It’s snow season!
December brings fresh thrills and magical diversions. After a year and a half of pandemic restrictions, skiers are racing back to the slopes. There’s no feeling like the crunch of powder underfoot and a rush of pure mountain air after so much time indoors – and if friends and family can join the adventure, you can be sure of a memorable winter escape.
Spain is the ultimate sun, sea and sand destination, but the skiing potential of its glistening mountain havens will blow you away. Did you know that there are around 40 ski resorts scattered across Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla and León, Catalonia, Galicia, Andalusia, La Rioja and even within reach of Madrid? Any one of them would make an excellent choice for a few days of on-piste action – or just sitting back and enjoying the scenery and the cosy, convivial atmosphere of resort life.
Skiing was first introduced to Spain in the early twentieth century, but it was not until after the Civil War that the first ski lifts began to appear. Birger Sörensen was one of the first to hit the slopes in Spain, after arriving from Norway in 1900 to work in the logging industry around what is now known as Puerto de Cotos, in the Sierra de Guadarrama near Madrid. He reasoned that, thanks to the local climate, the skiing was just as promising as it was at home, and he wasted no time in encouraging local daredevils to give it a try.
Spain’s first ski resort was opened in 1928 in Candanchú, just outside Jaca (Huesca). The first to boast a mechanical lift, installed in 1943, was Catalonia’s La Molina, which also acquired the first chairlift in 1947. From the 1950s, new resorts began to spring up rapidly across the country. Early pioneers included Pajares (Asturias, 1954), Navacerrada (Madrid, 1955), Sierra Nevada (Granada, 1964, the highest in Spain) and Valdezcaray (La Rioja, 1976). Fuentes de Invierno in Asturias is the most recent new addition, welcoming its first visitors in 2007.
Your own mountain getaway
If you’re a fan of winter sports or just revel in a snow-capped mountain scene, at The Singular Space we can guide you to a range of properties within easy reach of major ski resorts. Take a look at this idyllic Asturian country home, hidden in a chestnut forest at an altitude of almost 1,000 m. Over two hundred years old, the property was refurbished in 2011 and comprises three standalone houses, each offering 90 sqm of accommodation just a short distance from a selection of ski resorts. Sports enthusiasts can choose from Fuentes de Invierno, San Isidro (both reachable in less in 30 minutes) or Valgrande (45 minutes).
Or how about this stunning farmstead property in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park (Granada), a few kilometres from the eponymous ski resort. Extending to 423 square metres all on one level, it’s a refreshingly modern, light-filled and peaceful home, inspired by traditional Alpujarran and Moorish design. The new owner can look forward to glorious 360° views: north to the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada, east to the Sierra de Gádor and south to the Sierra de Contraviesa and the distant Moroccan Rif.
Maybe you’ll fall for this magnificent country retreat in a fantastic location in the Sierra de la Demanda (Burgos), just 20 minutes from the Valdezcaray ski resort. A bucolic grassy meadow, fairytale woodland and a swimming pool with views of the church bell tower are just some of the features adding to the enchantment of this enviable country residence.
