Sierra Nevada Supplement 2022

A Sierra Nevada 2022- 2023

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sierranevada.es

WINTER WONDERLAND

Photos by Jon Clarke

The Sierra Nevada is the true icing on the cake of living in southern Spain, writes Jon Clarke

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T was two decades ago that I looked out from a hillside near Ronda and spotted the distant snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada over 150 kilometres away.

Like a giant white magnet I was immediately pulled in, seduced by the thrills of winter sports, right here on our doorstep.

None of the hassle of flying to Geneva and a four-hour coach trip, or braving the big freeze in Glencoe, in Scotland, most of us on the costas are under a three-hour drive to the winter wonderland of the Sierra Nevada.

While entirely possible to do in a day trip from the Costa del Sol, take it from me you are missing out half of the fun if you don’t stay at least one night.

This is rightly dubbed ‘southern Europe’s top skiing resort’ and naturally - it being Spain - with it comes the usual dollop of fun and excellent culinary fare, not to mention usually clement weather.

Something of a rite of passage since a school trip to the Alps as a teenager, my itchy feet to strap on skis get more and more apparent as the month of December

INTREPID: Olive Press editor Jon Clarke

inches closer to Christmas.

By mid-December the first heavy snows of the year have normally fallen and the slopes are usually warm during the day and with a fair few regulars actually skiing in t-shirts.

Yes, while most winter sports fanatics will be shivering in the Alps at Christmas or struggling to see through fog in the Pyrenees, visitors to the Sierra Nevada will be sinking canas in the sunshine… and best of all at little over €2 a throw (or well under half the price of the Alps).

“This is the nicest place in the world to ski,” explains Luis Casanove, of Telemark ski school, who has been wintering here for 35 years. “We offer the best weather and the prices have hardly gone up in years.”

And if you’re looking for something else to do en route, the magical architecture of Spain’s most visited monuContinues on page 2

EXCITEMENT AND SURPRISES: View approaching the Sierra Nevada slopes from Malaga, while a dog goes for a slide with his owner

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FREESTYLE: Riders catch some air

Sierra Nevada

All a-board

The Sierra Nevada’s stunning slopes offer snowboarding thrills and spills

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ITH snow like fine powder, the Sierra Nevada is a Mecca for thrill-seeking snowboarders.

For beginners and experts alike, Spain’s highest resort is a glorious setting and gets more and more popular by the

year.

Stunning scenery is matched by the top-class facilities, which saw the resort host the Snowboard World Championships in 2017.

Novices should head to the central station Borreguiles, where lifts deposit snowboarders on a smooth and groomed area where they can hone their skills.

Once ready, or for those of a higher standard, they then need to head up to the SuperPark Sulayr, Europe’s largest freestyle snowboard park.

Now relocated to an altitude of 2,700 metres on Borreguiles, Spain’s most famous snowboarding park also houses the country’s biggest half-pipe.

Measuring an astonishing 165 metres in length with a height of six metres, the special design flattens the snow on the side of the halfpipe so boarders can jump on both sides.

CARVE UP: Superpark Sulayr

From front page

Winter wonderland ment, the Alhambra, is just 30 minutes away, while the fascinating region of the Alpujarras is the other side of the mountain.

The well worn claim of being able to ‘ski in the morning, sunbathe in the afternoon’ is perfectly possible… but that’s not for me. I like getting up there for a few nights, enjoying the mountain scenery, food and fresh air, plus of course a bit of mountain sport.

One of the real joys though is seeing the snowy peaks first appear on the skyline and then loom in front as you drive from around Spain (or fly to Malaga, Granada or Gibraltar).

The snow-capped peaks of Veleta and Mulhacen (mainland Spain’s highest mountain) can be seen for miles around and winding up the steep, scenic road to the top is as exhilarating as any drive in Spain, particularly on the sharp curves with steep drops.

Run by an offshoot of the Junta de Andalucia, Cetursa has upped its game considerably in recent years, getting increasingly automated in both parking and buying the ski passes (forfeits).

It’s easy to park right under the two main ski-lifts to the top and it costs around 20 euros a day.

Most places to rent skis and boots, or snowboards, can be found within 200m of the car park.

Slopes-wide, new pistes are added most years, while the latest version of snow cannons have been installed guaranteeing snow until, normally, early May. The season often kicks off in late November, but is normally getting properly going by the ‘puente’ weekend of

Constitution Day and the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

While this year the snow has arrived late, frequently 40,000 skiers can rock up around this time, so better to come a week later.

