Ski Spain

It comes as a surprise to some, given Spain’s latitude and sunny reputation, that there are around 35 resorts in which to ski Spain’s snow slopes spread right across the country. Slightly more than half of these, including most of the country’s larger ski areas, are in the Pyrenees mountains which stretch along the Eastern border with France, and also encompass Andorra. However there are smaller Spanish ski resorts in hills and lesser mountain ranges across the country and there have been artificially slopes installed on the Balleric islands and even the possibility of skiing in Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands off the coast of Africa – however the supposed ski resort of Teide there was an impressive internet hoax!

Spain’s ski resorts are characterised by friendly people, good food and late starts to the skiing day and to après skiing, which often doesn’t really get going until just before midnight.

It’s another surprise to many that lift ticket costs, at least at the top resorts, are among the most expensive in Europe at peak season too.

One of Spain’s three biggest ski areas, and its highest, as well as being the most southerly major mainland resort in Europe, is Sierra Nevada. Close to Malaga, it offers the realistic possibility of skiing or snowboarding half the day and swimming in the warm Mediterranean sea for the other half. It was host to the biggest winter sports event ever held in Spain, The World Alpine Skiing Championships in 1995, but a lack of snow led to their postponement to 1996. The centre does have a good snow record and sometimes boasts the deepest snowpack in Europe at 5 or 6 metres by the spring, staying open in to May many years. It also has a huge snowmaking arsenal.

Spain’s main cities are well located for quick trips to the ski slopes. La-Pinilla and Valdesqui are among half a dozen resorts within a couple of hours of capital Madrid, which is also home to a large indoor snow centre, popular with the Beckhams during their time in the city. Barcelona is an easy trip up to the Pyrenees and its many ski centres, and indeed many non-Spaniards fly in to Barcelona as the easiest way to get to Spanish or Andorran ski areas. However a new airport closer to the slopes at Lleida opened in 2010 after a 130 Million Euro investment to make access even easier.

Baqueira/Beret is one of the three resorts battling for top spot in Spain in terms of skiable terrain and lift ticket price. Along with Sierra Nevada the other contender is another resort in the Pyrenees, Formigal, which has invested heavily in state-of-the-art ski lifts in recent years and international sales and now claims to be Spain’s biggest ski area, just.

Baqueira/Beret however has the more established reputation and royal credentials, as Spain’s royal family holiday here most winters. There are several four and five star hotels to match this reputation and a reputation for the best in its restaurants and shops – a kind of Spanish St Moritz.
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Spain: latest snow conditions round-up

Summary of forecast snowfall and ski conditions for resorts in Spain. Fresh snow is forecast at 0 resorts. Powder is reported at 0 resorts and 0 are reporting good piste conditions.

All resorts

Ski resorts of Spain, alphabetically

Resort
snow depth
top and bottom

on-piste

off-piste

Last Snow

Next 9 Days
0–3 | 3–6 | 6–9
snow (cm)
Next 5 days weather forecast.
Freezing level (m)
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed

(1649m — 2124m)

4 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1886 m
3300m 4200m 4150m 3800m 4300m

(1658m — 2300m)

2.0 cm
on 16 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1979 m
2400m 3950m 4200m 4050m 4050m

(1538m — 2609m)

snow report yesterday

opens in 63 days 9 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear part cloud clear
Mid station 2074 m
2350m 3900m 4150m 4100m 4200m

(2025m — 2749m)

16 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2387 m
2450m 3900m 4100m 4100m 4150m

(1541m — 2400m)

snow report yesterday

opens in 70 days 1.0 cm
on 16 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1970 m
2450m 3950m 4200m 4050m 4050m

(1504m — 2636m)

snow report yesterday

opens in 70 days 13 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2070 m
2450m 3950m 4150m 4150m 4150m

(1501m — 2431m)

1.0 cm
on 19 May
clear clear clear part cloud clear
Mid station 1966 m
2400m 3850m 4100m 4100m 4150m

