It’s not all about the Camino de Santiago, rugged Atlantic coastline and tapas of the eight-armed variety in this corner of Spain. For high in the mountains of Galicia, (just east of Ourense) is the Manzaneda Ski Resort, which is becoming increasingly popular with international snow sport fans. The village is hidden amongst the dense forest in the snow-capped slopes of the Sierra de Queixa, where you’ll find an alpine style retreat offering breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside from its well-kept slopes.
Manzaneda is a medium sized resort, which offers six ski lifts and a 300 metre vertical descent. Ski and snowboard fans will be interested to know that there is more than enough challenging terrain, with a total of 20 tree-lined trails. These include four green runs (easy), ten blue runs (medium difficulty), three red runs (difficult) and five kilometres of cross-country ski trails. Adrenaline fans will also get a kick out of the snow park, where they can work on jumps, slides and general aerial acrobatics. Prices are quite economical for ski passes too, with this year’s high season tickets costing 22 euros for an adult day pass and 15 euros for children.
In addition, once you’ve finished throwing yourself down the slopes you can enjoy the lively après ski in one of the four bars or two restaurants to help soothe weary limbs.
But Manzaneda is also well worth a visit during the summer months, when it becomes a centre for sports including hang gliding, cycling, riding, football, tennis and much more. The nearest airports are at Vigo and Santiago de Compostela, while you can catch a train from Ourense to Manzaneda.
So next time you’re in Galicia, don’t forget to bring your ski gear along!
For more information visit www.manzaneda.com or call +34 988 309 767
Further information
Number of Lifts: 6
Lift Capacity per Hour: 7,600
Total Skiable Area: 16km
Alpine Skiing: 11km
Cross Country: 5km
Resort Altitude: Min: 1500 m / Max: 1800 m
Green Ski Runs: 4
Blue Ski Runs: 10
Red Ski Runs: 3
Number of Snow Canons: 4
