Fancy getting some skiing in this winter without flying halfway across the continent? Madrid makes a surprisingly good base. It sits pretty much slap in the middle of Spain, so the slopes are never really that far away, and you've got more choice than most people expect. I've put this together to walk you through the best skiing near Madrid and help you squeeze the most out of a winter break. We'll go from Sierra Nevada to La Pinilla, and everything in between.

The Sierra de Guadarrama

If you ask most madrileños where they go to ski, the Sierra de Guadarrama comes up first. It's only a couple of hours out of the city and there's a decent spread of resorts, plus a load of other stuff to do once you're up there.

Whatever level you're at, there's a run that'll suit. Gentle hills for pottering about all afternoon, and steeper, meaner slopes if you actually want to be tested. And honestly, some of my best days up there haven't involved skis at all. Snowshoeing, ice skating, sledding with the kids until everyone's soaked through and grinning.

Planning a Madrid trip over winter? Put the Sierra de Guadarrama near the top of the list.

Navacerrada

Navacerrada is a mountain pass tucked into the Sierra de Guadarrama, roughly an hour's drive from Madrid. It links the provinces of Segovia and Madrid, and people have been crossing it as a trade route since Roman times, which I always find a bit mad when you're sitting there in the car park.

The pass is home to the Navacerrada Ski Resort. They run skiing and snowboarding lessons, and you can rent your gear on site if you didn't lug your own along. There's also a hotel, a restaurant and a bar, so no need to head back down the mountain the second the lifts close.

Puerto de la Morcuera

Puerto de la Morcuera is another spot the locals rate. It tends to get properly good snowfall, and the mix of slopes covers everyone from nervous first-timers to people who know exactly what they're doing. There's a hotel here too, which makes it an easy pick if you want to base yourself somewhere for a few days rather than commuting up and back.

Valdesqui

Valdesqui is, in my book, one of the best places to ski anywhere near the capital. It's also in the Sierra de Guadarrama, only a few kilometres from the city centre, so you barely lose half your day getting there. The slopes run the full range, from total beginners to experts, and there are restaurants and bars dotted about when you need a break. Bring the kids who've never clipped in before, there's a ski school on site.

Puerto de Navacerrada

Don't overlook Puerto de Navacerrada. Same mountain range, the Sierra de Guadarrama, and about an hour's drive out. There are slopes for every level, beginner right through to advanced, plus a ski school for anyone who fancies learning properly instead of just winging it. A couple of restaurants and bars round the place out.

Getting to the ski resorts

The resorts around Madrid hold their own against anywhere in Spain. You get terrain for every ability, whether you're on skis or a board, and a good range of amenities once you're there.

Getting up to them is dead easy, too. Valdesqui, the closest, is only about an hour away by car. And if you're coming from further afield, public transport has you covered for the other resorts.

The Cercanias trains run daily to several of them, Navacerrada and Cercedilla included. They leave from Chamartin station in Madrid and take somewhere between one and two hours to reach the slopes. There are buses as well, going daily from various points around the city, though those tend to take two to three hours once you factor in traffic and whatever the weather's doing.

When you get there, most resorts have free parking for guests. And where they don't, there's usually plenty of paid parking close by, so it's rarely a headache.

Final thoughts

Want a genuinely great ski trip out of Madrid? The Sierra Nevada mountains are hard to beat. They're easy to reach, the slopes are world-class, and the place works just as well for a first-timer as it does for someone who's been skiing for years. Next time you're in Madrid over winter, give the Sierra Nevada a look.