(1551m — 2200m)

snow report yesterday

opens in 70 days 1.0 cm
on 19 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1876 m
2400m 3950m 4150m 4100m 4100m

(1501m — 1951m)

snow report yesterday

opens in 84 days 1.0 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1726 m
3450m 4250m 4000m 3950m 4200m

(1650m — 2000m)

1.0 cm
on 6 Mar
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1825 m
3700m 4300m 4350m 4300m 4400m

(1667m — 2537m)

2.0 cm
on 19 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 2102 m
2550m 3950m 4100m 4000m 4200m

(1500m — 2273m)

2.0 cm
on 12 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1886 m
3600m 4450m 4350m 4250m 4400m

(1600m — 1723m)

1.0 cm
on 16 May
rain showers clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1662 m
2500m 4000m 4200m 4000m 4100m

(1510m — 1800m)

Leitariegos webcam
6 cm
on 13 Apr
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1655 m
3550m 4150m 3900m 4000m 4250m

(1300m — 1500m)

1.0 cm
on 16 May
clear clear clear part cloud part cloud
Mid station 1400 m
3150m 4100m 4150m 4000m 4250m

(1500m — 1800m)

1.0 cm
on 26 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1650 m
3750m 4250m 4000m 4200m 4350m

(1600m — 2535m)

snow report yesterday

Masella webcam
opens in 63 days 2.0 cm
on 19 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 2068 m
2500m 3950m 4100m 4000m 4200m

(1m — 3718m)

1.0 cm
on 6 Feb
rain showers clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1860 m
4800m 4750m 4700m 4750m 4750m

(1530m — 2221m)

1.0 cm
on 16 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1876 m
2450m 3950m 4100m 4100m 4100m

(948m — 2648m)

1.0 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear part cloud part cloud
Mid station 1798 m
3350m 4200m 4000m 3950m 4200m

(1701m — 2400m)

3.0 cm
on 12 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2050 m
2650m 3950m 4200m 4150m 4200m

(1650m — 2441m)

1.0 cm
on 15 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2046 m
2450m 3900m 4100m 4100m 4150m

(1763m — 2178m)

1.0 cm
on 7 Mar
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1970 m
3700m 4500m 4400m 4200m 4500m

(1690m — 2060m)

1.0 cm
on 12 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1875 m
3700m 4450m 4350m 4150m 4450m

(1399m — 2800m)

15 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2100 m
2400m 3900m 4150m 4100m 4200m

(1500m — 2019m)

San-Isidro webcam
1.0 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1760 m
3450m 4250m 4000m 3900m 4250m

(1989m — 2368m)

1.0 cm
on 21 Apr
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2178 m
3950m 4500m 4450m 4400m 4600m

(2102m — 3300m)

snow report yesterday

opens in 63 days 1.0 cm
on 2 Jun
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 2701 m
4450m 4850m 4650m 4550m 4650m

(1749m — 2249m)

4 cm
on 19 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1999 m
2300m 3850m 4150m 4100m 4200m

(1701m — 2025m)

1.0 cm
on 2 Apr
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1863 m
3600m 4250m 4300m 4300m 4400m

(1859m — 2280m)

1.0 cm
on 12 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 2070 m
3750m 4500m 4400m 4200m 4500m

(1530m — 2124m)

1.0 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear clear
Mid station 1827 m
3200m 4200m 4050m 3900m 4300m

(1399m — 1899m)

Valgrande-Pajares webcam
1.0 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 1649 m
3500m 4200m 3950m 3900m 4250m

(1970m — 2260m)

3.0 cm
on 19 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 2115 m
2500m 3950m 4100m 4050m 4200m

(1960m — 2536m)

Vallter 2000 webcam
9 cm
on 25 May
clear clear clear clear part cloud
Mid station 2248 m
2450m 3950m 4100m 4000m 4200m