Grandvalira Resorts presents a Christmas programme loaded with events and experiences like the traditional torchlight descent in Soldeu and El Pas de la Casa
Christmas in El Pas de la Casa brings with it Snow tubing by Dots, with Europe's longest slope and speeds of up to 60 km/h
The Grandvalira Resorts ski resorts are decked out and ready to welcome in Christmas on the slopes with a wide range of Christmas and adventure activities for the whole family. Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalís will have 100% of their slopes open at the start of the Christmas period, and Grandvalira is planning to offer over 130 skiable kilometres, which will be extended with the opening of the skiable access from the Peretol sector from Monday the 26th of December. Therefore, all of Andorra's resorts will be offering a Christmas with good conditions and practically fully operational in terms of their gastronomic and musical activities and experiences.
Christmas at Grandvalira Resorts
Grandvalira Resorts will of course be hosting all the typical Christmas events, like the torchlight descents in Soldeu on the 31st December at 6pm, on the Bosc Fosc, Ós and Avet slopes, and in El Pas de la Casa, on the 5th of January at 6pm on the Straight slope. This will be followed by the arrival of the Three Wise Men, who will be welcomed with the traditional procession and a big show with fireworks. Budding skiers, from 6 to 12 years of age, can also participate in the torchlight descent in Soldeu on the 3rd of January.
Santa Claus will be dropping in to the snow gardens in El Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig and Encamp on the 23rd and the schools of Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo on the morning of the 24th so all the boys and girls can tell him their most special wishes for this Christmas. And Christmas at Ordino Arcalís also wouldn't be complete without a visit from Santa Claus. He will be there on the 23rd of December from 10am to 4pm, visiting the Ski School, the snow garden and the restaurants. The resort will also have a letter box so the little ones can post their letters.
Anyone who wants to can go to the sledge and snow garden area of Pal Arinsal to celebrate the "Caga Tió" on the morning of the 24th (Christmas Eve), and the Royal Page will be collecting in the boys' and girls' letters for the Three Wise Men on the 4th of January
Santa Claus has also been in Pal Arinsal this month with one of the season's most special experiences, where children can visit him in his magical grotto in Pal, in the Cow Bella Restaurant. The elves take visitors up by cable car and once there, do fun activities with them, accompanied by music and the magical atmosphere of the surroundings. Through this activity, available till the 22nd of December, more than 1000 children have already been able to deliver their letter to Santa.
Inauguration of Snow tubing by Dots, Europe's longest
One of this season's big revelations, Snow tubing by Dots, located in El Pas de la Casa, will be opening soon and promises to become one of this season's star activities. Snow tubing is where you slide down a slope on a rubber ring at full speed. The track is 350 metres long and is therefore Europe's longest tubing track. It has countless twists and turns and two tunnels that go under the tracks thus increasing the fun and tubers can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. Grandvalira Resorts will be announcing the day on which the activity will be opening to the public soon.
So you can also enjoy the slopes after daylight hours, El Pas de la Casa will be offering night skiing on the La Solana slope, giving skiers the chance to enjoy a ski session under the stars until 8pm. This night option will be available every day from the 26th of December to the 7th of January, and will continue to operate from Thursday to Saturday after the Christmas holidays. Likewise, Sunset Park Henrik Harlaut by night will also be operational from this Wednesday the 21st of December with its normal hours, from Tuesday to Sunday, 3pm to 9pm.
These activities are in addition to those that are normally available like Màgic Gliss and the zip line of the Mon(t) Magic Family Park in Canillo; mushing and snowmobiles in Grandvalira; snowtrikes, the ski simulator and the sledge track in Pal Arinsal, snowmobiles in Ordino Arcalís, and snowshoe excursions in all the resorts, amongst others.
Musical Christmas and après-ski
For its part, L'Abarset will be getting into the Christmas spirit this year with two big events. On the 30th of December, Greenworld will be coming to Grandvalira. Greenworld is an underground electronic music festival that has played host to the world's biggest artists and which will be bringing Italian artist Ilario Alicante; DJ and producer De la Swing, who has become one of the leaders of Europe's tech house scene, and the versatile Arxip to L'Abarset.
The 6th of January, the day of the Three Wise Men, will see another edition of Brunch -In The Snow with the British duo and house music artists of reference Solardo, MAF b2b ONA and Axel Hit. L'Abarset has prepared something special for the occasion which combines entry to the festival with dinner in its restaurant.