There will be up to 110 kms of pistes open at the peak, including the amazing Laguna valley, for expert skiers, where the Netflix series about the infamous 1972 plane crash in the Andes was filmed earlier this year (see Page 6) For snowboarders or jump-lovers make your way to Superpark Sulayr, in the Loma de Dilar area, Europe’s largest freestyle park, with its giant 165 metre ‘half pipe’.

And then there is the famous ‘Rio’ run that leads right down to the resort of Pradollano, which sits at 2,100 metres.

Cyprus

The geography of the area is simply staggering given it is on the same latitude as Cyprus and just 30 miles from the beaches of the Costa del Sol. Getting so much snow here is all to do with its altitude, which goes up to a staggering 3,482 metres (11,423 feet) above sea level.

Its highest peak, Mulhacen, is named after Moorish king Muley Hacen (Abdul Hassan Ali), who is said to have been buried

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at the top.

The views from the highest ski lift, at 3,300 metres, are among the best in Europe, with the views across the Mediterranean to the Rif mountains of Morocco making the ocean look like a small pond.

From here, decent skiers access the amazing runs of the Laguna de las Yeguas valley, including the celebrated Olympic run with its many twists and turns.

The sheer nature and landscape here is stunning and you will sometimes find yourself skiing alone here midweek if you time your trip well.

It definitely pays to pick your days with Easter and Christmas frequently saturated with queues for the lifts, although Christmas Day can often be relatively quiet, while on the day of the Reyes (January 6), almost all of the Spanish will be at home opening presents.

Don’t forget to try and avoid Semana Blanca (literally ‘white week’) – or half term at the end of February – when school children learn to ski, and, of course, bank holidays can also be very busy. The main tip is to go up early at 8am to 9am before the Spanish get going or waiting till midday.

Apres-ski

While a modern resort, the main base at Pradollano is a nice spot to take in the air or a spot of lunch, and there are things for the kids to do, with entertainers and Disney figures wandering around, particularly around Christmas.

The Sierra Nevada has also got a reputation as being a resort for fun, with the apres ski being some of the best in Europe, once you know where to find it (tip: it’s mostly uphill).

The skiing resort started to develop rapidly from 1995 when the World Skiing Championship was scheduled to be held there (due to poor snow it actually took place the following year).

“Since then the infrastructure changes were huge and it is now a big resort,” explains resort marketing boss Santiago Sevilla, who has worked there for nearly two decades.

The ticket office in Plaza Andalucia is fully digital and now has dozens of machines installed for credit cars and phone payments so you shouldn’t have to queue for long.

A day’s skiing costs €33 to €57 at peak time, but normally about €45, while those in their 70s get free passes.

SNOW TREKKING: Across the sierra, while (above) chilling in the resort

IN THE FAMILY

MEDIUM – BEGINNERS Ski’s for 24€ – Snowboard & Snowblades for 25€ HIGH – INTERMEDIATE Ski’s for 33€ – Snowboard & Snowblades for 34€ PREMIUM – EXPERTS Ski’s for 43€ – Snowboard & Snowblades for 44€

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T is a classic family business.

Jose Antonio Lopez and his wife Montse are now joined by their two children, particularly when the resort gets busy.

But thankfully it’s not too far, the family living in nearby La Zubia, just at the foot of the slopes.

In an excellent location, their shop Skisol has some of the best quality skis and snowboards to rent and customer service is the key to its success.

“We always put the customer first and have plenty of returning business,” explains Jose Antonio, who has been renting out skis in the Sierra Nevada for four decades.

Best of all, the prices have not gone up for a decade.

“And we don’t just rent out any old equipment…

Jackets & Trousers – 21€ Helmet – 6€

EXPERIENCED: Montse with son and pal we buy at least 50 new pairs of boots alone each season,” he adds.

Visit www.skisol.es or call 958 48 08 57

Snow Glasses – 5€

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Big lift-up A GIANT €21 million has been spent on two new chairlifts this season.

The Emile Allais and Veleta II lifts in the Borreguiles area are the largest investment in renovation in the resort for decades.

President of Cetursa, Marifrán Carazo, said the lifts would ‘completely reorganise’ the beginners area in Borreguiles and added it was the ‘biggest project in Sierra Nevada since the 1990s’.

“It will help to make it a reference resort in Spain and Europe,” she added.

