The Pyrenees of Andorra

Andorra, a tiny principality tucked high in the eastern Pyrenees between France and Spain, is above all a mountain playground, its entire territory a dramatic landscape of soaring peaks, plunging valleys, glacial lakes and green pastures. In winter, it transforms into one of the premier ski destinations in southern Europe, its Grandvalira area - seven lift-linked sectors forming the largest linked ski domain in the Pyrenees - alongside the separate family-friendly Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalis resorts, drawing snow-sports enthusiasts to reliable slopes at excellent value. In summer, the same mountains offer superb hiking, mountain biking and horse riding amid wildflower meadows and pristine high-country scenery, all in a compact, easily explored country.

What you actually see

• The ski slopes - the vast Grandvalira and Vallnord ski areas.
• The mountain hiking - the summer trails, peaks and lakes.
• The glacial lakes - the high mountain tarns and cirques.
• The valleys and villages - the green valleys and stone hamlets.

When to go

December to March for skiing and snowboarding on the reliable slopes, and June to September for hiking, biking and enjoying the green mountains and wildflowers; spring and autumn are quieter shoulder seasons. Andorra has no airport, so it is reached by a scenic mountain drive from airports in Spain or France, typically Barcelona or Toulouse.

Honest expectations

Andorra is reached only by a winding mountain road, with no airport and sometimes heavy border and holiday traffic, and its towns are heavily geared to skiing and duty-free shopping, which can feel commercial and built-up in the main valleys. For excellent-value skiing on the largest slopes in the Pyrenees, superb summer hiking and dramatic mountain scenery in a compact, easily explored country, though, it is a rewarding and underrated Alpine-style destination.

Nearby

The Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley and Andorra la Vella are within the country.