Nordic trails and descents on the pistes for a family ski getaway
Six resorts to experience the snow at different paces
From the Pyrenees to the Cantabrian mountain range and Sierra Nevada, Spanish ski resorts offer a variety of different ways to enjoy a holiday in the snow. Depending on the chosen destination, the beginner alpine ski slopes, Nordic circuits through forests and snowshoe trails allow for a combination of learning, sports and nature, with experiences that make it easy to enjoy a shared family trip and adapt it to the preferences of each individual. At Sierra Nevada, the day can get started on the beginner slopes of Borreguiles. The resort also offers activity areas with sleds and toboggans, while its 1,200 metres of skiable vertical descent and 134 runs present other routes for those who already have experience. The Alto Campoo resort swaps this setting for the mountains of the Campoo Valley in Cantabria. From the Tres Mares peak, on clear days, the view reaches as far as Castile, the Picos de Europa and the Cantabrian Sea. On the slopes, four green and ten blue runs provide options for beginners and those looking to improve, while nine red runs present a greater challenge. Several schools offer classes in the resort’s surroundings, which features an area for practising jumps and other maneuvers. Larra-Belagua in the Roncal Valley, within the Navarrese valley, combines beech forests and high mountain landscapes. Its 36.6 kilometres of Nordic ski trails are spread across four sectors of varying altitudes and difficulties. The resort also features marked snowshoe trails separate from the ski circuits, enabling families to enjoy one and the same environment while choosing different paths.
At Fuentes de Invierno in the Asturian mountain of Aller, the choice of slope is made on a more intimate scale. Its 8.7 skiable kilometres are distributed over 15 runs, from three green pistes for learners’ first steps to three black ones for those seeking greater difficulty. At the base of the slopes, skiers will find equipment rental, a ski school and a café-restaurant. After a day on the slopes, the cultural and culinary offerings of the Aller municipality provide another reason to extend the stay. For those who prefer Nordic skiing, Candanchú offers up to three circuits in the valley of Canfranc in the Aragonese Pyrenees. Steep mountains characterize the landscape of a resort whose history dates back to 1928-1929, when the railway connection made it easier for skiers to arrive. It also offers alpine skiing, meaning that those travelling together can choose different sports within the same getaway.
In Lles de Cerdanya, the Nordic circuits cross black pine forests and offer an impressive panorama of the Cadí mountain range and the valley of La Cerdanya. Alongside gentle slopes, the Cap del Rec refuge located at the foot of the slopes serves as a landmark for organizing the day. Those who prefer walking also have 15 kilometres of trails at their feet for snowshoeing, an activity that allows guests to enjoy the landscape at a more relaxed pace.