Thaw-some!

THE Sierra Nevada welcomed 2,830 users for its first weekend despite there being little snow.

Some 1,750 skiers and snowboarders headed up to the resort for a reduced rate on the ski passes.

An additional 1,080 visitors used the cable cars to get to the ski slopes or enjoyed the attractions for non-skiers in Pradollano or in Borreguiles.

Sierra Nevada kicked off the winter season with good snow conditions on at least five slopes in the beginner area of Borreguiles.

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It’s two decades since intrepid expats Giles Birch and Jonathan Buzzard opened the British Ski Centre, writes Walter Finch

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BRITS ON THE PISTE!

TROLLING through the doors of the Crescendo bar at the foot of the slopes is like going back to the 1970s.

Its retro furniture, mirrors and glitter ball give off the sensation that John Travolta might stroll in and put in a couple of swift turns.

And this is appropriately where seasoned British Sierra Nevada legends Jonathan Buzzard and Giles Birch met well over two decades ago.

Now their second office, this is where you’ll find the pair propping

up the wooden bar after a hard day’s teaching on the slopes, which they know like a fox in a fox hole.

Step back to the 1990s, a boom time in Spain, and Giles was looking for the ideal transport rep to help him grow his fledgling travel business, working with the likes of First Choice and Thompsons, that had just launched in Granada.

With his long flashers mac, ‘big hair’ and a friendly, outgoing persona, Jonathan had all the right traits.

“I had no idea what was going on but had been told that Crescendo was the place to find the Brits and the reps-in-the know,” he recalls.

“Next thing in walks Jonathan with just the right attitude and he was soon helping me deal with the three to four flights we regularly dealt with on a Sunday.”

EXPERIENCED: British ski center owners “And so it soon Jonathan and Giles made sense to get

together, given that we quickly became good mates, and we pooled resources.

“We weren’t treading on anybody’s toes, because we were focusing specifically on the English-speaking market, and in those days there were hardly any instructors who spoke English.”

The pair are still working together, collectively running the extremely successful British Ski Center (American spelling) from their base in the resort (next to Tia Maria). They still teach hundreds of students a month, as well as sort out numerous trips, each year.

“Of course things were completely different back then,” explains Jonathan, who lived in Marbella in the golden years before it was ruined by corrupt leader Jesus Gil. “We used to bring in thousands of foreigners every week, but after a couple of dry years in the 1980s the resort’s reputation suffered badly and things all began to change.

“Luckily the snow came back, albeit not yet this year, but these days it is all independent travellers and the agencies have all but disappeared.”

Of course there have been some bad years such as 1995 when Jonathan recalls cycling up the

Borreguiles slope in shorts on Christmas Day. “But generally it is as good as most other international resorts and the range of skiing and schools is hard to beat,” explains Giles, who has three kids at school in nearby Granada.

Since arriving he has married a fellow ski instructor and their children are ‘basically in ski gloves every weekend and in the Christmas holiday’.

Special vibe

So what makes the Sierra Nevada so special, according to Giles?

“It’s just being in that environment; of being in the outdoors, the snow, the mountain, and the people you’re with. There’s quite a special vibe in a ski resort environment and it’s not changed from the initial novelty as a kid doing my first few seasons, the learning of the language and so forth.

Sierra Nevada

English Ski & Snowboard Instructors

“Just becoming part of that mountain life is where my heart is at the end of the day.

“Whether I’m teaching 20 hours, 50 hours or zero hours, it’s just a pleasure to be up here.”

The Sierra Nevada also boasts of longer seasons than other resorts, being open from late November and staying open until early May, while other resorts don’t open until mid December and end their season in March.

This is partly due to the resort’s altitude and the quality of the snow which is constantly worked on during the night.

In recent years the resort has added two new chairlifts - including a six-seater, a new user service centre and 105 new snow cannons.

“That’s why you’ll never see slush even in the latter part of the season,” adds Giles.

For more info, please visit www.britishskicenter.co.uk

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The team at Telemark reach their 35th anniversary this year, writes Jon Clarke

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t was in 1987 that Luis Casanove first slid onto the slopes of the Sierra Nevada.

Arriving as an enthusiastic young skiing teacher, he quickly picked up the local knowledge and many local friends.

A few years later he and three others set up the Telemark ski school, which is still going strong nearly three and a half decades on.

