what-to-do-massana-andorra
The Pyrenean principality of Andorra is made up of seven different parishes so, if you’re going on a holiday in Andorra, you’ll want to know a bit more about each as you decide where to stay. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at La Massana, Andorra’s fourth-largest – or fourth-smallest, depending on which way you look at it – parish. We’ll start off by discussing the best things to see in La Massana, Andorra, before moving on to a few of the top activities which you can do.
Discover what to see in La Massana
Explore the old quarter of La Massana, Andorra
La Massana is the name of the parish and also the name of its largest town. When you’re there, you’ll want to check out the old quarter and its centuries of history. There are traditional old houses which have been there for years, while some of the cosiest bars and restaurants of La Massana serve some of the best Andorran food you’ll try.
Spend time at the Rossell Forge
There are several interesting museums and centres in La Massana, Andorra, one of them being the Rossell Forge, also known as the Iron Interpretation Centre. Here, you’ll find a completely restored forge which you can visit, while tour guides will explain how important this forge and ironwork was to Andorra’s industrial past. There is a full Iron Trail in Andorra, referred to locally as the Ruta del Ferro, and the guides at the Rossell Forge can share all kinds of information for those interested in this aspect of Andorran history.
Visit the La Massana Comic Museum
Finding yourself in one of Andorra’s most historic parishes, you probably wouldn’t expect to come across a comic book museum… but there is one! The La Massana Comic Museum, also called the Joan Pieras Museum, is small but boasts a vast collection of old comic books, including rare editions, as well as original artwork. Even if you don’t speak Catalan, there might be something for you here, or you can at least appreciate the artwork.
Discover what to do in La Massana
Walk there from Andorra la Vella
It’s important to note that the distance from Andorra la Vella to La Massana is short, approximately six kilometres, with the capital city located right beside the parish of La Massana. As such, one of the best ways to discover the parish is to walk there, especially if your Andorra accommodation is in Andorra la Vella. The La Massana Andorra la Vella route is also known as the Camí Ral, so simply look up this route during your visit.
Climb Andorra’s highest peak, the Comapedrosa
If you like hiking and if the weather is right during the time of your visit, you might want to tackle the Comapedrosa, which is Andorra’s highest peak at 2,942 meters above sea level. Of course, it’s important that you have mountain climbing experience if you want to climb to the top. Even if you don’t want to go all the way to the highest point, the Comapedrosa Nature Park which surrounds the mountain has other routes and nature worth exploring.
Take to the La Massana Andorra ski slopes
When discussing La Massana, we have to talk about the ski slopes of Pal Arinsal, one of the ski resorts which makes up Grandvalira Resorts Andorra. This is one of the top ski resorts in Europe, so going skiing is absolutely one of the favourite things to do in La Massana, Andorra. This entire country is known for its love of mountain sports, and La Massana is one of the heartlands for ski enthusiasts.