I just got back from my best ski holiday yet and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. Everything worked out really well. We had beautiful weather, nice accommodation, super snow conditions and we could have a quick sightseeing day in Barcelona as well.
I think most people fly to France or Italy from the UK for their skiing holiday. They somehow overlook Andorra. It’s a tiny country I admit, but has the largest resort in the Pyrenees. So let me introduce you Grandvalira and tell you why you should choose it as your next skiing destination!
How to get to Andorra: Fly to Barcelona and spend a few days in the city if you have the time. This way you can combine your ski holiday with a short city break.
From Barcelona Airport (El Prat) you can take a transfer bus to Andorra in 3,5 hours.
Another option is to fly to Toulouse.
Accommodation: We were lucky enough to find a home exchange in this small country. Having free accommodation saved us tons on this trip. The apartment had a great location, only a few minutes walk from the slopes in El Tarter. I loved that I was able to look out of our window and see the slopes.
Our awesome view from the apartment
Grandvalira ski resort: Grandvalira has 210 km slopes and 67 ski lifts. Pas de la Casa/Grau Roig/Soldeu/El Tarter/Canillo/Encamp are all parts of the resort and these towns are all well connected. Having so many slopes guarantees no one will be bored and everyone has something for their own abilities. We had a 5-day ski pass and the lifts and slopes were not busy at all except for the weekend, which was expected.
Lunch vouchers: We purchased ski passes with lunch vouchers, which saved us some money. It was a good idea as food can get expensive on the slopes. The vouchers included chips +drink + a warm sandwich (quite a big baguette) or hamburger. There is at least one restaurant in every sector where you can use the vouchers.
Your ski pass comes with a unique code, that you can use for the wifi, which is accessible at the restaurants on the slopes.
Equipment hire: We hired our ski equipment from Nordic Esports. They were very professional. The process was quick and easy. We also rented a locker 5 Euro/day. The lockers are located next to the slopes at Nordic Esports and they are suitable to store 4 sets of skis and boots at the same time.
Free mobile app: Grandvalira has its own mobile app, that has some cool functions. It can show you how many kilometers you skied each day and what was your top speed.
Prices in Andorra: Wself-cateringatering as our apartment had a kitchen. There was one supermarket in El Tarter called Caves Manacor, which sold some interesting goods. All sorts of meat, cheese, chocolate, souvenirs and delicatessens. It’s a foody heaven.
Some grocery prices.
450 gr Nutella 4,5 Euro
2 l Semi skimmed milk 2 Euro
Frozen pizza 3 Euro
50 g Parmesan Cheese 4 Euro
150 gr bacon 2.75 Euro
French baguette bread 1 Euro
12 eggs 2.75 Euro
500 gr boneless chicken breast 4 Euro
125 gr Andorra chocolate 3 Euro
Tips for skiing: Drink plenty of water and take lip balm with you. Our mouth got quite dry by the end of our skiing holiday! Also a good idea to take a flask and fill it up with tea or hot chocolate!
Check out my short video about the ski resort!
I had a great holiday in Andorra. I thought the slopes and snow conditions were great and the staff was very professional. You can also try other winter activities as well like mushing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling or if you prefer a less active holiday you can visit some of Andorra’s nice spas.
We booked all of our ski passes/equipment/lunch vouchers/transfer from airport HERE!
Have you ever been to Andorra? What was your favourite ski resort you visited?
Enikő
Hey, I'm Enikő! I'm currently an au pair and I want to share my experiences with you. I've travelled a lot in the past years. I'm gonna teach you how to settle in to a new country and get free accommodation anywhere in the world. Circle Enikő on Google+!
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Cali
March 1, 2017 at 9:07 pmI am not a skier in any sense of the word, but that looks awesome! Love your detailed take on your trip. I am also very curious about visiting Andorra, maybe in the warmer months! Great idea to combine it with some time in Barcelona
Emily
March 1, 2017 at 9:44 pm67 ski lifts.. My brain just can’t even comprehend that! It both looks and sounds like an amazing skiing destination!
Aysha Frost
March 1, 2017 at 9:47 pmI’ve skied all over Europe but never Andorra, seems great value compared to the French Alps. Great idea to stop off in Barcelona on the way.
Allison
March 1, 2017 at 10:05 pmI haven’t been skiing on over 20 years. Your post almost makes me want to take it up again. If only I could figure out a way to do it without the cold lol
Find Your World Girl
March 2, 2017 at 12:35 amI had never given Andorra much thought but it looks incredible!! Might have to add it to the list 🙂
sarah
March 2, 2017 at 1:14 amomg yes! skiing is usually not something that i think about when trying to plan a trip, but this is making me want to hit the slops! looks like so much fun! also, youre video is very cool, are you using a go pro for that??
Enikő
March 2, 2017 at 7:18 pmYes, I love my Gopro. Great for action shots and underwater.
Grace Silla
March 2, 2017 at 1:24 amIve never been to Andorra and sadly haven’t heard much about it. What’s it like in summer?
Enikő
March 2, 2017 at 7:17 pmLot of hiking trails in the summer form what I know.
Viviane Feeney
March 2, 2017 at 1:45 amWell you’ve just found a hidden gem! And a way to do it for the best deal; delicious looking burger and fries included in the voucher and free accomodation! Where are you off to next?
Viviane x
https://dreamtraveleat.blogspot.com.au/
Enikő
March 2, 2017 at 7:17 pmGoing glamping with a hot tub to Wales during Easter. Can’t wait! 🙂
Leslie
March 2, 2017 at 3:30 amI’ve never tried to ski, but those photos make it look like it could be an adventure to try. Definitely would be an experience.
Kim-Ling
March 2, 2017 at 10:47 amI didn’t realise there were ski fields in Andorra! That is so cool. Great tips – especially the cheap option on homestay. I like that they give you wifi with the lift pass too! The photos look awesome!
Nicky
November 4, 2017 at 9:31 amI’ve never skied, but this is really appealing! It’s definitely something I’d like to try out, and with Andorra being quieter and lesser-known, that seems a perfect place to try it out. I also like the idea of combining it with a city break!
Daniela
November 4, 2017 at 9:36 amI love Andorra as a skiing destination! It’s not very crowded and is perfect for the not very advanced skier. My personal favorite place to stay is Soldeu.
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