Skiing Holidays from Barcelona

With its world-famous architecture, sensational cuisine, glamorous beach life and legendary party scene and hot hot summers, perhaps it’s no surprise that Barcelona is often overlooked as a winter sports destination.

However those who paid attention to geography at school might recall that the Catalan capital is just a couple of hours drive away from the Pyrenees (the 500km long mountain range which divides Spain from France and encompasses the tiny country of Andorra) where you can find snow-covered slopes from November to April nearly every year.

The Catalan capital is just a couple of hours drive away from the Pyrenees where you can find snow-covered slopes from November to April nearly every year.

In fact, there are over twenty ski resorts within easy reach of Barcelona for those looking to combine a city break with a snowboarding or skiing holiday!

Of those twenty, the closest are La Molina, La Masella and Port del Comte, which are only 2 hours by car or train from Barcelona airport or city centre, whilst the major skiing areas of Grand Valira and Vallnord in Andorra are not much further: the former includes the popular resort of Pas de la Casa, known for its lively après-ski scene.

Enjoying a weekend on the slopes…

For those willing to travel a little further the area of Baqueira-Beret is just over 4 hours away by car from BCN and offers probably the best skiing and snowboarding in Spain, with 4700 acres over six peaks served by 33 lifts.

In general their are several advantages of a skiing holiday in the Pyrenees versus the Alps: by far the biggest is that the slopes in Andorra and Spain are a LOT less crowded than in the big resorts in Switzerland and France – so if queuing for lifts every morning is a personal bugbear of yours then maybe it’s time you started looking around for flights to Barcelona!

The other major pro is that price-wise everything from accommodation to ski passes and ski and snowboard rental tends to be that bit cheaper. The Pyrenees of course aren’t as high at the Alps and there is less snow, however all of the resorts near Barcelona have snow cannons on the pistes – so you’ll get your fix, even if Mother Nature doesn’t want to play ball.

Ski Resorts

1. La Molina (Spain)

Spain’s very first ski resort, La Molina opened in 1925 and offers 61 runs over a skiable area of 67 kms. Its facilities have been revamped considerably in recent times, and it is now considered part of one giant resort called Alp 2500 with the nearby town of Masella. One of the most accessible recreation areas from Barcelona, you can get there in around 2 hours by car, as well as take the train. Estiber Travel has some good deals on accommodation and passes, if you want to spend the weekend there. Or for a 1 day experience, simply purchase the Alp 2500 Ski Pass with return coach transfers, available on Tiqets.com.
www.lamolina.cat

2. La Masella (Spain)

Slightly bigger than La Molina, this neighbouring resort is particularly famous for its night skiing opportunities. With 13 floodlit slopes, it is the largest floodlit ski area in the entire Pyrenees – perfect if you want to stay the weekend. For those going during the day, the aforementioned Alp 2500 pass also works here!
www.masella.com

3. Baqueira-Beret (Spain)

The largest ski resort in Spain is situated 300km away from Barcelona and takes about 4 hours to reach by car, and is considered one of the best in the country. The distance from the Catalan capital certainly places it out of reach of a day trip, but for a quality weekend skiing you would be hard pressed to do better. The majority of runs are blue and red, making it perfect for intermediate skiers, but with 99 runs on 146 kilometres of marked pistes you can find a slope for every level. As usual, Estiber Travel, has some great weekend deals on hotels and passes.
www.baqueira.es

4. Grand Valira (Andorra)

Around 3.5 hours away from Barcelona, Grand Valira is a ski resort made from six small villages in Andorra, which together form the largest ski area in the Pyrenees (even larger than Baqueira-Beret). The six ski areas are all connected by a modern express lift system, meaning the winter sportsman can access a total of 110 runs over 210 kilometres of alpine pistes. Twenty two black runs make this a great option for serious speed demons. There are also three snowboard parks. Check out your hotel options (with ski passes) here.
www.grandvalira.com

5. Port del Comte (Spain)

The nearest ski resort to Barcelona, Port del Comte is found in the mountain range of the same name, in the pre-Pyrenees. If has a total of 37 slopes (mostly blue and red runs) and 16 lifts, and whilst natural snow is not guaranteed, the resort’s 256 snow cannons to ensure plenty of fresh powder all season. Estiber Travel has week-long and weekend hotel packages.
portdelcomte.net

Ski Travel Agencies

To book a skiing or snowboarding trip in the Pyrenees we suggest you take a look at the offers of the following travel agencies who specialise in winter sports, and can help book everything from chalets/hotels, to transport and ski pass and rental.

Estiber Travel

Established in 1986, Estiber have plenty of great offers on skiing holidays in both the French and Spanish Pyrenees and Andorra, whether you’re looking for a weekend trip, 2 day midweek break, or a longer vacation. They even organise a weekly ski bus from Barcelona every weekend during winter, perfect if you’re a BCN resident and fancy getting out of the city and onto the slopes. Check their website for more info and their latest deals/offers.
www.estiber.com

Ski Packages from Barcelona

If you don’t want to DIY your ski holiday, here are some packages to make your life easier…

1. Andorra Skiing Weekend (Winter 2024)

A great option for youngsters who want to combine a bit of on the piss with on the piste, this weekend skiing package departs every weekend from late January through to March. The activity is run by one of Europe’s most famous and fun travel companies. They’ve put together an all inclusive package of transport to one of Andorra’s best winter resorts, plus 4-star accommodation, ski pass and equipment for the unbelievably affordable price of 350 euros (early birds only! Second release start from €400).

In winter 2024 the dates are:

26th-28th January

2nd-4th February
9th-11th February
16th-18th February
23rd-24th February

1st-3rd March
8th-10th March
15th-16th March

In each case, the tour departs on Friday at 10am from Barcelona, returning Sunday evening.

Overall, a great choice for skiers and snowboarders who want to experience some lively après-ski, as well as making trails. Check out our partner’s website for more info and reservations.

The tours have limited space, so best to book as early as possible. If you’re ahead of time, you may even be lucky enough to find some ‘early bird’ ticket discounts…

BOOK ANDORRA SKIING WEEKEND

2. One Day Ski Trip (w/ Transport)

The simplest and most economical way to go skiing, if you’re based in Barcelona, is to book the 1 day ‘Alp 2500’ ski pass with transport, that is available to book on Tiqets.com. The pass grants you access to the huge combined resort of La Molina and Masella and includes insurance and ski equipment in the price (€115 for winter 2023/2024). Best of all, it also includes return transport from Barcelona, so you don’t really have to do anything more than purchase it and turn up at the departure point to access 135 km of ski slopes. You’ll need to get to bed early though the night before, as the bus leaves at 6:30am. On the way back, the bus leaves at 4:30pm, getting back to BCN around 7pm.

BOOK 1 DAY SKI TRIP