While the cuisine in Andorra is often likened to the Catalan cuisine, with its added bonus of French flavours and unique cooking methods, it does deserve a category in its own right. The exclusively traditional, mountain-style gastronomy famed in the Pyrenees has been enriched in Andorra, with much more variety. Set between two countries well-known for their gastronomic products and reputation, you can expect to find hundreds of cheeses, wines, foie gras, Iberian ham, baby squid, piquant potatoes, octopus Galician style, and much more.
The region has cleverly married the best of these local products and traditional recipes with new techniques and experiences. While in the mountains, you can take a meal in a typical rural inn called a borda, and be welcomed warmly by hospitable staff and homely decor or you can try some haute cuisine in one of the many exclusive restaurants offering unique gastronomic experiences. Find your way round the menu with our guide to Andorran cuisine.
So what’s on the menu?
The status of escargots – called, in Catalan, “cargols” – approaches that of national dish in Andorra. Snails are typically served as an appetiser and charred in wood or coal ovens, sometimes sauced, but usually kept plain.
Catalan spinach is particularly delicious in Andorra due to its mountainous location. At its simplest, it is sauteed greens with raisins and pine nuts and a little black pepper.
One of the most famous and popular dishes in Andorra is Trinxat, which is basically an alpine take on ‘bubble and squeak’. As is the standard in a mountainous climate, the locals learned to make the most of what crops grow best on poor soil and at altitude, so potato frequently features in Andorran dishes. Equally, so does pork, as the mountainous landscape also means that grazing land for cattle is at a minimum. Trinxat, meaning chopped in Catalan, is then a hearty mash of potatoes and cabbage, fried in a skillet-sized cake and garnished with fat back or smoky bacon.
The most surprising thing about Andorran food is the emphasis on seafood.Mountains always mean trout, so that’s a given, but the rest of the seafare on the menu seems more attuned to the coast than to the stream. Squid and octopus – “calamar i pop” – are very popular, as are cod (“bacallà”), and anchovies (“seitons”), the Atlantic staples.
We are suckers for anything beautiful and shiny and this video by Enrique Pacheco is just that. His film Made on Earth, was filmed over two years in Spain, Iceland, Estonia and USA and we think you’ll agree really shows some stunning views of the world.
Andorra is intriguing. And I mean this for more reasons than one; not only are its snowy, white peaks sandwiched in a geopolitical anomaly between France and Spain, but its capital town, Andorra la Vella, has become such an enormous hub of consumerism that there are now more than 2000 shops in its vicinity – that’s more than one per every 40 inhabitants.
Along with that comes the best skiing in the Pyrenees, loaded with resorts that have invested over €50 million in the last five years, adding in mountain cafés and restaurants, chairlifts and gondolas, car parks and even snow-making machines. More than solely a winter destination, when the snow melts, Andorra offers plenty to see and do. Enjoy our Andorra travel guide!
When to go to Andorra
Andorra is an all-year round destination, with skiing in winter and hiking, nature trails and canyoning the rest of the year. It has a typical mountain climate; warm in summer with temperatures dropping in the evening and sunny, but cool winter days.
In summer, visit the town of Canillo, one of the highest in Andorra. Here, travellers can go ice-skating at Palau de Gel, potter around pretty mountain villages, go fishing in the Valira d’Orient river, wallow in its thermal waters or hike along Andorra’s many well-marked trails.
For skiers visiting in the winter months, Andorra offers vertical drops of up to 1000m and runs of several kilometres over open slopes and groomed pistes. Beginners and experts are both well catered for and lift costs are low when compared with the Alps.
The best skiing resorts in Andorra
Grandvalira Grandvalira is located in the north-east of Andorra, in the parishes of Encamp and Canillo. It is the largest skiable area in Southern Europe, with 205 km of slopes. Why not stay in the Grandvalira Igloo Hotel, a2,300m high igloo that offers with a Snowcat trip, welcome cocktail, dinner, tea, water, a night-time outing (snowshoes), jacuzzi, downhill ski run or by chairlift and breakfast.
Vallnord Vallnord is located in in the parishes of La Massana and Ordino and is home to three main skiing sectors: Pal, Arinsal and Arcalís. There are ample things to do throughout the week and over the weekend; think mushing, skimobiles, sleighs, skibikes, speedriding, panoramic flights, heliskiing, under-ice diving, outings and night-time fondues.
