Skiing, surfing, sailing and diving: where to go and what it costs

Key rules

• Ski season: Plan skiing for January to March, when snow is most likely, and expect it to vary.
• Boating title: What title you need depends on boat length, engine power and distance from the coast.
• Diving: Spain has no single national licence for recreational divers, but dive centres require a certification and often a medical declaration.
• Insurance: Any boat you use needs insurance and registration.

Skiing: the Pyrenees are best, but there is snow near most big cities

The Pyrenees have the biggest and best skiing. The best months are usually January to March, and snow varies from year to year.

• Aragon side: Formigal-Panticosa and Cerler have large areas. Astún and Candanchú are more traditional.
• Catalonia: Baqueira-Beret has large linked terrain and a high-end reputation. La Molina, Masella and Vall de Núria are smaller.
• Andorra: a separate country, with Grandvalira and Vallnord.
• Sierra Nevada (Granada): Europe's southernmost major resort. It is high and sunny, and the season can run into spring.
• Near Madrid: Navacerrada, Valdesquí and La Pinilla are small and handy for day trips, but they depend on snow.
• Cantabrian Mountains: small resorts such as Alto Campoo, San Isidro and Valgrande-Pajares.

What skiing costs

Prices below are for the 2024-25 season. Each resort sets its own prices every season, so check before you go.

• Lift pass (forfait), adult, one day: roughly 30-70 euros at most resorts.
  • Small Central System and Cantabrian resorts: about 25-45 euros.
  • Sierra Nevada: about 50-65 euros.
  • Larger Pyrenean resorts such as Baqueira-Beret and Formigal: about 55-75 euros.
• Equipment hire: about 20-40 euros a day for skis or snowboard, boots and poles. Helmets cost a few euros extra.
• Ways to pay less: buy online in advance, or book multi-day passes and rentals. Children's passes cost less.
• Ways to pay more: peak dates, especially Christmas and Easter.

Surfing, sailing and diving: where to go

Surfing. The best areas are:

• the Basque coast (Zarautz, Mundaka, Sopelana)
• Cantabria (Somo)
• Asturias
• Galicia (Pantín, Razo)
• the Canary Islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife)

The Atlantic coast near Cádiz (El Palmar) and Tarifa also work.

Sailing. Popular areas are the Balearics, the Costa Brava, Valencia, Murcia's Mar Menor, the Rías Gaixas in Galicia and the Canary Islands. Tarifa and the Strait are strong for wind sports and kitesurfing.

Diving. Good areas are the Costa Brava (Medes Islands), the Balearics, the Canary Islands (El Hierro, Tenerife), Cabo de Palos in Murcia and Cabo de Gata in Almería.

What you need to sail or dive

Boats

The title you need depends on boat length, engine power and how far from the coast you sail. Training and exams are run by authorised nautical schools and regional bodies.

• Licencia de Navegación: small boats of limited power near the coast.
• PNB: boats up to 8 metres within 5 nautical miles of a refuge.
• PER: boats up to 15 metres, up to 12 nautical miles.
• PY and Capitán de Yate: longer and wider cruising.

Chartering generally needs a title, unless you hire a licensed skipper. Some small, low-power boats can be hired without one. A foreign title may be recognised for foreign-flagged boats, with conditions, so ask the charter company. Any boat needs insurance and registration.

Diving

There is no single national licence for recreational divers. Dive centres ask for a certification such as PADI, SSI or CMAS, and often a medical declaration. Regions can set their own rules for dive centres.

The checklist below lists what to ask before you book.

Checklist

• Check the length and engine power of the boat you want to use, and how far from the coast you will sail.

• Match your plans to a boating title: the PNB for boats up to 8 metres within 5 nautical miles of a refuge, or the PER for boats up to 15 metres and up to 12 nautical miles.

• Ask an authorised nautical school about training and exams for the title you need.

• Ask the charter company whether the boat needs a title, or hire a licensed skipper if you have none.

• Ask the charter company whether your foreign boating title is recognised if you hold one.

• Make sure any boat you use has insurance and registration.

• Bring your diving certification, such as PADI, SSI or CMAS, to the dive centre.

• Ask the dive centre whether it needs a medical declaration and what its regional rules require.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a day of skiing cost at a Spanish resort?

A day of skiing usually costs about 50-110 euros for lift pass plus equipment hire. An adult one-day pass (forfait) is roughly 30-70 euros, and hire of skis or snowboard, boots and poles is about 20-40 euros a day. Buying online in advance and booking several days is cheaper, while Christmas and Easter cost more.

Which ski resorts are good for a day trip from Madrid?

Navacerrada, Valdesquí and La Pinilla in the Central System are the handy day-trip resorts near Madrid. Their passes are among the cheapest, about 25-45 euros a day. They depend on snow, so check conditions before you drive, and for a bigger area go to the Pyrenees.

Do I need a licence to dive in Spain?

No, Spain has no single national licence for recreational divers, but dive centres ask for a certification such as PADI, SSI or CMAS. They often also want a medical declaration. Regions can set their own rules for dive centres, so ask the centre what it needs.

Can I hire a boat in Spain without a boating title?

Usually not, unless you hire a licensed skipper, though some small boats of limited power can be hired without a title. A title such as the PNB allows boats up to 8 metres within 5 nautical miles of a refuge. Foreign titles may be recognised for foreign-flagged boats, under conditions.