Snow leisure to suit everyone’s budget
The cold weather is approaching, and we’re starting to see temperatures drop in Spain. This time of year may not be everyone’s favourite, but it does have one advantage – the start of the ski season.
While it’s true that we can’t compete in the same league as France or Austria, which together have more than half of all the ski resorts in Europe, we do have ski resorts to suit all tastes and budgets, mainly in Catalonia, Aragon and neighbouring Andorra.
To help you find the cheapest options, Holidu, the price comparison platform for vacation rentals has compiled a ranking of the 10 cheapest ski resorts this season after looking at the prices of the 286 ski resorts with the most kilometres of ski slopes in Europe.
Holidu looked at the average price of accommodation per person per night and the price of a daily ski pass in both high and low season to create this ranking… and these are the 10 ski resorts in Spain offering the best value for money:
1. Valgrande Pajares – Asturias (Accommodation + Ski Pass = €45.50/day)
The gold medal goes to Valgrande Pajares in Asturias. This resort, with a great skiing tradition, is well connected with Oviedo, León and Avilés and has ski slopes to suit all levels and an unbeatable price of €28 for an adult day pass in both high and low season. Accommodation in the area can be booked for incredibly low prices, €17.50 in high season and €16.90 in low season. In short, considering the main associated costs, Valgrande Pajares is Spain’s budget queen and a great option to consider for winter sports fans in the region.
Skiable kilometres: 25.5 || Savings in low season: 1.4%
2. Valdezcaray – La Rioja (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€50.80/day)
Valdezcaray picks up the silver medal among the cheapest options this season with prices slightly higher than those in Valgrande. A night’s accommodation in high season in the Riojan resort costs around €22.30 per person and the ski pass is about €29. And as an added bonus, Valdezcaray is midway between Burgos and Logroño, so you can put make a full day of it with a gastronomic experience and a nice glass of wine after a day on the slopes. All in all, a cheap and complete option like nothing else in its class.
Skiable kilometres: 22 || Savings in low season: 1.1%
3. Alto Campoo – Cantabria (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€58.90/day)
In third place, we have the Cantabrian resort of Alto Campoo, which strangely enough is slightly more expensive in low season (€62.90) than in high season (€58.90). This is due to the increase in the price of accommodation referred to in the survey, which is around 7% more expensive. The price of an adult ski pass for the day, however, stays at €33 through the season at this beautiful resort which is situated at 1650 metres above sea level. In a nutshell, thanks to Alto Campoo, Cantabria also boasts magnificent low-cost options for snow lovers.
Skiable kilometres: 27.7 || Savings in low season: 6.7%
4. Espot Esquí – Catalonia (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€60.00/day)
On the threshold of the podium is Espot Esquí, located in a unique area in the Pyrenees bathed by the rapid waters of the Escrita River. In addition to its unbeatable location, close to the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, this Lleida resort offers the best price in Catalona and the fourth cheapest in all of Spain: €25.90 for a night’s accommodation and a daily adult ski pass costs €33. The top Catalan option for those who want to enjoy the snow at the best price and discover an authentic rural environment.
Skiable kilometres: 23.5 || Savings in low season: 1.5%
5. Candanchú – Aragon (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€60.20/day)
The fifth most affordable alternative for snow fans is in the Aragonese Pyrenees close to a hospice for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Candanchú is synonymous with family holidays and has one of the best ski areas for beginners and children in the world: Tobazo Bajo – Pista Grande. The area provides 8 green slopes and 2 blue, along with a café where parents can sit and watch their kids learn to ski. The resort also attracts expert skiers with its off-piste slopes, Tubo de Zapatilla and Loma Verde. Candanchú also boasts spectacular scenery, making it one of the most beautiful ski resorts in Spain. A night’s accommodation in the resort will set you back €19.20 in high season and the ski pass costs €41.
Skiable kilometres: 50 || Savings in low season: 2.4%
6. Port Ainé – Catalonia (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€61.80/day)
Opened in 1986, Port Ainé may not be the most established ski resorts, but it’s one of the largest sports centres in Europe, offering no less than 58km of ski slopes at just €34 for a daily ski pass, which makes it one of the ski resorts in the ranking with the lowest prices per skiable kilometre (€0.60). Port Ainé is also north-facing, meaning it offers excellent snow throughout the season. And on top of that, it’s the ski resort with the best discount in low season. As far as accommodation goes, the price of accommodation at this relatively new ski resort in the Catalan Pyrenees is just €27.80 in high season, and comes with an added bonus, if you stay in the area you also have the impressive Aigüestortes National Park close at hand.
Skiable kilometres: 58 || Savings in low season: 16.9%
7. Boi Taull – Catalonia (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€62.00/day)
Boi Taull is located in the Valle de Boí and is the highest ski resort in the Catalan Pyrenees. The daily ski pass costs €39 in high season and accommodation will set you back about €23 per night. All of this makes it seventh place in the ranking and puts Boi Taull firmly on the map as a great option for Catalan skiers, especially when you consider that it has the most seasoned pistes in the region with no less than 50% of them being red slopes.It’s also the third resort in the ranking when it comes to savings during the high season with a discount of 7.1% for accommodation and a ski pass.
Skiable kilometres: 45.3 || Savings in low season: 7.1%
8. Port del Comte – Catalonia (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€63.50/day)
Port del Comte, in the Catalan Pyrenees, wins for its excellent location, close to one of the most cosmopolitan and beautiful cities in the country: Barcelona. It also has the most affordable price with a night’s accommodation costing just €26.50 per person and a ski pass is €37 in high season. Porte del Comte also shares the lowest price per kilometre with Port Ainé at just €0.60, making it the perfect destination for those looking for a good value for money skin resort. To complete the experience, it’s also the ideal choice for those starting to ski with 7 green slopes and 1 blue.
Skiable kilometres: 62 || Savings in low season: 4.4%
9. Valdesquí – Madrid (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€66.20/day)
Madrid takes ninth place in the ranking thanks to Valdesquí in the Sierra de Guadarrama near Madrid takes ninth place in the ranking, which although it has a relatively limited ski area compared to the resorts in the Pyrenees, is the largest in the Central System. A great option for ski fans in the capital who don’t want to spend lots of money travelling further afield. A ski pass here costs about €38 per person, and the price of accommodation is around €28.20 per night.
Skiable kilometres: 22 || Savings in low season: 4.4%
10. Panticosa – Aragon (Accommodation + Ski Pass =€69.40/day)
We conclude our list with Panticosa – Los Lagos in the Tena Valley, which together with Formigal, Cerler, Javalambre and Valdelinares form the Aramon ski area. The 36 kilometres of skiable slopes in Panticosa reach a height of 2200 metres above sea level, featuring mainly red and blue slopes. This is the second resort in our Top 10 in terms of low season discount, offering savings of no less than 8.1%. As for accommodation, spending the night in Panticosa will cost you about €30.40, while the daily ski pass is €39.
Skiable kilometres: 36 || Savings in low season: 8.1%
Europe’s most affordable ski resorts
If you decide to pack your bags and head off to enjoy the snow, you can find even lower prices outside of Spain. Just over the border in France, you have Seyne – Le Grand (€33.90) and Gresse in Vercors (€34.20). Europe’s third-cheapest option, Bukovel, is located in Ukraine and offers accommodation and a ski pass for €35.90 per day. The rest of the options in the European Top 10 are all in France.