Soldeu El Tarter Soldeu El Tarter is a lively and friendly village. The ski resort has become very popular with British skiers due to its relaxed ambiance and great après-ski activities.
Naturlandia Naturlandia is located in the forest of La Rabassa in the parish of Sant Julià de Lòria. This snow park offers sensational winter activities for all the family, along with exceptional panoramic views, a children’s park, an ice rink and a village of Nordic dogs. There’s also the Tobotronc (see below).
Things to do in Andorra
Aside from skiing, Andorra offers some incredible activity options. Take these for example:
Walking Tours There are plenty of summer activities to be had in Ordino and its surroundings, particularly if you enjoy hiking and nature trails. Walks can range from easy strolls to demanding day hikes in the higher, more remote reaches of the principality.
Tobotronc at Naturlandia One of the main attractions at Naturlandia is the Tobotronc, the world’s longest Alpine coaster, spanning 5.3 km. The Tobotronc offers a journey through the beautiful alpine forest, seated in a comfortable two-seater sleigh you control at all times.
Mushing
Mushing (not to be confused with moshing) is the ideal activity for all the family. Enjoy being carried by these dog-sledges or learn how to drive them yourself. This activity helps you discover how huskies behave, the commands to give so that they obey you and, at the same time, to enjoy gliding through the spectacular Pal landscape on the sleighs.
Shopping
Located in the heart of the fertile valleys of Andorra, Andorra la Vella is a well known shopping destination because of the great prices (no taxes). You can find pretty much anything you like here, with guests often buying items such as cigarettes and perfumes in bulk. However, reducing the city to a simple shopping trip would be a mistake as it is rich in unspoiled nature and remarkable historic sites. While it’s worth it to travel to Andorra for extended shopping experiences, it is also nice to randomly wander its narrow streets and discover the historical heritage they contain.
Andorra accommodation
Cheap options for accommodation in Andorra are tricky to find and relatively low on charm. To add insult to injury, prices get even steeper during the July and August months, and then again between December and March. One solution is to camp; Andorra offers plenty of well-located sites, while walkers can stay for free at one of Andorra’s many mountain refuges (refugis). However, if you do have a little bit of extra cash to spend on your holiday, Andorra has some outstanding hotels. Aside from the incredible Grandvalira Igloo Hotel, our favourite is the Magic Pas Hotel in Pas de las Casa, which sits directly on top of the slopes.
Andorra food & drink
Food in Andorra is mainly of Catalan origin, with a heavy emphasis on meat and cheese. Dishes such as Carn a la brasa (beef, lamb or pork grilled over an open fire) and truita (fresh river trout) are firm favourites in the region, while typical Andorran dishes are trinxat, a cabbage, potato and bacon cake and escudella, a chicken, sausage and meatball stew. Vegetarians should stock up on the pa amb tomàquet (bread with olive oil, garlic and tomato) as veggie dishes are somewhat hard to find in Andorra.
In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of the most weird and wonderful hotels. From cave hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected. This week, we find out what is Glamping at the Canonici di san Marco.
What’s the gimmick? Ever heard of glamping? Glamping, made famous in The Only Way is Essex series, is glamorous camping a.k.a. all the fun and closeness to nature that camping offers without the worry of creepy crawlies, endless days without a shower and not so endless rolls of toilet paper. Cononici di san Marco in Venice offers a series of beautiful camping lodges, situated in 15,000 square metres of parkland.
Why stay? Each Lodge sleeps 2-6 guests, with a a spacious bedroom and a lounge area. Stay to enjoy beautiful 360 degree views over wheat fields, with enthralling countryside, native trees and stupendous flower displays at your doorstep. Here you will feel immersed in nature without having to give up modern comforts. Aside from the experience, the Lodges, created on a raised wooden floor, are ideally located for a day packed with adventure in Venice or the nearby cities of Padua and Treviso. Your holiday here can be a cultural, social, gastronomic or sporting stay – the choice is entirely up to you.