Counting on around 20 teachers with well over a century of experience of teaching between them, it is no surprise that they are the most trusted school on the slopes.

“We’ve seen some amazing changes,” explains Luis, one of the resort’s true village elders, who usually spends the year in Africa, and actually speaks Kenyan. “But, above all, what a different world it was back then with so few schools.”

He continues: “We wanted to be the pioneers of the new world offering a much more private, personalised service and doing it in various languages.”

English, in particular, was a key requirement for the team (and still is) and among their first clients were various British expats from Marbella, as well as many Scandinavians and Portuguese.

The name of the company comes from the style of skiing known as ‘telemarking’.

This can be seen in a photo on the wall of the company… a grainy black and white picture of Luis’s grandfather skiing in 1912 in the Guadarrama mountains near Madrid.

“Telemark skiing was the original

way before Alpine skiing became more fashionable later in the century,” he explains.

Be it hiking, Telemarking, cross country, snowboarding or off-piste skiing, there are not many inches of the Sierra Nevada that Luis and his business partner Jesus Fernandez don’t know.

They can arrange everything from accommodation to ski passes and are well known for their famous off-piste mountain adventures that last from a morning to two days.

“Our knowledge and know-how is ideal for families who want the perfect personal one to one break,” he adds.

The company also runs amazing wilderness trips that literally end up in another world... the charming cobbled villages of the Genil valley, in the Alpujarras.

These one or two-day adventures take you through deep off-piste snow onto narrow mountain tracks.

Another popular pastime for those who don’t fancy risking life and limb on the pistes, is to have a day of cross-country skiing on two or three well established paths around the resort.

“It is great fitness and you do get to enjoy the fabulous views and nature at the same time,” he adds.

The company can also help organise hard-core uphill climbing for mountaineers to a half day soft snow walking trip with snow rackets.

Contact the team on telemark@telemark.es or call 958 48 11 53.

Vintage years

BEFORE AND AFTER: The team in 1991 and 2022

ting Celebra on 35 years es the slop

WE ALSO ORGANISE ACCOMMODATION AND SKI PASSES

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A LITTLE SLICE OF CHILE THAT WAS REALLY CHILLY! Incredible Netflix survival movie about Andes plane crash filmed in Sierra Nevada, writes Jon Clarke

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HEN Spanish director JA Bayona needed some snowy high mountain scenery for his new movie, he knew where to look.

The Jurassic World film-maker headed to the Sierra Nevada to set one of the most harrowing survival stories ever told.

The blockbuster movie recalls the 1972 ordeal of the Uruguayan rugby team who survived a plane crash in the Andes, in part by eating their dead colleagues.

Largely set in the soaring Granada ski station, filming took place through last winter and this Spring in Pradollano and nearby Guejar Sierra.

Called Society of the Snows, the producers from Netflix used the wreckage of three Fairchild Hiller FH-227 passenger aircrafts.

One of them was installed in the isolated La Laguna valley area, popular with experienced skiers.

A challenging place to install a set, sited at over 2,000 metres,

it caused various hardships for the cast and crew.

In particular they endured volatile weather, extremely low temperatures and, in some cases, altitude sickness.

“It was like making a Herzog with three units and 40 actors,” said Belen Atienza, who worked alongside Sandra Hermida, who worked on Bayona’s ‘The Impossible’ and ‘A Monster Calls’.

The Laguna set was chosen for its reliable snow and being roughly the same altitude as the Andes crash site.

“They took over various areas, but it was very much in secret,” said a source at Cetursa, which runs the resort.

“It is definitely a very big production costing millions and it was very good news for the skiing resort.”

The most exciting development was the re-construction of the crashed plane inside a huge hangar at the top of Pradollano village.

While the main actors are from Argentina and Uruguay, produc-

CHUGGING UP: An old bus takes skiers up the slopes with a bit of help from its passengers, while (right) parked at the top

Timeline of a ski station CHALLENGE: The set was mounted in La Laguna valley ers hired dozens of extras from the Granada area.

An advert looking for locals ‘with long hair and with heights between 166 and 188cm’ went in various regional newspapers.

They also wanted ‘walkers, mountain climbers between the ages of 18 and 43’.

Based on the book La sociedad de la Nieve by Pablo Vierci, the film charts the true story of Uruguayan Air Force flight 571 which crashed on a glacier.

Famous from the 1993 film Alive, only 29 of the 45 passengers survived the crash, finding themselves in one of the world’s

most hostile environments.

