Andorra is one of the most popular winter destinations due to the quality of its ski resorts. If you’re thinking about taking a ski trip to Andorra, this complete guide to skiing in Andorra will tell you everything you need to know.
A guide to skiing in Andorra
Andorra is a winter paradise. A small country, covering only 468 km², nestled in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Despite its size, Andorra boasts 3 ski resorts and over 300 km of slopes. Whether you’re into skiing or snowboarding, whether you’re a beginner or advanced, Andorra is an excellent destination for a ski trip.
Having made several trips to this country, I’m going to share everything you need to know to plan your trip.
Getting to Andorra
Andorra doesn’t have its own airport, so the most common way to get there is by car or bus from Spain or France. Barcelona is just a 2.5-hour drive away, making it a great destination to combine with your visit to Andorra. Buses from Barcelona to Andorra depart from Sants Station, Estació Nord, or the airport, and the journey takes about 3 hours.
The best websites for finding bus tickets in Europe are Flixbus and Omio.
If you prefer to book an organized tour you can book this ski tour from Barcelona to Andorra which includes the transport to and from Barcelona, 2 nights accommodation in a 3-star hotel, meals, lift pass, lift equipment and guides.
Ski resorts in Andorra
Andorra has three ski resorts: Grandvalira, Vallnord, and Ordino. Today, all three resorts are part of Grandvalira Resorts.
- GRANDVALIRA
Grandvalira is the largest ski resort in the Pyrenees, with over 200 km of slopes. It’s divided into seven interconnected sectors, each providing access to the resort: Encamp, Canillo, El Tarter, Soldeu, Peretol, Grau Roig, and Pas de la Casa. It’s incredible how vast it is!
Each sector of Grandvalira has its own unique features. Here’s a brief overview of each one:
- Encamp: The closest sector to the city of Andorra la Vella. You reach it via the Funicamp, one of the longest funiculars in Europe. At the top of the Funicamp, you’ll find restaurants, services, and a ski and snowboard school. This sector offers some of the best views.
- Canillo: A small sector accessed by cable car from the village of Canillo. The slopes here are of low difficulty but are connected to all the other sectors. It also offers restaurants, services, and ski lessons.
- El Tarter: One of the most popular sectors in Grandvalira, with slopes for all levels, freeride areas, a children’s zone, and other activities like snowshoeing. It has several restaurants and is one of the liveliest areas for après-ski, featuring the famous Après-Ski at L’Abarset.
- Soldeu: A sector with wide slopes, several restaurants, a children’s circuit, and a range of quality hotels right at the foot of the slopes.
- Peretol: One of the newer sectors in the resort, accessible via the Pla de les Pedres chairlift. This sector is known for having the only nighttime snowpark: Sunset Park Peretol.
- Grau Roig: One of the largest sectors, where in addition to skiing, you can enjoy activities like sledding, snowshoeing, or snowmobiling. It has a wide variety of restaurants.
- Pas de la Casa: The oldest sector in Grandvalira. It has ski slopes for all levels and a nighttime slope. Note that this sector is accessed from France. The village is directly at the base of the slopes and offers a wide range of accommodation and restaurants. It’s a lively area with lots of bars.
- VALLNORD PAL-ARINSAL
The Vallnord ski resort is made up of two interconnected sectors: Pal and Arinsal. It is known as Andorra’s family-friendly ski resort. Both sectors offer a wide variety of restaurants and services, slopes for all levels, and ski and snowboard lessons. In my opinion, it’s the perfect resort if you’re a beginner or want to take lessons, as it’s not as large as Grandvalira, making it easy to navigate.
Both bases offer plenty of accommodation options in a beautiful and peaceful setting, yet still very close to the center of Andorra.
- ORDINO ARCALÍS
Ordino is the smallest ski resort in Andorra, with 30 km of slopes. Despite its size, it offers a wide variety of runs and is known for maintaining its snow cover the best throughout the season. It’s an ideal resort if you’re interested in off-piste skiing.
