A tiny, independent country nestled between the big brothers France and Spain could easily be something that is overlooked or ignored. So today I am going to talk about exploring the small mass of land known as a country in Europe and the wonders of those lands.
The country situated on the Pyrenees Mountains is an excellent idea for both people who want an adventure trip and for people who would like to have a taste of Europe but on a budget trip. It is also a tax-haven so duty-free shopping is another one of the plus points of choosing these as the destination of choice this summer.
The main attraction of this beautiful city of Andorra is the interconnected ski resorts. The primary ski region of eastern Grandvalira has a lot of other interconnected resorts, snow parks, and off-piste facilities. On the other hand, the Vallnord ski area which has a number of other resorts like the Pal, Arinsal, Arcalis among others.
Both regions have a lot to offer in terms of alternative winter activities such as mushing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Other than snow sports the country has ample of opportunity when it comes to adventure sporting activities. For instance, hiking, cycling, horse-back riding trails such as the GRP, that gives you the scope of enjoying dramatic Pyrenean scenery. There are numerous rural areas and interesting and compact small colonies of people living in villages though that part is primarily popular during the summer season.
If your focus is snow sports though you should definitely consider one of these places as your choice of accommodation namely – Grandvalira, Vallnord, Coma Pedrosa, Casa de la Vall, Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley among others.
Now assuming that you would also want to make a trip to other parts of the country as well, I am offering a small suggestion for an itinerary if you had only one day to travel the most important places in the regions. Here are the suggestions –
- Of course, you would want to at least get on with the skiing to be done with just so the exhaustion and exhilaration are done with at the beginning. (You can’t take breaks between sporting activities, especially on snow. Finish it and then go for touring).
- Definitely go to the Església de Sant Esteve church which is a heritage property registered under the Cultural Heritage of Andorra. The architecture is originally dated back to the 11th-12th century which was then restored and renovated sometime in the 20th
- Okay just because it is a historical house don’t get worked up (I did) about a spooky experience or anything, but if you would like to see how the headquarters of the General Council of Andorra looks like this is your chance. Maybe political science enthusiasts would want to witness the building for sure.
- Vallnord, as I mentioned before, is a ski resort, but the reason I am mentioning this within the tour is that the resort resides very close to the border of Spain. Sit there and spend a few hours and enjoy the soft sunset or just enjoy the view of the stretched out horizon which is goosebump-worthy in itself.
- You can’t miss the highest mountain range in the entire country of Andorra. That would be so wrong on so many levels. Coma Pedrosa is not only a sight to watch with its rugged rocky stature, but it is also a favorite for climbers. The climb is pretty straight forwarded, but you will surely need to have the stamina for sure. Fair warning though, the last 862m stretch is actually difficult, so be sure about your capacity while taking on the task and definitely wear shoes with good grip, so that you don’t slip off and break your hip.
