-	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 has some of the best snow in the whole of Spain.

There are not many places 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 Sierra Nevada, and you can expect snow for approximately 5 months a year.

Sierra Nevada is ideal for all winter sports fans. It caters for everyone from beginner to expert. 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 ski resort is normally open from 9am to 5pm and you can also ski at night on weekends and holidays.

There is also plenty of activity in the evening. Sierra Nevada has plenty of restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs and discos. They all become packed with skiers and snow boarders, all out to relax and enjoy themselves.

The nightlife is energetic; often more so than in the coastal towns. After a hard day on the slopes, skiers and snowboarders get together, swap tales, and start partying.

Between 9am and 11am the slopes will be less crowded and also again between 1pm and 3pm. Most people will still be in bed after a nights partying or will have gone for a siesta.

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

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