Barcelona born director JA Bayona said: “It is great to be telling one of the most remembered events of the 20th century, with all the complexity of a story that gives so much relevance to the survivors as well as to those who never returned from the mountains.”

The film was shot in chronological order to allow for the actors to transform from strapping young rugby players to emaciated victims.

It finished filming in Chile this Autumn and Winter and is due out in cinemas next year.

● Angel Ganivet, Spanish Consul to Helsinki, gave birth to the idea of turning Sierra Nevada into a ski resort at the end of the 19th century. He likened his Granada homeland to the ‘Finland of Andalucia’ in a local newspaper. ● 1898 marked the creation of Diez Amigos Limited, a group that led skiing excursions around the area. ● Thanks to their continued success, the organisation was able to create the first youth hostel in the area not long after rebranding itself Sociedad Sierra Nevada in 1912. ● The main road from Granada to Sierra Nevada and a cable car were both put in place at the beginning of the 1920s, which allowed more people to discover the joys of snow-oriented fun. ● The boom years of the resort began in 1964, when Centros Turísticos S.A. (CETURSA), was created, allowing its rapid development. ● Sierra Nevada is the southernmost ski station in Europe and sits at the highest point in Spain. ● The station hosted the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1996. It has also welcomed several Alpine Ski World Cup events, with the first in 1977. In addition, it has been the main venue for the Winter Olympics. ● In 2017, Sierra Nevada hosted the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships, a major international contest put together by the board of the International Ski Federation.

ILLNESS: Some of the cast got altitude sickness, while (right) director JA Bayona (left) and team member

NICHIS COOKING

Telephone: 858 816 833 Edificio Mont Blanc, Galería Commercial, 18196, Sierra Nevada

BES T TAKE AWAY FOO D IN THE SIERR A NE VADA

OPEN

3PM TO 2AM

LATE!

Oven-roast chicken, baked potatoes, hot dogs, pies and more

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The route to the top It used to be a two hour bus ride from Granada and then a donkey up the slope

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HE only way to get to the top of the slope was to walk... or take a friendly donkey!

Indeed, until the first two ski lifts (Borreguiles and Parador) were built in 1969, this was the preferred route.

The resort actually dates back to 1912 when Spain’s oldest ski club, the Sierra Nevada Society was founded.

However, it was not until the 1920s – with the modernisation of Granada’s roads - that the Sierra Nevada started to become known.

By the last 1950s a bus used to chug its way up to the slopes, while cars would turn up in their dozens at weekends.

Visitor numbers slowly grew from then and, in 1964, Cetursa, a business dedicated to reserving ski tickets, was founded.

It was around then that the resort was at its most glamourous with the likes of Principe Alfons Hohenlohe, the owner the Marbella Club hotel, regularly bringing up friends, including Sean Connery to ski.

The best selection of old pictures, not just some of the vintage visitors to the resort, can be found in the charming Tito Luigi restaurant, which has been open for nearly 30 years and counts the King as an occasional visitor.

“We have had them all in here,” explains owner Javier, who heralds from Menorca.

“Spain’s best footballers, bullfighters and its leading politicians... everyone loves to ski in the Sierra Nevada.”

AVALANCHE: Of snow, but rarely more than a dozen cars came up in the 1960s

YOMP: Most skiers had to walk up until 1969, while (above) a donkey lift

TEL: 6 2 3 2 5 2 1 8 7 / 9 5 8 6 2 9 6 2 5

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SKI’S NOT THE LIMIT Add an extra dimension to your winter sports experience with these other (great value and often free) Granada sites

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O trip to the Sierra Nevada is complete without paying homage to Granada’s most iconic landmark, the stunning Alhambra Palace.

This magical 13th century Arabic building dominates the city from its hilltop eyrie.

After a morning tour of the sumptuous monument and its gardens, wander the streets of the Albaicin, the pedestrianised former Moorish quarter.

The streets are lined with teterias serving authentic mint tea and the Arabic pastries while the shops are akin to a Moroccan souk, with exotic clothing

and beautifully-crafted knickknacks.

For art lovers, the Museum of Fine Arts (below) sits in the heart of the Charles V palace with over 2,000 incredible pieces of classic work.

Elsewhere the Sacromonte neighbourhood is where the original gypsies first settled and lived in caves and you can visit the Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte.

