The closest airports to Soldeu and the other Grandvalira resorts in Andorra are Toulouse in France, and Girona and Barcelona in Spain. Private transfers from the airport to the ski resort are easily arranged and take between 2 and 3...
Soldeu
Soldeu is the best all-round ski resort in Andorra. Situated at 1800m above sea level in the centre of Grandvalira, the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, Soldeu has more pistes and lifts, and higher ski slopes, than most Alpine resorts, and is often less expensive too!
Dominated by the Calbo family who have built many of its hotels and restaurants, Soldeu is the centre of Andorran skiing. It lies at the heart of the country’s largest ski area, Grandvalira, which stretches from Pas de la Casa near the French border via Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter and Canillo, all the way to Encamp in the middle of the country. Since 2018 the Grandvalira lift pass has also covered Ordino-Arcalis, a small but high ski area a bus ride away, but well worth a visit from expert skiers, because it has the best powder snow for off-piste skiing, and is the freeriding and ski touring capital of Andorra.
Most visitors to Soldeu however will have little reason to get on that bus, because they have all the skiing they want on their doorstep. There are about 75 lifts, 135 runs, 200 km of piste and 3 freestyle parks to choose from in this main part of Grandvalira – more than enough to keep most skiers and boarders busy for at least a week. And to get the most out of such a large area, it’s a definite advantage to stay near the centre of it, which is where Soldeu is.
Grandvalira is not only a large ski area, it’s a high one too, with all the skiing above 1700m and most of it above 2000m. The average height for the ski area as a whole is therefore well above that of most resorts in the Alps or the Pyrenees, and this, plus its general north-facing orientation and plenty of artificial snow-making, means that most of the pistes remain skiable from Christmas through to Easter.
Like all Andorran resorts, Soldeu is a good place to learn to ski with excellent nursery slopes and some easy green slopes to progress onto. The sheer size of the ski area, however, means that intermediate-level skiers will get the most out of it. And whilst advanced skiers will probably want to get on that bus to Ordino-Arcalis, there are some challenges closer to home, such as the steep black piste called Avet, plus several freeride zones and ungroomed ‘Canals’ (the local word for ‘couloirs’).
Soldeu’s apres-ski and nightlife is similarly middle of the road. It’s neither a quiet charming mountain village, nor a lively party-resort like its neighbour Pas de la Casa, but something in between. Parts of it are quite chic and luxurious, with one five-star hotel and several four star ones, but mostly it’s just a series of affordable hotels and apartments, strung out along a road opposite the slopes and lifts, with enough bars, restaurants, ski schools and shops in between them to give skiers and boarders everything they need for an enjoyable winter sports holiday at a reasonable price.
Helpful Links
- Accommodation in Soldeu. Hotels, Chalets, Self-Catering Apartments, Package Holidays, Where to stay… Read more >
- How to get to Soldeu. Nearest Airports and Railway Stations, Airport Transfers, Hire Cars… Read more >
- Ski Schools & Guides in Soldeu. Ski & Snowboard Schools, Mountain Guides, Private Instructors… Read more >
- Discounted Ski & Snowboard Rental in Soldeu:
- ALPINRESORTS.com works with several ski hire shops in Soldeu and throughout Andorra and can secure big discounts if you book online in advance here
- SKISET also has an outlet in the resort and it too gives discounts if you book online here
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Soldeu and its neighbour El Tarter have excellent 5-star and 4-star hotels. But there are cheaper hotels too, and plenty of self-catering apartments. Hotels and Apartments in and around Soldeu Below are some recommended hotels and apartments. You can use...
Across Grandvalira there are now 450 instructors working in its six centres - Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter, Canillo and Encamp – so you’ll have no problem finding ski instructors or ski guides who speak the...
Soldeu Ski Area Historically, the six village resorts that make up the “Grand Valley” were unable or unwilling to cooperate with each other meaning that, potentially, you needed a different pass for Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El...
Soldeu Ski Lifts & Passes All the ski lifts in Grandvalira have both a code and a name. There are 64 ski lifts – 1 funitel (twin cable car), 3 cable cars, 14 detachable high-speed chair lifts, 16 fixe grip...
Soldeu Advanced For those who fancy clocking up 193km in one day there is the new Explore Grandvalira tour itinerary which gives you the option to cover the whole ski area from Pas de la Casa to El Forn which...
Soldeu Beginners The Grandvalira region has a total of 18 green runs and 38 blue of which 6 green runs and 13 blue are above Soldeu. There is a "beginner zone" next to the ski school at Espiolets at the...
Soldeu Boarding & Freestyle There’s no restriction on snowboarding within the Grandvalira which is keen to be “cool” and increasingly the authorities are investing to expand and improve the existing snowparks and freestyle circuits. Already there are 8 freestyle areas...
Soldeu Mountain Restaurants Grandvalira has 33 on-mountain eating and drinking places offering a wider range of cuisine and eating experiences, from full-service restaurants to cafeterias and small huts where you can easily pit stop without even taking off your skis....
Soldeu Village Soldeu was until recently a farming village on either side of the busy main road CG2 that runs northeast-southwest through Andorra. Skiing started here in 1924 and thanks to the Calbo family (who built the Esports Calbo hire...
Soldeu Restaurants & Bars Traditionally Andorrans eat out in bordas (farmhouse restaurants) but there are few of these left in the resorts. Much more typical is The Villager behind the cable car station which offers essentially British fare (chips) and...
Soldeu Other Activities Ski hire is available from Esqui Cablo (376 851 500) and Esports Pic Negre (376 851 580) both off the mains street and Serveis de Neu (376 869 570) in the basement of Abhotel Piolets. Useful phone...