The Wow Factor: Inside the Lodges you will find soap necklaces from perfumed Provence, candelabras and candles for romantic moonlit moments, crystal champagne flutes and DOC Prosecco wine. Swap uncomfortable sleeping bags for charming four-poster beds with white tulle mosquito nets and colonial style fans. Forget tents and enjoy stunning antique sofas and armchairs that once graced the houses of Italian grandparents, now transformed into original and unique seats. And most importantly, instead of smelling like a farmyard animal, enjoy long, hot soaks in big bathtubs from England, transformed into modern shower fittings with antique cast-iron heaters.
Just like madness, depression or alcoholism – the first stage is admitting that you have a problem. Say it with me now.
“My name is (blank) and I am a HIPSTER. “
Now that that’s out of the way, we’ve created a survival guide to the world’s hippest destination: NYC, a.k.a the hipster holy grail.
The New York hipster should only frequent establishments that cater to their ‘coolness’. However, as these hipster-only joints tend to have a strict dress code; in order to be allowed entry, you must first pass the visual test. Women should head to Buffalo Exchange in Williamsburg, where they can pick up vintage or designer clothing from different eras (which should then be draped on every part of your body with no great regard for aesthetic cohesion).
Men should check out the Housing Works Thrift Shops that are scattered throughout the city or vintage shops such as Cheap Jack’s on Fifth Avenue. In regards to what you should buy: anything that would look good on a farmer, pirate, hobo, Elvis Costello or golf caddy would work/anything that can be worn and explained with irony. To both genders – be sure to pick up a pair of thick black glasses, even if you have perfect vision.
To complete your image, you need to have the right hair. Men, head to F.S.C. Barber on Horatio Street in the West Village. Like your overall image, this place looks old, but it isn’t. It opened in 2008. Make sure you get them to trim your fashion ‘tash while you’re having them shave in your undercut. Girls , probably just leave your hair the way it looked when you woke up this morning. You guys are so post-modern.
In order to complete your Orwellian, tortured artist type image, your tastes must include a range of hipster fare. Take a trip to the Strand to pick up the necessary copies of Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast Of Champions or J.D. Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye, before lazily meandering around the clearance books stalls on the sidewalk to really get the “Yes I read” message across. Guys – this is a great place to pick up hipster chicks and Chloe Sevigny types.
Next, stop by Bleecker Street Records or Other Music to pick up a few Black Lips LPs and maybe a Best Coast album or two. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BUY A CD. If you want to improve your hipsters credentials, you must only buy vinyl, at least one of those records must be by a band that no one has ever heard of. Assure yourself of this by taking the record to the counter and asking,”Have you ever heard of this?” When the reply is no – hey presto, you’ve got your new favourite band.
Later on you can go and hang out at Union Square with the rest of the rat pack. Do not fret if you don’t have a skateboard, just take out your copy of Bukowski’s Post Office and before burying our head within its pretentious pages, shrug to the guy next to you a simple, ‘”got it at the Strand.”
The best way to explore New York is by bicycle. No hipster worth his salt should be seen hopping onto the subway or bus, or worse… into a taxi. Bikes are the only way to travel, and a little fixed gear number should be your new best friend. A fixie is a slang term for bicycles that have drivetrains with one gear that’s fixed to the rear wheel so that you cannot coast and must continue pedalling whenever the bike’s moving. Fixies are among the most simple of bicycles because they don’t require derailleurs, shifters, double- or triple-chainring cranksets, or, in some circumstances, even brakes. Pick up your own at Bicycle Habitat in Soho and then spend the night standing outside bars (but never actually going into them), casually leaning up against your fixie with a bottle of Newkie Brown in your hipster hand. Oh how they will look on in admiration.
Speaking of bars, as the hipster truly comes alive at night, the area known as the BELT (or “below the L train,” which slices through hipster-infested Williamsburg) is where most of New York’s best hipster bars are located. As a general rule, any bar described as Kafka-esque (which means dark and seductive; add that phrase to your hipster glossary), will most likely possess atmosphere and location somewhat irresistible to the urban hipster. Here’s our top five hipster bars in New York:
Bar Reis 375 Fifth Ave., nr 6th St., Park Slope, Brooklyn
With a garden area, basement lounge, and loft-like stage for live acts, former wine bar, Bar Reis, has all the components of an awesome hipster hangout bar.
Cake Shop 152 Ludlow St., nr. Stanton St.
