-	All photographs of Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada is Spain's number one location for winter sports. Although it`s only two hours away from the Costa del Sol, it offers some of the finest pistes and snow you can find on the Iberian peninsula.

There are not many places in the world where you can go swimming in the sea in the morning and skiing or snowboarding in the afternoon or vice versa. There are over 65 kms of ski slopes in the ski resorts of the Sierra Nevada, and you can expect snow for approximately 5 months a year. And you have the beaches of the Granada coast a short drive away.

Sierra Nevada is ideal for all winter sports fans. It caters for everyone from beginners to experts and everyone inbetween. The slopes range from simple to scary (El Rio slope (3km/545 vertical drop).

There are also numerous ski schools and equipment hire shops here; everything you need can be hired out on a daily basis. The shops within the ski resort are normally open from 9am to 5pm and you can also ski at night at weekends and holidays, a fantastic experience.

And the fun doesnt stop when the ski slopes shut. Sierra Nevada's ski resorts have rows upon rows of restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs and nightclubs.....all of which fill up with skiers and snowboarders every evening, all out to relax and enjoy themselves in the energetic apres-ski atmosphere.

The nightlife in the Sierra Nevada in winter is pulsating; often even more so than in the nearby coastal towns. After a hard day on the slopes, skiers and snowboarders get together and start partying.

Between 9am and 11am the slopes will be less crowded and also again between 1pm and 3pm, as most people will either still be in bed after a nights partying or will have gone for a siesta. So this is the time to make the most of the fantastci pistes in the area!

Over the past few years, snowboarding has boomed in the Sierra Nevada mountains as it is an ideal place to practice the sport. There is an on-slope half pipe being built for surfers; with availability depending on snow conditions.

The Sierra Nevada resort also has lots of trendy snowboarding shops, selling all the latest ski equipment. Snowboarding lessons (for all levels) are also available.

So choose your ski accommodation with Costasur.com and enjoy your break in the Sierra Nevada mountains!