Winter is here and since we are travelling along the Spanish portion of the Mediterranean coast, it would be good to remind you that there are great places in Spain to enjoy a winter house swap, specially if you like winter-sports. If you enjoy skiing, we have an interesting fact for you: Spain has 35 ski resorts of varied sizes and almost 1000 kilometres of ski slopes. Would that be enough for you?

The Spanish Pyrenees, besides beautiful, are the largest area for skiing and enjoying other winter-like activities, something always attractive to people of all ages. But today, since we were supposed to move west from Malaga to Almeria, we cannot but mention what is probably the second most important ski area of Spain and the one with the best view: the Nature Reserve of Sierra Nevada, in Andalusian territory.  Here is the deal you can get:  skiing in a designated UNESCO Reserve viewing the Mediterranean coast while you go downhill with the warm sun hitting your face. Sounds like a good deal!

We’ll mention more about Sierra Nevada’s surroundings in our next post, when we do arrive to Almeria, but if you would like to know more about your skiing in Spain, visit ATUDEM’s website (in Spanish).

Image: BY-YOUR-⌘ / Flickr.com

For most of us, an ideal holiday vacation during the Christmas season would include skiing in the Alps or anywhere where the snow is good and the runs are challenging. But there is one little fact that we should face: skiing is not a cheap activity. With a bad economy that loomed over us throughout the year, our hard-earned moolahs must be spent wisely. Is it really possible to take a skiing vacation on a string? Would I be able to treat myself some decent skiing vacation with a tight budget? Well, the answer is yes. If you know how to spend your money wisely, that is.

Ski resort prices on the Alps really are quite pricey, and food and accommodation prices would definitely be sky-rocketing during the holidays. So here are a couple of ideas how you could cut back on the expenses. Most ski resorts are near a small town where prices for food and accommodation are cheaper than resort prices. I would suggest finding a home exchange at a nearby resort instead of spending on hotel accommodations. For example, St. Moritz in Switzerland is famous for its slopes and with prices to match. But the place is nearby Celerina, and if you have a car rented, Pontresina, Champfer, Samedan and Livigno are just a drive away. Well worth it if you would ask me. Purchasing package flights or flying in business would definitely cut you. Renting a car is also practical. Driving your way to the nearest resort would be a great comfort, plus you could go on drive-thrus or eat out instead of dining in places just around the resort. Lucky you if you would be able to get a home exchange and car exchange deal!

Seriously, there are lost more ways to be able to enjoy skiing on a budget. All you have to do is plan things out and find the cheapest deals. Be creative on how you should spend during your vacation.