Port Del Comte

The praise is for access: this is the closest station to Barcelona, a little over an hour from Manresa. On family provision it is ranked among Spain's top five. Reviewers note a decent-sized area, long descents through wooded hillsides, handsome glades for tree skiing and terrain that becomes far more varied once natural snow opens the quieter corners. Snowshoe routes and dog-sledding are on offer too.

Snow draws the criticism: this pre-Pyrenean spot lies too far east for Atlantic storms and too far west for late Mediterranean ones, so about half the runs live on snowmaking and off-piste can amount to a few inches. There is a single detachable lift and the rest are slow, which makes runs feel short and stops the considerable vertical adding up. The base buildings have an eighties feel, crowds get stifling on thin-snow days, drinks are expensive and there is no shop nearby.