Sierra Nevada offers one of the most astonishing contrasts in Spain for a motorhome: the highest peaks on the Iberian Peninsula (home to Europe's southernmost ski resort) and, just over an hour away, Granada's tropical coast. Skiing in the morning and swimming in the Mediterranean in the afternoon is genuinely possible. And as a bonus, the whitewashed villages of the Alpujarras. Here's the route.
The mountains: Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada National Park, with Mulhacén (the roof of the peninsula) and Veleta, offers high mountains, summer hiking routes and a ski resort in winter. A spectacular setting very close to Granada.
The Alpujarras: whitewashed villages clinging to the mountainside
On the southern slope of Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarras are a gem: whitewashed villages clinging to the mountain (Pampaneira, Bubión, Capileira, Trevélez, the highest-altitude one and famous for its ham), with their Moorish architecture, their "tinaos" walkways and a delightful calm. One of the most beautiful corners of the south (see Andalusia).
The tropical coast
Just over an hour away, the Granada coast (the Costa Tropical: Almuñécar, Salobreña, La Herradura) offers beaches and a subtropical microclimate. The famous snow-to-beach contrast.
Practical tips
- Winter for the ski-beach contrast; spring and autumn for hiking and villages.
- Narrow mountain roads in the Alpujarras: drive carefully.
- Granada city with the Alhambra, very close by (park outside and use public transport to enter).
- Cold at altitude is real even in spring; be prepared (see snow and skiing).
In summary
Sierra Nevada delivers the unique contrast of skiing and beach on the same day, with the Alpujarras and its whitewashed villages as a bonus and Granada right next door. The step to take today: if you're travelling in winter, plan the classic morning ski, afternoon beach day, and set aside a day for the Alpujarras; it's one of the most spectacular contrasts Spain has to offer. Combine it with Andalusia.