Self catering holidays are growing more popular each year in Andorra. Tourists return year after year for skiing holidays, attracted by some of the best facilities and conditions for winter sport in the whole of Europe.
Andorra is situated in the Pyrenees between the border of France and Spain and in recent years has seen a growth in the number of holiday apartments, ski chalets and villas. These holiday homes can now be rented directly from the holiday home owners and help provide a cheap way of booking accommodation for a skiing holiday.
Many of these properties nestle on the mountain sides and provide spectacular views of the scenic landscape. Andorra is a country full of history and rich in culture; its locals are extremely friendly and many holiday makers now want to experience this unique culture.
An ideal way of experiencing the local way of life is to stay in a holiday chalet, holiday villa or self catering apartments. They are an ideal base for those people who want to explore the mountainous terrain and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle.
Arguably the best known areas in Andorra for skiing are Soldeu and El Tarter. These villages are lively, good value for money, modern and friendly, with great skiing and snowboarding facilities.
The skiing at Soldeu is ideal for beginners and intermediates, and there are some advanced slopes for the more experienced skier through the powder fields below Pic d'Encampadana. Many young people visit the area and stay in self catering apartments and hit the slopes for the snowboarding. Soldeu's half pipe and an additional natural half-pipe makes the resort a popular choice.
Arinsal and Pal offer good skiing conditions for both the novice and the intermediate skier, and first time skiers often head off to Arinsal and Pal for their first holiday or two before heading for Soldeu and Pas de la Casa.
Arinsal differs from Soldeu and Pas de la Casa in that it has a lot of full time residents and the villages are 'year round' while the others are fairly seasonal. Many of these home owners rent out their properties when they are not there as holiday home rentals.
Arinsal and Pal can be the perfect solution to those skiers who are embarking on their first ski holiday. The capital la Vella is easily reached by excellent public transport, and the duty free shopping and department stores are extremely popular with tourists.
Ordino is another good location for skiing and the quality and quantity of snow is regarded as some of the best in Andorra. It has year round residents and is not purely a ski resort like Soldeu and Pas de la Casa. For holiday makers going skiing for the first time this is a good place to choose as there are alternatives to skiing close by.
Many people now visit Andorra during the summer months for the climbing and hiking. It is now a popular summer family holiday destination and is an ideal location for sport, leisure and shopping.
There are no airports in Andorra and the nearest major airports are in Barcelona, Toulouse and Girona. Barcelona is the most popular airport in the winter months as it is often the easiest to get to and from in bad weather conditions.