Upstairs are cupcakes and vinyl records (see above for what to purchase there), while downstairs are live bands, adding to cool credentials.
Happy Ending 302 Broome St., nr. Forsythe St.; 212-334-9676.
This bar was once the place where city dwellers would go to get an erotic massage, but now its status as the Lower East Side’s most enduring dance dive means New York’s hippest have made it their second home.
Music Hall of Williamsburg 66 N. 6th St., nr. Wythe Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 212-260-4700.
Northsix may have had a face-lift and name change in 2007, but its constant flow of top-notch indie acts and flowing crowds of hipsters has continued unabated.
Royal Oak 594 Union Ave., at Richardson St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn;
Williamsburg partiers pile into the Royal Oak’s cosy booths, schmoozing about Hemingway and the latest post-modern electro-new wave trance acts they just bought on vinyl.
Not simply content with being home to the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa and the Champs-Élysées, Paris is going futuristic in an effort to make locals and tourists alike jump for joy.
Plans have been unveiled for a new bridge to cross the Seine that is part trampoline, part inflatable and part walkway. It’s all part of the competition ‘Archtriumph’.
The designs show an inflatable border, inside which a trampoline mesh would be stretched. When it’s inflated the ‘bridge’ is raised from the water, and designers AZC say users can simply feel the joyous release of gravity as they bounce across the river.
They say: “It is based on the concept of happiness, something fun and frivolous to combat stressful Paris.”
So what do you think, will the bridge have Parisians jumping for joy?
Part Three of the series from our guest blogger, Liz Bethell on her decision to live in Australia. This week, she talks about summer down under.
January had passed and then we were into February, which is the hottest month. It seemed so strange to have seasons at the opposite ends of the year! I started at my new school and the first week passed quite quickly. I have 22 children in my class and they are certainly a lively bunch! They gave me a good trying out in the beginning but as the weeks went on, I found I was loving them more and more. They have such characters and personalities and the staff are lovely and so friendly. It is a lot more relaxed teaching in Australia than England, in terms of planning and work load, so far anyway, and the curriculum is totally different which takes a bit of getting your head around, but such a fantastic place to be.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
After school we have kept up swimming 20 laps, 4 times a week at the Olympic Pool in Alstonville and then on Friday we went for a meal at our local, The Pioneer Tavern, Wollongbar, with Janette and Shane, two lovely friends we have made. On Sunday we had been invited to the welcome party BBQ for the new exchange teachers up at
Brunswick Heads, about 40mins up the coast from us. We all met by the Australian Flag at the Torcini River at noon and then spent the afternoon meeting other teachers who have exchanged from the UK or Canada and also Australian teachers coming back from the UK.
We spent a day up at Sea World too – Fantastic Day. We saw whales, dolphins and sting rays as well as many more sea creatures. What an amazing day! Jack and Shane really enjoyed soaking people in the boat ride and we all ended up pretty wet! Absolutely gorgeous day too! Soo much to do out here, a lifetime is not long enough!
Seaworld
Then in February I had to go to Sydney for the Exchangees Conference. We listened to talks on living in Australia for the year and the police came in and explained that we shouldn’t speed unless we wanted a $280 fine – about 200GBP!! Then went for a meal in a pub where you buy the raw steak and then cook it yourself on a barbi! Following that, we walked around Sydney Harbour – absolutely amazing by night and then equally beautiful this morning. Opera house was impressive as ever. The Aussie’s seem to use planes like we use trains and buses in the UK, just hop on one and get about!!! Did The Rocks market this morning too, was lovely! Sydney is an amazing place and we will head down there for a couple of days before going home. One thing we plan on doing is the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb- up and over the top!
When I got on the plane, as I walked through to board one of the ground crew asked me if I was prepared to assist them in the event of an emergency! Thought I must have looked ultra efficient until I got on the plane and realised I was on the front row next to the emergency exit, which basically means you have to open it if things go wrong……. Wonder if they knew what they were doing giving me that kind of responsibility…….
Fish Heads Byron Bay
February was pretty hot although there had been a lot of rain. It seemed to stick around 30 degrees. Then there would probably be a storm later to break it up and go a bit cooler. We often think about how lucky we are to be living here. We walk Boomer to the magnificent scenery of hills and stunning rainforest trees around Wollongbar and then I drive to work through beautiful surroundings of rolling hills and lush green scenery. So beautiful, no stress, everything is totally chilled. Australia is certainly the lucky country.
