Escaldes-Engordany

Andorra la Vella, Andorra

The adjoining spa town, home to the vast Caldea thermal complex and many of the best hotels and restaurants. Practically continuous with the capital.

Places in Escaldes-Engordany

Caldea café The café at the Caldea thermal complex is a relaxed spot for a coffee before or after the baths. A calm, warm pause.
Hotel & cocktail bars The spa hotels' bars pour polished cocktails in comfortable lounges. The grown-up end of an Andorran night.

Best time to visit: December to March for skiing at Grandvalira and Pal-Arinsal; June to September for hiking, wildflowers and warm valley days. Spring and autumn are quiet and good value.
Getting around: The centre is walkable; free ski shuttles link to the resorts in winter. There is no airport or train — most arrive by bus or car from Barcelona or Toulouse. A car helps for the higher valleys and trailheads.
Currency: Euro (€)
Language: Catalan. Spanish, French and English are widely spoken.
Timezone: CET (UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer)
Current trends: Grandvalira consolidating as one of the Pyrenees' largest ski areas; a growing spa-and-wellness scene led by the Caldea thermal complex; Catalan mountain cuisine getting a modern update; and summer mountain-biking and trail tourism rising.

Barri Antic (Old Town) — The small medieval quarter of narrow stone lanes around the Casa de la Vall parliament house, the city's historic heart. A quiet contrast to the shopping streets.
Avinguda Meritxell — The long central shopping avenue, a near-continuous run of duty-free boutiques, electronics and perfume shops. The city's commercial spine.
The valleys & resorts — The higher villages and ski areas — Grandvalira, Pal-Arinsal, Ordino — reached by shuttle, where the mountains and slopes are. The reason many come.