The largest ski area in Andorra is Grandvalira. On its territory there are three villages, which are considered to be a single ski complex. These are Soldeu, Canillo, El Tarter.

Soldeu – El Tarter – Canillo – ski resort in Andorra, located 19 km from the capital of Andorra la Vella, is an excellent place for outdoor activities.

Soldeu and El Tarter are small villages in the Canillo region, located approximately 3 km from each other and connected by picturesque mountain ranges, forming a single ski area with a developed tourist infrastructure and equipped with lifts and slopes of varying difficulty levels. The Soldeu-El Tarter resort was opened in 1964 by the joint efforts of the residents of the neighboring village of Canillo. In fact, it is the only ski resort of significant size, as El Tarter, Canillo and Soldeu are connected by a network of numerous lifts. Today, ski resorts in Andorra are very popular precisely due to the well-developed tourism infrastructure.

Soldeu-El Tarter Ski Resort

At the same time, Soldeu is more suitable for families with children, while El Tarter, which represents a more dynamic skiing sector, attracts mainly young people and extreme sports enthusiasts. It is in El Tarter that the snow park is located – the most popular freestyle area in Southern Europe.

How to get there

The nearest international airport is Barcelona (220 km). Regular connections to the capital, Andorra La Vella, take 40 minutes one way.

Slopes and lifts

The resort’s ski slopes are designed for people with different levels of training.

52 marked slopes (14 green, 14 blue, 13 red and 11 black) have a length of about 100 km, run through picturesque green areas, which makes this resort one of the most attractive places to relax.

Skiing here is a pleasure. Wonderful gentle slopes are ideal for skiers with an initial level of training. For intermediate skiers there are 8 km of slopes, and for trained skiers – off-piste skiing on virgin slopes.

More than thirty lifts and twenty snow cannons operate on the slopes. Most of the trails are quite gentle and have horizontal terraces. Extreme skiers are attracted by the new Free S.E.T. Erie ski park, which has a black trail over one kilometer long.

Technical characteristics of the ski resort of Canillo, Soldeu, El Tarter

Resort altitude: 1710 m

Zone skiing: 1710 m – 2560 m

Length of trails: 100 km

Ski slopes: total – 54 pcs

– For snowboarding – 1 pc

– For jumping – 1 pc

– Green – 14 pcs

– Blue – 14 pcs

– Red – 13 pcs

– Black – 11 pcs

Number of lifts: total – 32

– Tow – 16

– Chair – 12

– Cabin – 2

– Children’s – 2

Vacationers in Soldeu-El Tarter can expect wonderful slopes and picturesque views of the Pyrenees Mountains. There is also the opportunity to go skiing in one of the largest European skiing regions – GrandValira. This region is a wonderful skiing area, where you can find amazing slopes of any difficulty. Skiers have the opportunity to arrange new and new ski tours every day.

The Soldeu-El Tartera ski area has 2 levels: the upper high-altitude (up to 2500 m) and the lower (up to 2000 m), where the slopes run in the forest surroundings. Not only professionals, but also beginners can enjoy this skiing area. At the El Tartera and Soldeu stations, skiers have all kinds of cafes at their disposal, where they can catch their breath and have a cup of coffee.

Soldeu-El Tarter has excellent ski schools for snowboarding. Therefore, beginners can learn the technique of snowboarding or skiing, and more confident skiers can move to a new level of skill. In Soldeu-El Tarter, snowboarders will be no less pleasantly surprised than skiers, because they are waiting for two wonderful snow parks and interesting descents on virgin terrain.

Children will not be bored at the Canillo ski resort. Children from one to three years old can be sent to a nursery, and for the little guests of the older ones there is a ski kindergarten. Children from the age of six can study at the Soldeu-El Tarter ski school. For the youngest ski lovers, there are two children’s slopes.

Where to stay

Numerous apartments and hotels are always open to skiers and snowboarders. The sports center with apartments is very conveniently located, it is located in the same building as the ski station.

Hotel del Tarter 3 star hotel

This hotel is next to the Grandvalira ski slopes and a 5-minute walk from the El Tarter chairlift. Rooms have satellite TV and free Wi-Fi. It features a sauna and a restaurant.

GrandValira Soldeu Golf and Bike Park is 3 km away, while Canillo Family Park is 3.5 km away. Andorra la Vella is 20 km away. During winter, ski passes can be purchased at reception. Guests can use the secure bike storage room.

All rooms at Hotel Del Tarter have simple, traditional décor and are heated. Some rooms have a balcony with mountain views.

Hotel Tarter’s restaurant serves a buffet breakfast and traditional Andorran cuisine for dinner. There is also a café-bar with a terrace.

Hotel Segle XX 3-star hotel

Hotel Segle XX is located in the Ransol Valley, 800 metres from the nearest ski lift in Grandvalira. It offers a heated indoor pool and a free shuttle to the ski slopes.

Each room has a TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom with a hairdryer. Some rooms offer mountain views.

Guests can enjoy a sauna and massage treatments. Segle XX Hotel features a restaurant, a Western-style bar and a disco bar. Luggage storage is also available.

There are many hiking trails in the area, along the lakes and mountains of the Ransol and Incles valleys. Various activities and excursions are organised for guests in summer. Free parking is available on the public highway nearby.

Hotel Spa Llop Gris 4-star hotel

Spa Llop Gris is located at the foot of the El Tarter and Soldeu ski lifts. It offers a free indoor pool, sauna and free Wi-Fi in communal areas.

The modern rooms have wooden floors and TVs and can accommodate up to 4 people. Some rooms can be joined together for larger groups.