The IQOS Terrace will also be a hot spot during the Christmas period. On Saturday the 24th (Christmas Eve), singer Nuria Swan will be livening up the terrace of the Soldeu sector, while Saxophonist Yabloko will be doing the same on Saturday the 31st, both from 12pm to 3:30pm.
Carrying on with the musical side, the terrace of Colibrí Snack-Bar, in the Funicamp area, will be playing host to Patxi Leiva, the Andorran singer-songwriter who is bursting with enthusiasm and good vibes every time she performs, on the 5th of January.
Ordino Arcalís will also be receiving Patxi Leiva, specifically in the Planells Restaurant, on the 27th of December and the 7th of January. Likewise, DJ Yakaay will be laying down some beats on the 25th and 29th of December in Restaurant La Coma, whilst Jorge the Magician will be livening up the terrace of Planells with his close-up magic for all audiences on the 31st of December and the 4th of January.
Offers for the most demanding palates
Grandvalira's three resorts will be offering a wide range of cuisine over the Christmas period, in addition to certain specific options. The Gourmet Picnic sensory experience product, in Grandvalira's Soldeu and El Tarter sectors, will give diners the opportunity to lose themselves in the Andorran mountains and enjoy tasting sessions for couples, groups of friends or families with the season's best gourmet products, taking place in the resort's most unexplored, secret locations; the perfect way to experience the most idyllic Christmas settings. Additionally, Jean Leon's Wine and Meat Bar will be joining the other dining options from the 27th to the 30th of December, and from the 2nd to the 4th of January, to offer a unique 360º experience in the snow.
Other Grandvalira restaurants you can make dinner reservations with are Refugi del Llac de Pessons, the Vodka Bar and L'Abarset Those who love good food should also consider visiting the Restaurant Coll de la Botella in Pal, the new restaurants in the Arinsal sector, Niu, Terroir and Piccolo, and Restaurant La Coma in Ordino Arcalís.
Forfait Plus+
Forfait Plus+, a pass that allows you to ski in all three Andorran resorts, Grandvalira, Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalís, using a single card, is now available once again. It works on a pay per use basis, i.e. you activate it the first time you go up each day without needing to go via the ticket office. It is a pass that is in high demand with people who want to ski in Grandvalira Resorts on different days, be they consecutive or otherwise, because it offers a 15% discount off the ticket office price from the second day, amongst other advantages you can check out at website.
Grandvalira Programme:
- 23rd December, from 10am to 1pm: visit by Santa Claus in the Snow Gardens in Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig and Encamp.
- 24th December (Christmas Eve), at 11am: visit by Santa Claus to the Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo schools.
- 30th December: Greenworld Festival at L'Abarset.
- 31st December, at 6pm: Torchlight Descent in Soldeu, meeting at 5:30pm at the cable car station in Soldeu (registration at the Soldeu school). Route: Bosc Fosc, Ós and Avet slopes.
- 3rd January, at 6:30pm: Light Descent (Soldeu) for children aged 6-12. Route: Bosc Fosc, Ós and Avet slopes.
- 5th January, from 12pm to 1:30pm: Patxi Leiva in Colibrí (Funicamp area).
- 5th January, at 6pm: Torchlight Descent (Pas de la Casa), Procession and fireworks.
- 6th January: Brunch –In The Snow at L’Abarset.
Pal Arinsal Programme:
- 24th December, from 10:30am to 3pm: "Caga Tió" in Pal (between the sledges and the snow garden).
- 4th January, from 10:30am to 3pm: Royal Page in Pal (between the sledges and the snow garden).
Ordino Arcalís Programme:
- 23rd December, from 10am to 4pm: visit by Santa Claus to the Ski School, snow gardens and the resort's restaurants.
- 25th December, from 12pm to 3pm: DJ Yakaay session in La Coma.
- 27th December, from 12:30pm to 2:30pm: Musical performance by Patxi Leiva in Planells.
- 29th December, from 12pm to 3pm: DJ Yakaay session in La Coma.
- 31st December and 4th January, from 12:30pm to 2:30pm: Close-up magic with Jorge the Magician in Planells.
- 7th January, from 12:30pm to 2:30pm: Musical performance by Patxi Leiva in Planells.
About Grandvalira Resorts
Grandvalira Resorts Andorra brings together all the ski resorts in Andorra in the largest and most modern ski area in the Pyrenees and one of the most extensive in Europe, with a total of 303 km of slopes. The best of Ordino Arcalís, Pal Arinsal and Grandvalira in a single ski pass, giving access to a total of 123 ski lifts, with the longest ski season and a summer full of activities, sport and nature.