Another of Granada’s most important historic attractions i s

BREATHTAKING: And the grounds of the Alhambra are free, while it’s the best preserved Arabic palace in Europe

the Cathedral, an imposing structure of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture that took over 180 years to construct.

It remains unfinished as two towers were originally planned for the facade, only one of which has been halfbuilt.

As Granada is Andalucia’s main university town, cultural events are high on the agenda.

And, above all, it won’t bust your bank balance either.

Travel website Omio has branded the city, the cheapest holiday destination in Europe for its range of free activities and cheap sightseeing tours from €6.

The Alhambra is free to enter, although you do have to pay to see its most famous Nasrid palaces and Generalife.

The Andalucian THRILLSEEKERS: city has dozens Get their of free activikit off every ties – 112 to year be exact. That includes 10 free museums.

An evening out in the city is a bargain, with 86 bars and nightclubs where beer costs just over €2.

Festive fun

But would he approve?

A COLLECTION of Sierra Nevada’s bravest and silliest thrill seekers rush down the mountain in swimsuits for the last day of the season.

Next year, the unusual downhill event will start at Borreguiles where participants hand in their clothes to take to the slopes into Pradollano where drinks and hedonism awaits.

Budding nudists often get a discounted ski pass if they sign up to the official page.

However, space is normally limited to 500 people and prizes are given to the best and most outrageous outfits.

One regular visitor to the slopes, King Felipe, is not expected to take part. In former years he normally drops in around Christmas time with friends (pictured right).

MUST VISIT: The Cathedral and (above left) the arts museum

MAGICAL: Three kings trudge up the slopes on January 5

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he resort is one of the most festive places to be in Spain, and the Spaniards know it, as they arrive in their droves for Christmas and New Year.

‘Nochebuena’ or Christmas eve, when the Spaniards celebrate the festive season with a huge family meal and lashings of turron, is usually a sell out.

Meanwhile ‘nochevieja’, or New Year’s

Eve, where massive screens show the countdown in Madrid’s iconic Puerta del Sol, with grapes galore, is a riot. For the eve of the Reyes on Jan 5 the three kings duly arrive on skis. Kids will love it.

Carnival, from February 6-14, also sees a mass arrival for the fancy dress competition, snow-sport contests and spectacles from Granada University.

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WHERE TO EAT

Peak of good dining

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PIPING hot raclette, a burger and chips and a few tasty tapas used to be the basic offering in the Sierra Nevada two decades ago.

Today a Moroccan Harira soup, ramen and gyozas or a spicy red tuna burrito are more likely to be on the menu for your evening’s grazing.

Just as the quality of food has gone up around Spain over recent times, the same has happened in the country’s most famous ski resort.

One of the trailblazers in this improvement is former snowboard pro Stevie Silva, who swapped his board for a set of sharp knives, over a decade ago now.

A man never content on standing still (and with three restaurants in Pradollano these days), his main joint Ci Vediamo is still

CREATIVE: Stevie with Luna (right) and dish at Ci Vediamo

Ci Vediamo The Sierra Nevada’s most elegant restaurant

Michelin trained chef Esteban Silva produces classic Italian style dishes with a modern twist Open 7 days a week Monday to Sunday 12.00-16.00 & 20.00-24.00 Plaza Andalucía, Edf. Salvia s/n, Pradollano tel: 958 480 856 civediamosn@gmail.com FInd us on Google Maps with 360° degree view

The quality of food in the Sierra Nevada is going up as rapidly as the resort, writes Jon Clarke hard to beat.

While he dubs it ‘rebel food’ and there is plenty of creativity here, the truth is you are just as likely to eat a simple soft crab tempura or a superb bowl of pasta.

What he guarantees is quality and always a few nice twists.

This year I loved his deep-fried ‘parcels’ of egg, bacon and leeks (below) that melted in the mouth in one bite, while an amazing spaghetti of giant crayfish with pecorino cheese was unbeatable after a hard morning on

the slopes.

“I arrange it so all the juices flow from the head and claws into the dish,” he explains, as he personally shaved the pecorino on top.

“It really adds to the flavour”.

A tight ship run by Stevie and his Maitre’d girlfriend Luna, their wanderlust takes them around Continues on next page

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Sierra Nevada From page 9

A mountain of dining

NEW BROOM: Toni, one of the partners at hot new restaurant Makalu

tel: 858 993 844 Calle Virgin de las Nieves, 3-4-5, edif Alhambra, 18196, Sierra Nevada

the world in summer time (to the Far East and around Europe) tasting new dishes.

