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View over the Andorran Pyrenees
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Now offering by far the best skiing in the Pyrenees, Andorra's high season falls in the winter months, but its breathtaking scenery and great sporting facilities as well as luxury spa resorts make it a year-round destination for visitors.
Andorra is actually one of the oldest European nations, its peoples originally granted a charter by Charlemagne in recognition of their fight against the Moors, with the intention of creating a buffer state against further incursions into these northern territories. Until the late 20 th century it was controlled both by its neighbouring France and Spain in a power-sharing arrangement, but more recently has become a principality, enjoying its status as a duty free country and tax haven for its prosperous residents.
Most of its towns and villages are filled with houses and wonderful Romanesque churches built in the local style, located along the main road that traverses the country. By taking one of only three secondary roads, you will be rewarded by the discovery of some of the most stunning landscapes in the Pyrenees. These are the mountains and valleys best explored on foot or mountain-bike, on well-marked routes that will take you on an easy stroll or demanding hike but always with dramatic views in sight and clean air to fill your lungs. Recommended beauty spots include the area around El Serrat, and the impressive Madriu valley, a World Heritage Site.
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Mountain lift Andorra
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The capital, Andorra la Vella, is known as Andorra's glitzy centre of duty-free commerce, while its neighbouring Escaldes-Engordany (Les Escaldes) is a spa town offering superb therapies and treatments alongside luxurious spa facilities. Beyond the crowded shopping streets are a number of Romanesque buildings to be discovered. If your intention is to ski, then there is a choice of resorts to head to north of here, such as Soldeu, Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig on the French border, Ordino-Arcalis and Arinsal-Pal. Over the last few years, more than 50 million Euros have been invested to the skiing infrastructure, creating snazzy new lifts, new spa hotels and fancy restaurants serving foie gras and baby squid. High-tech grooming and snowmaking has improved the skiing dramatically, transforming the reputation of a trip to Andorra from a booze-cruise on skis to visiting the cool and happening spot it is rated today. In all, there are 7,600 acres of skiable terrain. Vallnord, in the northwest, is the less challenging of the two main ski stations - the other being Grandvalira. It alone has 66 trails, a half pipe and well-rated ski schools. Grandvalira has 110 trails, one fifth of them 'expert', three terrain parks and a vertical drop of about 3,000 feet.
Andorra holds many annual cultural events and local festivals which are well worth seeing, such as the Colors de Musica Festival at Escaldes-Engordany and the International Narciso Yepes Festival at Ordino. The Marratxa, the Ball de Santa Anna and the Contrapas are some of the typical dances of Andorran folklore. Local groups interpret some of these dances at Andorran festivals, offering a spectacle that reflects the traditions of mountain life. Many of these traditions can be understood better through a visit to some of Andorra's excellent heritage sites and museums, such as the Museu Viladomat, the Reig Tobacco Museum in Sant Julia de Loria and the Casas Cristo, Rull and Areny-Plandolit which are part of the interesting rural habitat trail.
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View over the Andorran Pyrenees
|
Now offering by far the best skiing in the Pyrenees, Andorra's high season falls in the winter months, but its breathtaking scenery and great sporting facilities as well as luxury spa resorts make it a year-round destination for visitors.
Andorra is actually one of the oldest European nations, its peoples originally granted a charter by Charlemagne in recognition of their fight against the Moors, with the intention of creating a buffer state against further incursions into these northern territories. Until the late 20 th century it was controlled both by its neighbouring France and Spain in a power-sharing arrangement, but more recently has become a principality, enjoying its status as a duty free country and tax haven for its prosperous residents.
Most of its towns and villages are filled with houses and wonderful Romanesque churches built in the local style, located along the main road that traverses the country. By taking one of only three secondary roads, you will be rewarded by the discovery of some of the most stunning landscapes in the Pyrenees. These are the mountains and valleys best explored on foot or mountain-bike, on well-marked routes that will take you on an easy stroll or demanding hike but always with dramatic views in sight and clean air to fill your lungs. Recommended beauty spots include the area around El Serrat, and the impressive Madriu valley, a World Heritage Site.
|
|
Mountain lift Andorra
|
The capital, Andorra la Vella, is known as Andorra's glitzy centre of duty-free commerce, while its neighbouring Escaldes-Engordany (Les Escaldes) is a spa town offering superb therapies and treatments alongside luxurious spa facilities. Beyond the crowded shopping streets are a number of Romanesque buildings to be discovered. If your intention is to ski, then there is a choice of resorts to head to north of here, such as Soldeu, Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig on the French border, Ordino-Arcalis and Arinsal-Pal. Over the last few years, more than 50 million Euros have been invested to the skiing infrastructure, creating snazzy new lifts, new spa hotels and fancy restaurants serving foie gras and baby squid. High-tech grooming and snowmaking has improved the skiing dramatically, transforming the reputation of a trip to Andorra from a booze-cruise on skis to visiting the cool and happening spot it is rated today. In all, there are 7,600 acres of skiable terrain. Vallnord, in the northwest, is the less challenging of the two main ski stations - the other being Grandvalira. It alone has 66 trails, a half pipe and well-rated ski schools. Grandvalira has 110 trails, one fifth of them 'expert', three terrain parks and a vertical drop of about 3,000 feet.
Andorra holds many annual cultural events and local festivals which are well worth seeing, such as the Colors de Musica Festival at Escaldes-Engordany and the International Narciso Yepes Festival at Ordino. The Marratxa, the Ball de Santa Anna and the Contrapas are some of the typical dances of Andorran folklore. Local groups interpret some of these dances at Andorran festivals, offering a spectacle that reflects the traditions of mountain life. Many of these traditions can be understood better through a visit to some of Andorra's excellent heritage sites and museums, such as the Museu Viladomat, the Reig Tobacco Museum in Sant Julia de Loria and the Casas Cristo, Rull and Areny-Plandolit which are part of the interesting rural habitat trail.