Why Arinsal, what's
there and what is there to do there
| Although many people have heard of Andorra with it's kilometres of tax-fee shopping and its five ski resorts, only very few have actually ventured further than the Pas de la Casa or Andorra la Vella where a different world awaits them, still untouched by mass tourism and far away from the main shopping streets. | 
the entrance to the village
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 The end of the Arinsal valley, early morning. Picture taken from apartment B6 |
... mountains ranging up to almost
3'000m, quiet and beautiful valleys, mountain lakes that contain trout,
forests with crystal streams and, most important, very few people.
Arinsal is located amongst this tranquility, in one of Andorra's prettiest valleys. |
| Arinsal located at an altitude of 1'500
meters, along with Ordino and Pal, is one of the few villages in Andorra
that has kept it's charm without being invaded by huge hotels, mass tourism
and the never ending coming and going of coaches.
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 Aerial view of the village |
| Although Arinsal does get
animated during the winter months with a few pubs and discos, the rest of
the year, you will just find a peaceful and quiet mountain village.
True, Arinsal is quite a ways from Pas de la Casa and Andorra la Vella. Those only looking to buy cheap alcohol and petrol will not find what they are looking for in Arinsal. The pictures speak for themselves... what a contrast! Services in the village
(all within walking distance):
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 Spring in Arinsal |
 Back street in Arinsal |
Who is Arinsal for?
In the winter, the main activity is obviously
skiing followed by "après-ski" for which Arinsal is well known for.
In the spring time and fall, Arinsal fills with trekkers and for those looking
for a quiet and relaxing holiday, combined with a few walks in the mountains
and cultural visits. During the summer months, a whole range of activities
awaits you, from mountain biking, via trout fishing and trekking to doing absolutely
nothing!
What is there to do in Arinsal?
Things to do all year:
If you are looking for an "active" holiday,
you've come to the right place! Arinsal offers a wide variety of sports
and activities nearby:
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or click on an icon below for general information on all of the activities |
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With the rental of your apartment or chalet, you get a reduction on your ski passes and on entrances to Caldea too!
Here's an example of what you could do during your holiday unless you want to go skiing in winter :
Sat.: arrive,
relax and do a bit of shopping
Sun.: go to Caldea,
one of Europe's largest recreational spas. Relax in the thermal water,
have a massage! Husband's not interested? Send him fishing!
Mon.: take a walk
in the mountains, there are many different trails to choose from for all
levels (spend a night in a mountain hut?) or go
to the family activity park in Pal
Tues.: drive
to Seu d'Urgell in Spain, go to the local market, visit
the cathedral, go rafting! and then visit Os de Civis and have a typical
Catalan lunch
Wed.: take a day
trip to France. There are many things to visit and to do just on the
other side of the Andorran border. Or perhaps rent
a jeep or a quad in Pal?
Thurs: visit
one of Andorra's interesting museums or baroque
and romanic monuments. If you are more adventurous, how about trying
on of Andorra's Via Ferratas?
Fri.: go horseback
riding and tax-free shopping or how about the flora
of Andorra?
Sat.: Departure
day
Take a look at all of the activities
you can do in or near Arinsal
Map of Arinsal
This map will get you situated.
It's hard to get lost in a little village such as this but it has been done!
The map below is NOT to scale.
 The above map is NOT to scale, it's too skinny and long. |
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Nightlife in Arinsal
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- in Arinsal there is genuinely something
to suit everyone.
Depending upon the day of the week bars can either be very busy and crowded or relatively quiet. During the winter season, Monday nights are usually very busy because of the 'Pub Crawl', whereas Tuesday nights can be quiet, because of 'the night before' syndrome! Most of the bars organise their
own activities during aprés ski and also throughout the evenings.
Picture on the left: live music at the "Rocky Mountain". |
| Children are allowed in bars without
problems but preferably with parents. The legal drinking age in Andorra
is 16 years old. Obviously, later at night, some bars may get a bit crowded.
Picture on the right: Mexican night at the "Quo Vadis" one of Arinsal's most popular "après-ski" bars. Another friendly bar is the "Borda Calissa" or "Red X bar", located near the apartments B4 and B6. Many ski teachers go for a drink there and you may even see yours. |
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Discos and bars normally close at 03:00. Picture in the left: the "Surf", restaurant bar and disco, located next to the gondola. |
Try our Google Map! Click on an item on the right to find it in Arinsal. Zoom in as needed, change the view from hybrid to map via satellite! Not all hotels bars etc. are listed, the object is to give you an idea of the the location of our properties in relation to the village. If you select hybrid or satellite views, please note that the picture displayed is about 5 years old! It's about time Google flew over Andorra again! |
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For more information, check our friend's site www.arinsal-andorra.com. There's quite a bit of info to be found and the site's getting bigger every day.
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