When you think of Spain you think of the sun, the sand and the sea, possibly of sangria. Of the Costa del Sol and the unhinged delight of finding marmite in the local supermarket. List ten things about Spain and you're almost guaranteed to miss out one of its hidden treasures, skiing. With slopes designed by European and American experts, 61 kilometres made up of 39 runs, and 6 off piste trails, Sierra Nevada is a great place to consider.

Sierra Nevada may be smaller than some of the French super-resorts, but the smaller scale and quieter village serves as an attraction to many. But don't let this fool you into thinking its only for beginners, with a drop of 1,300 metres the slopes are fantastic for beginners right through to black slope skiers and some of its courses were used in the 1996 World Alpine Ski Championships, which more adventurous skiers will be keen to explore. Veleta boasts a snow park for fans of acrobatic skiing or novices with nerves of steel and this is reachable via one of the ski lifts.

And no ski holiday would be complete without a range of activities to indulge in when not skiing. Sierra Nevada is no exception to the rule, with the usual choice of traditional restaurants as well as chic eateries. Bars and pubs are also open for business with tables outside to leave you free to indulge in a little sunbathing as you wind down from your day on the slopes. Getting to the resort is easy, with Europe's largest underground cark-park boasting the capacity for 2,644 vehicles, and the airports of Granada and, just an hour and a half away by car, Malaga perfect for flying in. So next time you think of skiing consider a trip to Spain to ski the slopes of Sierra Nevada, eating tasty tapas while the sun goes down.