Facts at a Glance (09/10):

Sierra Nevada defies many concepts associated with skiing. Located barely a stone's throw from the Mediterranean coast, it has practically guaranteed sunshine, the best Spring snow conditions in Europe, and is still reasonably priced compared to many of its European counterparts.

As one of Europe's highest resorts it is (perhaps surprisingly) very snowsure and typically has a long season. Traditionally the season starts around the end of November running through to the end of April or even into the first week of May. The longest season on record was the winter of 2008/9 which ran from the 15th November 2008 until the 17th May 2009.

Sierra Nevada literally means "Snowy Mountain Range", and it includes some of the highest peaks in Europe, not to mention the highest concentration of peaks over 3,000m in the country. The Mulhacen at 3,482m is the Iberian Peninsula's highest.

The ski terrain is majestically overlooked by the jagged glacier-formed Veleta peak, at 3,398m, Spain's third highest after Aneto (3,404m) in the Pyrenees.

The Sierra Nevada ski resort offers its visitors a wide and ever expanding range of facilities as well as a ski terrain to suit skiers and boarders of all standards.

Families will enjoy quality hotel accommodation and children's facilities such as the Mirlo Blanco recreation zone, with activities including Ski Bike, Inner Tubing, Ice Skating and a "Roller-Sled" (a cross between a roller-coaster and bob-sled).

The crèche and Snow Garden are well-run establishments with fully trained staff to look after children up to six years old.

Getting kitted out and ready for the slopes is made easy at Rio Sport Intersport equipment-hire shop, where you will find quality rental equipment and a knowledgeable team of English speaking staff to kit you out with the right equipment according to your standard.

Beware of street sellers offering cheap equipment hire - the equipment can be poorly maintained and the staff are rarely knowledgeable.

You will also find the British Ski Center, based at Rio Sport, for any tuition or guiding requirements you may have. Ask directly for the British Ski Center to avoid confusion with the shop's own Spanish Ski School.

An important factor, which very few resorts can boast, is that you are practically guaranteed sunshine throughout your stay! Being so far south, the climate is superb for brushing up on the deepest ski tan you are likely to get anywhere! Visitors are consistently stunned at how the snow lasts during the typically deep-blue-skied and sun-blazoned days.

Much of this is due to the resort organisers working extremely hard at preparing the runs each and every night.

By packing the snow down, even the shallowest of snow base may be maintained for several weeks even if it does not snow for prolonged periods

In addition to this, the resort is equipped with one of the most advanced snow making systems in existence. So much so, that the resort organisers guarantee skiing here even if it does not snow a single flake. This has been proven over the winters of 2005/6, 2006/7 and 2007/8, three seasons where early snowfall was especially limited.

The winter of 2006/7 was a very difficult year for Europe, with little precipitation, and when there was any the temperatures were too mild even for the hardiest resorts to use their snow-making facilities.

Sierra Nevada, however, proved its worth due to its altitude, which offers temperatures low enough and humidity levels ideally set for the cannons to work. The resort was proud to announce itself as the first resort to open in Europe (except for the higher glacier resorts).

In spite of the sunshine, bad weather can always happen in the mountains, so be sure to pack sensible clothing and be prepared. The ski terrain in Sierra Nevada is very open and exposed and conditions can change extremely quickly!

When the snow and weather are favourable however, the openness of the ski terrain provides some of the most exhilarating free skiing/riding to be found anywhere.

Off-piste skiing in Sierra Nevada has made a great name for itself, with easily accessible zones all over the terrain, very little avalanche risk by European comparisons, and wide open expanses for all to explore and enjoy!

NOTE: Injuries occurring while skiing off piste are not covered by the resort's insurance.

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