Baqueira Beret or Sierra Nevada?
Sierra Nevada takes 3 of 9, with 4 too close to call. That still does not settle it — only the categories you care about count.
Spain
Baqueira Beret
Spain's serious ski resort, on the Atlantic side of the Pyrenees where the snow actually falls. Excellent off-piste, superb food, and almost no British presence.
Worth knowing. A long way from any airport, and Spanish prices only in theory.
Choose it if
Off-piste
About £1,145 a week from London
Spain
Sierra Nevada
Europe's southernmost resort: high, sunny, and a 45-minute drive from Granada. The season runs late, and you can genuinely ski in the morning and sit in the Alhambra in the afternoon.
Worth knowing. Southern sun turns the snow heavy by lunchtime.
Choose it if
Budget and après
About £988 a week from London
Side by side
| Baqueira Beret | Sierra Nevada | |
|---|---|---|
| Snow reliability | 48/100 | 46/100 |
| Size of the ski area | 167 km | 107 km |
| Top lift | 2610 m | 3300 m |
| Cost before travel | €1035 | €830 |
| Families with young kids | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Snowboarders | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| A non-skiing partner | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Budget and après | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Off-piste | 8/10 | 4/10 |
Bold marks the winner. Rows where neither is bold are close enough that the difference would not change a decision. Cost excludes travel, which depends on where you leave from.
Piste kilometres, lift counts and prices are indicative and compiled from public sources — they have not yet been checked against the resort's own figures for this season. Costs are planning estimates, not quotes. Spotted one that is wrong? Tell us.