One of the best places to try their current favourites is their new joint, Makalu, named after the fifth highest mountain in the world, bordering China and Nepal.

This hip spot feels like a Shoreditch popup, literally carved out of a wall in the heart of the resort.

Set up by Stevie and three partners, it is focusing on ‘fusion cooking’, a mix of Asiatic, Basque and European dishes, around 12 in total. “We’ve got stuff like Ramen, some cuchara (literally spoon) dishes and an amazing Spanish tortilla with white truffle,” adds Stevie.

His other Japanese restaurant, Shimbuya, now in its fourth year, goes from strength to strength, adding a new chef, who's ‘spent 25 years making sushi, many years in Japan’.

A bit further up the hill it is well worth seeking out and expect some delicious gyozas, noodles and a cool vibe.

My top tip, go for the California Roll with a king prawn, salmon and sesame seeds.

Another couple really focussing on creative food are Nestor and Sonia, who have just opened their first restaurant, Confusion, in Pradollano after running holiday apartments for five years.

You can tell it’s going to be different from the floral decor outside, while inside it has a sense of Alice in Wonderland, thanks to the creative interior design skills of artist Sonia.

Luckily, the food is able to match and, while just finding its feet, it has a real in-

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ALICE IN WONDERLAND: Designer Sonia and husband Nestor have brought some magic to Confusion

ternational team in the kitchen coming up with some great ideas.

There are lots of vegetarian options, which is rare for skiing resorts, and a great section of sharing dishes, salads and soups.

I really liked their Harira soup, from the Rif mountains, a rich broth of chickpeas, lamb, harina and apricots, among other ingredients.

The tostada section was also enticing, with

a lovely avocado and anchovy number, with watercress and cherry tomatoes from the couple’s own huerta (vegetable garden).

“We are only using fresh, quality ingredients and insist on proper free-range chicken and proper duck foie,” adds Nestor, a father-of-three, who has set the place up with children and families in mind, the tables

623 252 187 / 958 629 625

Continues on next page

Food from five continents - Vegan and veggie dishes - Great for families!

And now for something completely different!

PLAZA DE ANDALUCÍA, EDIF MONTEBAJO 2, SIERRA NEVADA

TEL: 610 896 014

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Sierra Ne From page 11

Lunch of kings

FRIENDLY: Nichi at Bar Ski

STEAKHOUSE SUPREME: Argentinian-run La Muralla

眀眀眀⸀琀椀琀漀琀愀瀀愀猀⸀攀猀 昦 ⬀㌀㐀 㤀㔀㠀 㐀㠀 㤀㐀㌀ TOP PICKS: Muralla Burger and (above) Las Gondolas

each covered with their own animal photos.

Easily the most established restaurant in the Sierra Nevada is Tito Luigi, run by two long term pals Luis and Xavi, whose brother runs Tia Maria cafe just off the slopes.

They can claim at least two kings of Spain eating here and the walls pay tribute to their esteemed clientele, including various international film stars, bullfighters and politicians.

An absolute must for any stay in the resort, in particular to see it in action (it can serve up to 250 people in one sitting), so make sure you book in high season.

Expect some of the best pizzas in the resort, generally splendid Italian fare, while a stand out dish is easily the squid-ink spaghetti with prawns.

Looking for something a bit more creative and informal, the pair also run the hipper joint Tito Tapas a few doors up, while a third restaurant is up in the middle of the resort.

Guaranteed to be full every night, the wines by the glass are excellent and the tapas change regularly.

If meat is your thing make sure to try out La Muralla, run by Argentinian Gonzalo Funes, whose steaks sit pride of place in the window and are among the best in the resort.

The ‘tostas’ are also great and come in various guises, while I loved the milhoja of

evada

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KINGS OF PRADOLLANO: Xavi and Luis at Tito Luigi

ROYAL DINING

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N the heart of the resort the most established restaurant is easily Tito Luigi, run by two long term pals Luis and Xavi (above).

At least two kings of Spain have eaten at this seminal joint and the walls pay

foie gras and a courgette carpaccio with fig sauce and the melt-in-the-mouth bulls cheek is also stunning.

He and his brother Luciano also run Muralla Burger, almost next d o o r ,

MEXICAN MAGIC: Raul at Canella

tribute to their long list of established and famous clientele, including American film stars, bullfighters and politicians.

which specialises in the best quality burgers on the slopes.