We went and spent a weekend in Yamba, further down the coast. Yamba is supposed to be the most beautiful place in Australia apparently so should be good to see. Although it rained a lot we still had a good time and met some friends. In March we went to the Channon Market at Lismore. The markets are a big thing in the country life
with stalls set out in a very pictoresque fashion. There are clothes stalls, jewellery, massage cubicles, live bands playing, foods from all over the world and so on. So cool. Met a strange man who was dressed in a white wedding dress. Apparently he usually dresses up as a fairy or a baby. He told us he’s the most normal one there and there are some strange ones!! We had a nice coffee and mooch about with friends, Kathleen, Mark and Terese. The market was really lovely.
My birthday approached and we all descended on Fish Heads Restaurant at Byron Bay. Awesome seafood! I had bugs, mussels, prawns and spaghetti. The seafood is really good out here. Janette and Shane said we had to watch a movie called Castle which apparently is almost an initiation to Australia! It was very funny!
The next morning we were off to Lennox Head for breakfast with more friends- Deb and her
husband Thomas. The clock went back in the morning but nobody told the kookaburras, who sing beautifully and very distinctively so instead of waking up at 6am I woke up at 5am! Don’t mind though as the mornings are beautiful.
Koh Samui and Thailand in general is home to some great food and it’s safe to say you’ll never go hungry there. A big plus is you can eat really well for very little, so, go for a run, empty your belly and get hungry for a lip smacking Thai holiday, with our guide to cheap eating Koh Samui.
Thai restaurants
The cheapest way to eat in Koh Samui is to enjoy the local fresh food. There are some fantastic Thai restaurants on the island where you can enjoy local dishes for as little as 50THB a dish. Bear in mind that Thai people understand that we are not as used to food as spicy as they have it and most will ask you how hot you like your food.
Eat on the beach in Chaweng at the Impianaor indulge in a local Thai favourite at Zazen.
All you can eat BBQs
These are an amazingly good value choice. These hot pot restaurants are scattered around the island and you can eat for as little as 109 BHT.
Once you sit down a small BBQ will be brought over to your table. You will be provided with some stock to pour into the moat around the BBQ itself and you cook your own meat or seafood (basically whatever takes your fancy!) You will find unlimited vegetables in the buffet area to put into your broth as well as garlic, chilli, spices and seasoning. The buffet offers a huge selection of different meats and fish to BBQ and you will also find a salad bar, French fries, Spring Rolls, fried rice and other tempting treats to feast on.
All-you-can-eat BBQ’s in Koh Samui also include tea, coffee, cakes, fruit and ice cream that make it one of the best value meal deals in Koh Samui.
Another great place to try something new and for only a few THB is at the Thai temple fairs and markets. Many of the local markets do amazing fried chicken for around 25 THB/ piece that comes with sticky rice and sweet chili sauce.
There is a walking street market in Meanam on Thursday nights and one in Bophut Fisherman’s village on Fridays, both have some great food stalls with all sorts of some of the most deliciously cheap eats in Koh Samui.
Temple parties are good fun and also offer lots of wonderful foods, sounds, sights and smells of Thailand.
Street Vendors
No visit for cheap eating Koh Samui is complete without trying something new. There are lots of street vendors who all offer clean and fresh food as well as noodle soup shops that offer delicious noodle soup for as little as 40 THB.
What to do with an abandoned airport? That’s what the owners of Ciudad Real transport hub were thinking up until very recently.
Built south of Spain’s capital Madrid, it was meant to be a huge rival to the city’s airport, but the business collapsed after three years amid the spiralling economic crisis. Now the airport has found a new use… in an unlikely place. Award winning film maker Pedro Almodovar will use the airport for his newest comedy, featuring none other than Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas.
There’s now a life size model plane on the runway, for a scene of an emergency landing. The so called ghost town airport has seen little activity since it closed in May this year. It’s thought the airport, which is still staffed by a skeleton crew will not return to commercial use any time soon, but with Almodovar, who was born in the municipality of Ciudad Real, getting on board, you never know what the future holds.