Spa Llop Gris offers a traditional restaurant, which serves seasonal dishes and a vegetarian menu on request. During the winter season, another restaurant serves salads, meat and typical Pyrenean dishes. There is also a pleasant bar serving a variety of drinks and a lounge with a fireplace.

Spa Llop Gris organizes activities such as fishing, walks and horse riding. Andorra la Vella is a 20-minute drive away. Private parking is available nearby.

Tarter Mountain Suites 4 star hotel

Hotel Tarter Mountain Suites offers ski equipment rental on site. It is a self-catering accommodation with free Wi-Fi and modern furnishings. Free parking is available on site.

This resort hotel has three different accommodation options: stylish modern apartments with cozy fireplaces, balconies and beautiful views of Mount Ransol; and charming traditionally decorated mountain chalet apartments in the center of Tarter, all with fireplaces.

All apartments feature a living room with fireplace, a flat-screen TV and a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave. The bathroom comes with a bath or shower or a hairdryer. Some apartments have a fireplace and offer wonderful mountain views.

The hotel offers ski storage. Activities in the surrounding area include horse riding, golf, skiing and hiking. Shops, bars and restaurants can be found within a 3-minute walk of the hotel.

Tarter Mountain Suites offers direct access to the ski slopes of Grandvalira, including Soldeu, Pas de la Casa, Grau Rog and El Tarter.

You can enjoy various sports activities, including tubing. Andorra la Vella is a 30-minute drive from the hotel.

Obaga Blanca & Spa 4-star hotel

This stylish mountain hotel offers beautiful views of the Canillo Valley and Roc del Coeur. It offers spacious, modern rooms with free Wi-Fi and plasma TVs, and ski storage.

Obaga Blanca features a spa with a sauna and an indoor and outdoor hot tub. Guests have free access to the spa and a fully equipped gym.

The hotel has a cafeteria, open all day from 10:30 to 22:30. Takeaway options are also available.

The suites at Obaga have a kitchen with a hob, microwave and fridge. Some suites also have a terrace.

A free shuttle service from Obaga to the city centre and the Canillo ski slopes is available. There is also free covered parking for bicycles and motorbikes. Andorra la Vella is a 10-minute drive away.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure of the ski resort Soldeu – El Tarter – Canillo includes: high-class hotels, restaurants, bars, discos, ski schools for adults and children, snowboard school, crèche for babies (from 2 years old), ski equipment rental points.

In addition to skiing, you can visit exciting snowmobile trips, snowshoe walks on snowy mountains, and dog sledding.

The highest ski resort in Andorra is Soldeu, which is located at an altitude of almost two thousand meters. It is distinguished by fairly low prices, large ski schools, popular night clubs and bars. The slopes here are well prepared, great for training and beginner athletes and are considered one of the best in the country. Today it is actively developing. This is also facilitated by the close location from the capital of Andorra, only 19 kilometers. The close location to neighboring resorts unites the slopes into one ski complex centered around the Grandvalira station. The resort offers cafes and restaurants, snow kindergartens, rescue services that are constantly working.

Soldeu is a small mountain resort, the tourist infrastructure of which consists of several hotels, a sports equipment store and small cozy restaurants and a ski station.

The next El Tarter is located within three kilometers of Soldeu. Recently, the resort has been significantly developed and developed. But it is still quieter and more comfortable than Soldeu, so it is ideal for a relaxing family holiday with children. There are no loud parties in El Tarter, and all the nightlife takes place in the hotel bars.

The ski resort of Canillo is located at an altitude of only one and a half thousand meters above sea level, which makes it the lowest in the region. It is 5 kilometers from Soldeu. A chairlift and a cable car take you to the top of the mountain. To this we add a very good reputation for the level of service of the resort and a high bar for the quality of service standards for tourists. There are ski schools here, where children can study from the age of six. You won’t find any difficult or dangerous trails here, but there are freeride trails. At night, the famous Palau de Gel ice disco opens here. In addition, the Canillo resort offers an indoor swimming pool, saunas, a spa and gym, cafes and restaurants.

Ski season: December – April

Low season: December 3-5, 10-14, 17-21

High season: December 1-2, 6-9, 15-16, December 22 – April 14

Ski pass (Grandvalira):

1 day (low / high season): adult – €40 / €44 €, youth (12 – 17 years) – €37 / €41, children (6-11 years) – €29 / €32

6 days (low / high season): adult – €200 / €232, youth (12 – 17 years) – €176 / €204, children (6-11 years) – €139 / €160

Entertainment

The most popular attraction of Canillo is the huge Ice Palace, which was built to hold various sports competitions and organize leisure activities for tourists. Here, vacationers have a swimming pool, gym, squash and tennis halls, sauna and solarium, shop and slot machine hall.

In the evenings after active recreation, tourists can have a great time in restaurants, bars and, if they still have strength, at discos.

As for food traditions, a vacation at the resort in this article will also please skiers, because thanks to its proximity to France and Spain, traditional Catalan and French dishes are prepared here. «Особливою» кухнею тут вважається так звана високогірна кухня, традиційна для жителів гірської місцевості, наприклад, традиційний суп «ескуделья», тушкована капуста зі свининою і беконом, андорскій хліб «кока», гірський рис і ін. Традиційну андорську високогірну кухню можна покуштувати в колрітних піренейських ресторанах під назвою «Бордас» , інтер’єр яких виконаний з каменя і дерева. Крім того, на курорті працює велика кількість сучасних стильних ресторанів, де представлені різні кухні світу.

«Бордас»

Висновки

Сучасна Андорра для туристів — це просто знахідка. Адже тут можна не просто дуже добре відпочити, але і цікаво провести час. Мандрівникам пропонується багато розважальних та екскурсійних програм як по місту, так і по його околицях.