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Andorra

Andorra offers great value skiing and snowboarding. With facilities and lift infrastructure improving every year Andorra has matured into a proper winter sports destination but without the cost.

This tiny country is situated in the Eastern Pyrenees mountains, nestled between France and Spain, has given many people their first taste of skiing, snowboarding, and mountain hangovers. It’s tax free status means it’s often a favourite for those looking to stock up cheap booze, but while there are plenty of groups of young guys heading out to Andorra for snow and drunkenness in equal measure, Andorra does offer some decent skiing and plenty of terrain to explore in the two main linked ski areas of Grandvalira and Vallnord.

Grandvalira is the largest linked ski area in the country and includes the resorts of Pas De La Casa, Soldeu (not to be confused with Solden in Austria), Encamp and Canillo, making up a total ski area of 210km with pistes between 1,710m - 2,528m in altitude. Grandvalira attracts the largest number of skiers to Andorra as it holds the

Vallnord includes the resorts of Pal and Arinsal, which have 63km of pistes between them, and Arcalis which is a bus ride away from the other other two villages but offers 28km of runs and some of the most interesting terrain for better skiers. The maximum altitude in Vallnord is very similar to Grandvalira at 2,645m.

Like everything in life ski trips to Andorra aren’t as cheap as they were a few years ago, but still represent some of the best value you’ll find, and the improving facilities is nice to see. While you won’t find the gnarly peering-over-the-edge-of-a-cliff, razor’s-edge, off-piste action you can find in places like Chamonix, there’s enough to keep most entertained for a week.