Andorra is the same spool
A tiny princedom hidden in the heart of the Pyrenees is a wonderful place! Imagine a country in which there is no industry and agriculture, there is no customs, law and army, there are no higher educational institutions, theaters and the airport. And there is no unemployment here either! What are they doing here? Earlier grazing on mountain pastures, and recently came to the conclusion that it is more profitable to receive tourists. Moreover, there is no shortage of people who want to rest and breathe clean air. Annually, a country with a population of 600 thousand receives 12 million tourists. Guests need to feed, shelter, entertain. Can you imagine how many owners care?
Practical moments
Visa-free entry to Andorra is open both from France and from Spain. Most of our compatriots arrive at Barcelona airport, where they are already met by a comfortable bus, delivering guests not just to the country, but directly to the door of the ordered hotel. The path to the mountain principality is not far off and tireless. Hotels in Andorra usually have three or four absolutely honest stars and delight guests with spacious rooms with all the necessary amenities. Many of the hotels offer their guests, respectively, special storage rooms for ski equipment. It is noteworthy that in such hotels at the entrance to the restaurant for visitors a change of shoes is provided. Lovers of exotics, too, will not remain in the lap: in the ski resort of Grandvalira, opened the first snow hotel of the houses of the needle, located at an altitude of 2300 meters. Species here open up such that you understand: it would be worthwhile to come to Andorra just for the sake of it. In addition to traditional mountain skiing, the hotel provides guests with the opportunity to ride a snowmobile and even a dog sled. Arriving here, you will have an absolutely real opportunity to move from winter to spring at your own discretion. If the resorts are pleased by the light minus temperature with a stable snow cover, the capital of Andorra la Vella will greet you with a bright sun, an abundance of flowers and a temperature of up to plus twenty. Here you will see for yourself that there are tourists in Andorra who are not interested in sports at all. Whole days they spend, basking in the thermal springs. In one of the free evenings you definitely need to follow their example. With the greatest pleasure, this can be done under the glass dome of the Caldea health complex. Three hours of unspeakable pleasure will cost you 25 euros. Then go to the restaurant - they are in Andorra la Vella a lot. The choice of cuisine is yours. Men certainly will not resist the opportunity to upgrade their ski equipment.
Better mountains can only be mountains ...
In summer there are plenty of bikers and hikers in the mountains here. But the true tourist boom is observed in the country from November to March, when small Andorra fans come to skiing from all over Europe. Ski resorts in the country are five, all of them are located at an altitude of more than 900 meters. And each has its own undoubted merits, but there is one common for all - a stable snow cover. Snowfalls begin at the end of October. And from December to March, the local slopes are covered with a solid layer of snow, 50 centimeters to three meters thick. In whatever hotel you live, each of the resorts will not be more than half an hour away. Special buses regularly run between the resorts in strict accordance with the schedule. The largest resort of Andorra is Pas de la Cassa. Here you will find 47 superbly equipped trails with a total length of 79 kilometers.
On the mountain guests are regularly delivered twenty-nine chair lifts. The difference in heights is very high: 2050-2600 meters. Pas de la Cassa is loved by skiers who are confident in their abilities. Many slopes are able to impress both steepness and an abundance of bends. There are also those on which the mounds are left especially for fans of thrills. Most of the tracks are smooth, just silk. Once a week in Pas de la Cassa you can admire the exceptional beauty of the spectacle: driving through the "virgin soil" with multi-colored smoky torches. Amazingly beautiful! The most popular ski resort is Soldeu. Twenty-eight tracks with a total length of 68 kilometers, twenty-two lifts, a height difference of 1710-2560 meters. Soldeu is loved by newcomers, because there is an excellent ski school, among instructors of which there are also Russian-speaking. Advanced skiers Soldeu attracts the opportunity to get to the peak of Elkompadan (2491 meters).
The other three resorts - 24 trails with a total length of 25 kilometers. The height difference is small, chairlifts and rope tows. Ski pass it is possible to buy on one resort, on two, and at desire - on all at once. Ski pass for a few days will cost you much cheaper than one-day. It should be noted that the routes of different resorts are not connected to each other, which means that it takes some time to move. Almost all lifts stop working at five o'clock. The slopes of Andorra are satisfied with snowboarders - their requests can satisfy almost every one of the local resorts. Fans of cross-country skiing will be satisfied with the trails of La Rabassa. And for a change you can ride a sleigh with a dog sled - fun and snow in the face you are provided. Fans of the extreme are also not ignored - the helicopter will lift them to the desired height in places as extreme as possible, and further down the slope though on skis, though on the "board", even on the sled, accompanied by an instructor. In three days you feel at home here. As if that's how you lived here.