While property in Spain may be more commonly thought of as a summertime destination – or even as a way of catching some warming rays from the sun during the autumn – it can also serve as an enjoyable destination for winter sports enthusiasts, with plenty to do besides the obvious pursuits of skiing and snowboarding.

Below we look at some of the ways that property in Spain serves the winter sports market, along with a few of the activities available to visitors over the festive holiday season and into the new year. If you’re not sure how to have fun in the snow without taking to the slopes, you may find an idea to tickle your fancy and see you heading off to the holiday hotspot in the middle of a Christmas cold snap.

Property in Spain’s Sierra Nevada National Park

The Sierra Nevada National Park – or Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada, to use its Spanish name – is an ideal location for property in Spain for people accustomed to visiting the country in the sunny summer months. It is located within a reasonable distance of the coast, at about 150 km from the Costa del Sol, but access is easy, with Seville, Malaga and Granada airports all serving the area.

Sierra Nevada ski resort itself can be found at Pradollano in the midst of the mountains; its facilities, while modest in size, are held in high regard by many skiers, while it also takes the honour of being the most southerly ski resort in Europe. Ski schools and a lively apres-ski atmosphere ensure that beginners can expect a good time in the area during their stay.

Resort facilities include the Montebajo Sports Club, which banishes the cold weather outside with massage therapies, tanning salons and a pool area to help soothe away the aches of a day out on the piste. Back outside, choose from a range of less usual pursuits including year-round cycling trails and horse treks, if you can brave the elements.

Meanwhile, snowboarders can get away from the slopes and into the snowpark, which has recently been overhauled with new and bigger obstacles, jumps and a halfpipe on which to practise – or simply show off – your skills with a board.

Other reasons to visit property in Spain in winter

There are plenty of non-sport-related reasons to head to property in Spain during the winter months. The period from the end of September to the middle of November is likely to prove particularly quiet, as the summer crowds have departed but the Christmas trade has not yet begun in earnest. As a result, if you’re not bothered purely about getting a tan, this could be the perfect time to take a slightly cooler break and sight-see along the coast in villages that have returned to their sleepy natural state after a summer of entertaining the tourist hordes.

Tapas tours are also an effective way to pass the winter weeks in Spain, trying some of the nation’s most famous gastronomic treats. Spanish wines complement the food perfectly for an indulgent getaway that lives up to the lavish festive season even if you’re not there for Christmas and New Year themselves.

If you are planning to spend Christmas Eve in Spain, don’t expect to go out. The holiday is a family affair – perhaps even moreso than Christmas Day itself, when restaurants may open to serve their advertised festive menus. On Christmas Eve, most will be closed, along with most bars, as their owners celebrate the holiday with their loved ones.