It’s hard to disagree trying his ‘gourmet’ burger, which is actually made from oxtail ‘rabo de toro’ with a thin slice of cheese and mayon-

naise and cooked in its own juice.

The pair also run popular Las Gondalas just off the slopes and excellent for some apres ski light bites, a hot drink or a beer.

By far the most fun tapas joint is Bar Ski, set up by the funniest man in the Sierra Nevada, Nichi, two decades ago.

His place is always buzzing at lunch and in the evenings and comprises a classic soul kitchen concentrating on hardy, simple dishes.

And, if you fancy something simpler (and available to take away) he has just opened a new joint Nichis Cooking next door, with a great range of roast chicken, pies and other dishes.

Fancy Mexican? Then you are now spoilt for choice in Pradollano.

Somewhere really worth checking out is Canalla a brand new place set up by Raul, fresh from six years living in London and with a really good sense of taste.

A good use of space with an excellent terrace just below the Kenia Nevada hotel, the staff are dressed in utilitarian boiler outfits and music is distinctly London grime.

I loved the decent list of tacos and burritos, an amazing ribs taco coming out steaming and Continues on next page

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A

ll about

Sierra Nevada

MIXING IT UP: Staff at La Calle while (left) Calambrito is an atmospheric space From page 13

The top of flavour mountain delicious with a delicious sweet sauce.

Nearby, is Calambrito, a lovely space, with an equally good mix of Mexican favourites.

I particularly liked the tacos, while the staff were really attentive and friendly.

Owned by Jesus from snowboard shop, South Star, it

has great music and nice decor.

Another place focussing just on burgers, La Calle, opened up last season next door.

Also run by Jesus, this is a place your kids are definitely ON THE UP going to like.

AND UP: Another great The team simple joint, but at Vertical with great home cooked food, is Telesilla Burger.

It is one of the most pop- first hostals in the 1960s. ular joints with workers in The historic photos add to the resort and that is no the atmosphere, while the surprise both for its great heart-warming soul food value prices, and the fact is always excellent, and inthat owner Maria works in cludes stews and lentils. the kitchen.

Another excellent place Cleverly designed using overlooking the slopes is ski lifts as tables, you can Tia Maria, which has a get everything here from good mix of dishes and is a hot coffees in the morning great place for breakfast. A to superb desserts at tall total institution run by Cartimes of day. los (part of the Tito Luigi Keep your eyes peeled family) this is the spot to for the charming Bodega chill out and enjoy the sun Casablanca run by Jose for the afternoon and early Carlos Villanueva, who grew evening. up on the slopes, with his For coffee, breakfast, and father opening one of the in fact just about every-

EXPANDING: Telesilla has added half a dozen new chairlifts, while (right) Carlos at Tia Maria

thing, Vertical is hard to be beaten and also has a great range of snacks and light bites, including hot dogs for the British clientele.

Finally, few places get as busy as the highly-rated Antorcha, which sits by the Kenia Nevada hotel.

Run by Antonio and Maite for over a decade, each table gets its own ‘sausage tree’, while its speciality of the house is the ‘hot and spicy platter’ on which you can cook your own rump steaks, up to 400gr.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

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WHERE TO STAY

AUTHENTIC: Kenia Nevada

Snow dreams

Cocina de autor

There are hundreds of places to stay in the Sierra Nevada, but only a handful are really reliable, writes Jon Clarke

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T is hard to describe Pradollano as an authentic mountain village.

But, with a metre of snow on the ground and the sun finally out, it certainly has its charms.

There are lots of places to stay but easily one of the most charming has got to be the authentic Hotel Kenia Nevada, which is well

located near the centre of town and open most of the year.

Run by the friendly Don Pedro – who used to ski for the country as a youngster - it is clean, well run and serves up one of the best breakfasts in Spain.

It also has a gym and spa, with an in-house masseur, and plenty of communal

areas, filled with charming old furniture.

You could also go upmarket and splurge on one of the two wonderful Melia hotels, right in the heart of the re-

sort.

The rooms at the Melia Sierra Nevada have been recently renovated and the New Premium rooms have been built on floors 7 and 8.

SPLURGE: At luxurious Melia hotel, while (right) lobby at Kenia

(+34) 902 144444 // www. melia.com (+34) 902 144444 // www. melia.com

Calle virgin de las Nieves 18196 Sierra Nevada

958 70 80 90

sierranevada.es