The resort

Situated in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, Andorra is well known for quality skiing and duty free shopping. The principality of Andorra is located equidistant from Toulouse and Barcelona airports. It has the largest skiable area in the Pyrenees. Andorra can offer 5 ski stations, 105 ski lifts and a skiable area of almost 300 kilometres.  There are 1083 snow canons, which guarantee skiing during the whole season.  It is an ideal destination for all levels of skier and has an excellent ski record.

Skiing and boarding

Skiing in Andorra really does offer something for everyone. Varied, high altitude skiing, excellent ski schools and a fantastic choice of après ski activities so suit all tastes.
There has been a lot of investment put into developing powerful lift systems and piste grooming fleets. This makes the ski areas attractive to beginners and intermediates with some great skiing for advanced skiers. Andorra has a reliable snow record and its location close to booth the Mediterranean and the Atlantic oceans and the high altitude of its resorts means that it gets substantial snowfalls.

Arinsal attracts more first time skiers and boarders whilst Soldeu links with the Grandvalira ski area. Skiing in Soldeu offers an impressive 120 miles of pistes and benefits from excellent beginner and early intermediate terrain. Soldeu has become the home of snowboarding in the Pyrenees. Pas de la Casa is Andorra's liveliest resort and also links with the Grandvalira ski area.

Apres ski

Apres-ski in the ski resort of Pas de la Casa offers something for everyone. There is a relaxed, friendly cosmopolitan atmosphere in Pas de la Casa. The après ski is famed for being energetic although there are many low-key bars and restaurants to be found in the village. A regular bus service links Pas de la Casa and Andorra La Vella, so the capital with all its shops and other attractions, such as the thermal spa, are within easy reach.

If you are feeling energetic, after skiing in Pas de la Casa, visit the sports complex where you will find a fitness rooms, tennis courts, two heated swimming pools and spa facilities. Pas de la Casa has an ice circuit where you can learn to drive on ice too.

There are plenty of pubs and clubs to suit all tastes. Start off at El Tupi, a centrally located restaurant that turns into a pub at midnight. Plaza dels Vaquers is where most of the fashionable spots are concentrated. Amadeus is a disco pub with house music whilst the Habana Club has a great Latin atmosphere. Underground is well known for its varied dance music. There are plenty of English style pubs too, such as Avalanche, Crack (known for its dance/grunge music) and KSB, a restaurant/bar with regular live music and a surf theme. These are all situated in the centre of Pas de la Casa. Restaurants are plentiful with a choice of either Spanish and traditional Andorran to pizza and pasta.

Skiing in Andorra also means that you have an incredible choice of shopping opportunities. Anything can be bought, and at good prices. Almost every street in Pas de la Casa is full of shops of all types. On Sant Jordi Street, the main artery of the town, you will find perfumeries, supermarkets, record stores, stores with electronic and digital photography goods, skiing goods, sports shops and clothes. You will also find a wide range of wines, spirits and cigarettes.

Resort overview

Andorra has for years had a reputation as the ideal low-cost ski destination. Increasing ski areas and a very high standard of lifts and facilities, together with improved inter-links mean it compares very well with Alpine destinations.

The first ski area in Andorra was Pas de la Casa. The first lift was opened in 1957. The ski resort of Arinsal was opened in 1973 and is the liveliest in Andorra with a great selection of bars, restaurants and shops. The ski resort of Soldeu/El Tarter opened in 1964 and is now one of the busiest ski areas due to its 90 kms of pistes, giving it the largest ski area in the country.

The official language of Andorra is Catalan, but many Andorrans also speak Spanish and/or French. The capital, Andorra la Vella, is 226 km from Barcelona, Spain, and 180 km from Toulouse, France. An estimated 13 million people visit this tiny country each year.

The ski resort of Pas de la Casa is situated on the border with France and many French and British tourists make the trip into the town to shop for tax-free goods. The snow record is excellent and the town is the perfect winter package holiday for people on a budget. The skiing, which covers the linked areas of Grau Roig and Soldeu, is the largest in the Pyrenees. The restaurants serve a variety of cuisine and are on the whole reasonably priced. So if you want good skiing and a lively nightlife this is the place for you.

Andorra has a lot to offer off the slopes. Andorra La Vella (the capital of Andorra) is a shopping hub buzzing with locals and tourists alike picking up a bargain or two. Popular international clothing chains and brand names feature on the main shopping street, this really is shopping heaven. For years, beneath jagged mountain peaks and between narrow passes Andorra has thrived as a smuggling and shopping Mecca. The entire country is a duty-free store. Thousands of Europeans come here to purchase much less expensive cigarettes, cigars, whiskeys, jewellery and virtually every luxury that is faced with high taxes in their homelands. Andorra, faced with a new unified European Community, has been forced to begin to find alternative economic activities to smuggling.

Caldea is Europe's largest thermal spa and a must do on your list. The Pamplemousse spa, outdoor whirlpools and magnificent steam room cannot be missed. This massive complex can easily fill up an afternoon and is perfect for soothing the aches and pains of that first day of skiing.

the latest snow and weather conditions

Last Snow	2nd December		Forecast	Overcast skies
Lower Snow Depth	60 cm		Upper Snow Depth	120 cm
Conditions	Powder		Runs Open	90 %
Last Report Update	4th December 04:30