Few people associate southern Spain with skiing but in fact the resort near Granada is Europe's most southerly and the sunniest.  And it has just recorded the longest season since records began in 1991 - it lasted 184 days in total, from November 15th 2008 to May 17th 2009.  Just over one million visitors enjoyed the best snow and skiing conditions on record, with up to 400cms of the white stuff on the slopes and such was the amount of snow that some areas never used before became skiable.

With some of the highest peaks in Europe the resort in the Sierra Nevada is often the first to open and the season usually lasts well into April but this year has been exceptional.  Its location so close to Granada airport makes it extremely easy to get to and it is one of the few places in the world with a genuine 'sun and ski' option.  And the opening just last week of the last stretch of the A44 motorway from Granada to Motril means it is just 40 minutes to the beaches of the Costa Tropical where even in January it is warm enough to sunbathe.