Sierra Nevada: Slopes, Summer Trails and Mountain History

Sierra Nevada offers a range of reasons to visit, from winter sports and seasonal summer trails to regional history. When looking for a hotel in Sierra Nevada, it helps to decide first when to travel and what to focus on: slopes and freestyle shape winter plans, while hiking routes and lifts in summer are subject to their own seasonal conditions. Part of the ski area, including the facilities or complexes at Pradollano and Borreguiles, lies within the municipality of Monachil.

Winter sports: slopes, freestyle and cross-country skiing

The winter ski area covers 112.5 kilometres of skiable terrain across 134 slopes. At 1,200 metres, it has Spain’s greatest skiable vertical drop. These figures and the comparison may change from one season to another. Borreguiles has beginner slopes recommended for people skiing for the first time. The Sulayr Snowpark is a freestyle area for snowboarders and freestyle skiers. The ski area also has a cross-country ski trail; check its seasonal availability for your travel dates.

At the bottom of the El Río slope is Mirlo Blanco, a seasonal amusement park a few metres from the settlement of Pradollano. Trineo Mirlo is a seasonal rail-guided sled ride in the high-mountain landscape. These different attractions offer several possible focuses for a winter stay, from skiing and freestyle to the two attractions.

Summer: lifts and hiking routes

In summer 2026, two lifts connected Pradollano, at an altitude of 2,100 metres, with an area near the summit of Veleta at around 3,000 metres: a cable car and a chairlift. If you are travelling later, check the seasonal operating hours in effect at the time and which lifts will be running during your stay.

One guided route starts at the upper station of the Veleta chairlift and descends towards Laguna de las Yeguas. Its average gradient is 11 per cent; the route may be adjusted to seasonal conditions. Another guided route runs from Borreguiles via Laguna de las Yeguas to Lagunillos de la Virgen and through particularly interesting areas around the resort. This guided tour is available seasonally. The ski area also offers unguided hiking routes for exploring the mountain landscape. Check the availability and conditions of unguided routes before setting out.

History and traditions

Sierra Nevada’s winter sports tradition dates back to the founding of the company Diez Amigos Limited in 1898. In 1912, Diez Amigos Limited became Sociedad Sierra Nevada, which is considered a pioneer of winter sports in Andalusia. The area’s protected status also shapes its character: Sierra Nevada has been a natural park since 1989 and a national park since 1999.

The festival of Virgen de las Nieves is celebrated on 5 August. Its main event is a night pilgrimage from Pradollano to the Tajos de la Virgen at the foot of Veleta, via Borreguiles. In the municipality of Monachil, devotion to Virgen de las Nieves dates back to the 16th century. For a trip around the festival, its fixed date is a different planning consideration from the seasonal winter sports and summer activities.

The history of the landscape around Pradollano also includes the “copo de nieve” potato variety, traditionally grown there. A special method was used to store it: the potatoes were placed in pits lined with slate and covered with straw, rye stalks, sticks and earth. The pits and the threshing floor at Prado Redondo can still be seen. The variety, the storage method and the visible remains tell the story of past cultivation and food storage in the area.

Discover more destinations: Vegas Del Genil.

Return to the main travel overview: Monachil.