Andorra Guide: This Tiny Country in the Pyrenees is the Perfect Mountain Getaway

A long weekend in Andorra is perfect to discover this enchanting little gem. It fits well with a larger trip in France or Spain, too. You could easily enjoy a week’s skiing or relax in nature without getting bored.

• Skiing: Grandvalira is the largest ski area in the Pyrenees with seven different resorts and 215 km of slopes for all levels of skiers and boarders.

• Adrenaline sports: The Andorran company Experiència Muntanya organises heliskiing, canyoning, ziplining, and mountain treks if you need a little extra excitement.

• Dogsledding: Mushing with huskies is bookable through the Grandvalira website.

• Eating: See my restaurant list below. Andorra has great local specialties: I love Trinxat, a potato-cabbage mash. The national dish, a stew of beans, bones, chicken, veal, cured ham, potatoes, and rice called escudella de pagés, is pure ski fuel. Also try local products like honey, cheese, river trout, and beef from the special Bruna cows.

• Small stone villages: I recommend exploring some of the charming villages up in the mountains, like Ordino, Soldeu, El Tarter, Bixessarri, and Pal. Most of them have little Romanesque churches from the 11th and 12th centuries.

• Summer fun: There are abundant walking trails, some leading to azure mountain lakes, a 9-hole golf course on top of a mountain (rent clubs at the top), and for cyclists, this is a paradise of twisty, challenging rides. The Andorra Taste food festival and the National Day celebrations both take place in September. Check the Andorra Tourist Board website for listings.

• Caldea, one of the largest thermal spa resorts in Europe, is not far from the city. It’s absolutely huge, with outdoor pools overlooking the mountains. You can book a range of passes on their website.

• Koy: I didn’t expect to eat a spectacular Japanese omakase meal in Andorra, so the 15-course menu at Koy in the Sports Hotel Hermitage was a delicious surprise. Perfect balance, execution, and flavours—this place should go on your list. The hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, Ibaya, is the only one in Andorra with a Michelin star.

• Odetti Bistro: Locally sourced food, exquisitely prepared is what this friendly town-center bistro is all about. My highlight was a plate of delectable mushrooms with oozy soft-yolk eggs.

• ToC: Located on the ground floor of Anyos Park hotel, ToC is chic and the menu takes classics and gives them a twist. Don’t skip the Galician beef tartar and Andorran trout with chimichurri.

• Sol i Neu: Beef wellington can be a challenge to do well, and Sol i Neu chefs have nailed it. Panoramic views of the mountain slopes from the restaurant’s dining room and spacious terrace add to the atmosphere.

• Grau Roig restaurant: This family-run hotel right at the foot of the slopes has an awesome wine cellar and some of the best dining in Andorra, including cheese fondue and raclette, as well as a more upscale menu at its La Marmita restaurant.