Discover the beauty of the villages in winter

With the arrival of snow, Andorra is more beautiful than ever! 

This winter, visit fairy-tale villages and discover churches and monuments under the white mantle of snow. Make a note of the best villages and start your story.
Once upon a time...

Canillo: a viewpoint, a Tibetan bridge and an ice palace!

Canillo is not only the first parish in order of protocol, but is also one of the largest in the Principality. Divided into 11 neighborhoods, the town of greatest cultural interest is undoubtedly at its heart: Canillo. When you pass the roundabout leading to the town, a unique landscape of mountains and nature welcomes you.

If you look into the distance, you can see a construction that rises above the rest of the buildings. This is the famous  Ice Palace, a ‘palace’ that not only contains a 1800-m2 skating rink, but also offers many other activities. A few metres away is the old town, a labyrinth of cobbled streets that house the town’s best-kept secrets. If snow allows, you can see some symbols engraved on the ground. Continue the route on foot to one of the most valuable jewels in the parish: theChurch of Sant Joan de Caselles.

Known for preserving unique Romanesque objects, it is the only one in the country with a Lombard-style bell tower. Finally, the other two must-sees are located at the top of the mountain: the Roc de Quer viewpoint , one of the most breathtaking in the country, and the longest Tibetan bridge in Europe. Don’t miss out!

 


Sant Romà de les Bons, one of Encamp’s best-kept secrets

In the village of Encamp, you’ll find culture, history and nature all around you! As in all the places in this story, the history begins at the heart of the village. That’s exactly where you’ll find the most traces and signs of the passage of time.

Throughout the route, you’ll see different medieval constructions from the 16th and 17th centuries, including a water storage area excavated in the ground and two dovecotes, Rossell and Cotxa, located on either side of the other must-visit landmark: the Tower of the Moors. Located just next to it, you can also visit the chapel of Sant Romà de les Bons, the only one with a Lombard-style semicircular apse in the country. Continuing along the route, you’ll go right through the village’s historic site, where you’ll see many other buildings from the period.

Finally, if you’re a fan of museums, you’ve got several options in Encamp: the Sacred Art Museum, the Casa Cristo Ethnographic Museum or the Automobile Museum, with one of the largest collections of vehicles in southern Europe! Finally, the mountain bordes (refuges) with their whitewashed roofs paint a bucolic scene that will be etched in your mind forever!

 


Auvinyà, a medieval village in Sant Julià de Lòria

When you enter this marvellous village, you’ll feel like you’ve travelled back in time: cobbled streets, medieval buildings, handmade streetlights... in short, an idyllic spot just 5 minutes from Sant Julià de Lòria. The most striking thing about it, however, is that although this village seems to date from the Middle Ages, it’s actually a beautiful recreation of a medieval village in the 21st century!

To make it even more authentic, various materials and elements from Andorra were used in the buildings, giving each house its own unique style. Auvinyà is also a completely traffic-free village, which means that you can stroll through its streets in peace and quiet. As soon as you enter, you’ll get to the old part, where you’ll find the Romanesque church, as well as a group of stone houses with wooden balconies and Romanesque bridges.

Once you’ve visited the village, we recommend that you continue your journey to the church of Sant Roma d’Auvinyà, a small Romanesque chapel dating from the 10th century, located in the upper part of the valley. From there, you’ll also get to take in spectacular panoramic views of the entire valley of Sant Julià de Lòria. You’ll get some amazing photo opportunities!

 


La Cortinada, a picturesque, postcard-perfect village

As soon as you enter the village, you’ll fall in love with its picturesque image: the snow-covered roofs, the smoke coming out of the chimneys and the peaceful life of a mountain village.

Begin your tour by visiting the Cal Pal Social and Cultural Space, a manor house dating back to 1347 that has managed to adapt to the passage of time. Next, cross the road to reach the old part of the village. Here, follow the street, which crosses the whole town until it arrives in front of another of the architectural jewels of the town: the Romanesque church of Sant Marti de la Cortinada, which will captivate you both with its Romanesque architecture and the murals that are preserved inside.

Finally, don’t miss the Cal Pal Mill and Sawmill, two buildings dating back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries, whose original water-powered sawmill and stone millstone still remain intact today. If you’ve been left wanting more, the town of Ordino awaits. Recognised as one of the most cultural villages in Andorra, you can discover several unique museums, such as the Casa Museu d’Areny Plandolit, a noble stately home in Andorra d’Antany, among others.

 


Churches and Romanesque culture in Pal and Anyós

Continuing our story, another place in which to lose yourself is the village of Pal, in the parish of La Massana. The village has the distinction of being one of the best-preserved Romanesque sites in the country! And we're not just saying it, This charming neighborhood is home to one of the oldest churches in the Principality, the church of Sant Climent de Pal.

Dating from the 11th century, it is the only one in the country that has two double geminated windows. Despite its spectacular architecture, the most fascinating part of it is actually found inside, where several Romanesque liturgical and artistic objects are kept. Finally, once you’ve walked through the streets of Pal’s old town, we recommend that you continue your outing by visiting the villages of Anyòs and Sispony.

Also part of La Massana, they boast unique buildings and monuments with great cultural value, such as the Church of Sant Cristòfol d’Anyòs. Treat your taste buds to delicious local products, such as chocolate from Xocland! Finally, an idyllic natural setting, surrounded by mountains and woods, will round off your visit to this unique village in the Pyrenees.

 


In Santa Coloma amidst finds and technology

When you get to this village, you’ll find it striking how two such different and contrasting styles coexist and blend together so perfectly: history and modernity. The proof is in your first stop off: the church of Santa Coloma.

Located in the old town, it’s a church that’s fascinating for several reasons, but the most outstanding of these is that inside you’ll see a video mapping of the church’s paintings, which were painted in the 20th century. You'll be amazed to see everything from the first outlines of the design to the final results of the work. That’s not all, as, across the road sits the Espai Columba. This space contains the famous original frescoes shown in the video mapping!

Continuing your route , another must-see is the Torre dels Russos. This is located at the end of the old town, and not only is it an example of the country’s granite architecture, it was also declared an artistic and cultural heritage building of Andorra in 2004. If you are still looking for more, we recommend that you travel back in time at the Margineda archaeological site, one of the most important archaeological sites in the Pyrenees.

 

Other places to dream about…

If you’ve enjoyed this unique journey through the villages of the Andorran countryside, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of other places to discover in the country. We invite you to continue strolling through our towns and villages and discover the remarkable architectural, cultural, historical and natural gems in the Principality. You won’t manage to see them all!