The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in Andalusia, southern Spain, which belongs to the Cordillera Betica. With sixteen peaks above 3000 meters, it's after the Alps, the highest mountain range in western Europe. The highest mountain of the Spanish mainland, the Mulhacén (3482 m), is located in this mountain range. The name Sierra Nevada means snowy mountain range in Spanish.
The Sierra Nevada National Park occupies part of this mountain range. The park, with its diverse landscapes has all the characteristics of the climate of the high mountains. Due to climate variability and altitude you will find a huge variety of vegetation. Of densely green in the fall to small alpine flora and low shrubs on the peaks. You will find more than 2,100 species of the 8,000 cataloged plant species in Spain.
The area is also rich in wildlife, there are more than sixty species of birds that watch over the airspace like the vulture, golden eagle or Alpine Accentor. On land you have the Spanish mountain goat (cabra montes), foxes, wild boars, weasels and badgers.
In the Sierra Nevada there is also a large ski area: Solynieve (sun and snow), with the main villages Pradollano (2100 m) and Borreguiles (2600 m). There are 85 km of slopes and ski trails, and one can ski until the Pico Veleta which is 3396 m high. A ski trip can be combined here with a holiday in the sun, as the sunny shores of the Costa del Sol are not far from here.