalucía, collect your pass and take the first lift before the queues build.

4. 13:00

   Lunch on the mountain

   A good moment to check the road and the weather before you go down.

5. 14:30

   Last run

   Stop while you still have energy. The drive down needs your full attention.

6. 16:00

   Down to the coast

   Allow as much time for the way down as for the way up.

7. 17:30

   Walk the beach

   Sunset on the beach. A few brave people swim; most just take their shoes off.

In winter the sea near Almuñécar is cold: about 15 °C in January and February and about 16 °C in December, so a swim will be short. In June it is above 20 °C, and in August it reaches 25 °C.

Off season: Mulhacén and the Alpujarra

From late spring to autumn, the Sierra Nevada is for walking. Mulhacén, at 3,479 m the highest mountain in mainland Spain, can be climbed in one day from Capileira or Trevélez, villages in the Alpujarra on the south side. The southern route is long but not technical.

Plan the Alpujarra as a separate day. Its villages are on the south side of the mountains, and the ski road goes up from Granada on the north side.