Where to stay in Andorra for skiing
Choosing accommodation for skiing in Andorra will depend on the ski resort and sector you plan to visit. I recommend staying as close as possible to the access point since, despite Andorra being a small country, there is a main road for getting around, and it can get quite congested during peak hours.
I suggest reading the post: Where to stay in Andorra
- Hotel Nordic: hotel with rooms and apartments located just below the slopes. It’s perfect for those going skiing. Click here to see photos, availability and prices.
- Hotel Ski Plaza & Wellness: I stayed at this hotel once and I recommend it. It is really practical if you are going skiing or snowboarding as it’s located close to Canilo access and has a storage room for boards and boots. Click here to see photos, availability and prices.
- Hotel AnyosPark: I stayed in this hotel and I fully recommend it, especially if you are looking for a relaxing trip. The hotel has a restaurant, spa, gym, tennis and paddle courts, etc. It has classic hotel rooms and duplex apartments with kitchen, which are perfect if you are traveling in a group. The views of the hotel are incredible. Click here to see photos, availability and prices.
- Hotel Princesa Parc: I stayed at this hotel and I really loved it’s location which is so close to Arinsal’s cable car. It has a spa and a game area which makes it perfect for families.Click here to see photos, availability and prices.
Prices in Andorra
The daily pass, or “forfait,” can be purchased online on the website of the ski resort you want to visit or at the ticket offices of the resort itself.
A 1-day pass at Grandvalira costs €64, while the passes for Vallnord and Ordino are around €50. The more days you choose to ski, the cheaper the forfait will be.
Half-day passes or pedestrian passes are also offered.
The Andorra Pass is the ski pass that gives access to the Ordino Arcalís, Pal Arinsal and Grandvalira resorts together. It is available as a season pass, so if you are going for a long time it is a good option to consider.
In general these are some prices:
- SKI PASS 1 DAY: 64€
- SKI OR SNOWBOARD EQUIPMENT RENTAL: 25€
- 2 HOUR CLASS: 90Є
Where to rent ski equipmente
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Whether you are going skiing or snowboarding, you can rent equipment almost everywhere in Andorra. You will see that both in the center of the city of Old Andorra and in the different towns, it is full of stores that rent or sell equipment. There are also shops in the ski centers themselves. The best known store is Pic Negre, you will see stores all over Andorra.
In general, the board, boots and skis are rented, but the clothing such as pants or snow jackets is not usually rented. So it is best to be prepared and buy all the necessary clothes in advance. It is very important to be well equipped with gloves, hat, goggles and helmet that are suitable for the climate so you can enjoy the snow. Decathlon is a shop available in Spain that sells cheap snow clothing ideal if it is your first time and you don’t want to spend too much.
Whe to ski in Andorra
The ski season in Andorra is between December and April. Depending on the amount of snow it can be longer or shorter but usually the best months for skiing are January and February. The planned opening date for this year is not yet available, it will probably be around December 10th.
Other things to do in Andorra
In addition to skiing, there are many other activities you can do in Andorra. Here are some ideas:
- Visit Andorra la Vieja: it is the capital and center of Andorra. You can go for a walk through its most commercial streets and visit its shops or take a guided tour to learn about its history.
- Caldea Spa: Caldea is the largest thermal center in Europe. It is a spa with hot springs and treatments ideal for when you want a more relaxed plan and live a different experience. In winter tickets sell out so make sure you book your ticket to Caldea in advance.
- Snowshoeing excursion: a great option for those who don’t ski but still want to enjoy the mountains in winter is to take a guided snowshoe walk.
Other useful posts:
- Where to stay in Andorra
- Tips for visiting Andorra
- What to see in Barcelona in 3 days
- Where to stay in Barcelona
- Winter packing list for Europe
- Where to stay in Paris: best areas and hotels
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