Andorra la Vella
Andorra la Vella, the capital of the principality and its largest town, sits at an elevation of just over 1000m (3280ft). It's surrounded by mountains up to 2400m (7870ft) high. Unfortunately, the town itself is given over almost entirely to the retailing of duty-free electronics and luxury goods.
While it's more likely to recall the clang and clatter of a bustling Asian marketplace than it is the grace and elegance of Europe's grand old capitals, happily not all the vestiges of its 1100 year history have succumbed to the jackhammer.
In the Les Escaldes suburb east of Andorra la Vella, Caldea is an enormous complex of pools, hot tubs and saunas enclosed in what looks like a futuristic cathedral. Fed by natural thermal springs, the spa complex centres on a 600 sq metre (6450 sq ft) lagoon kept at a constant 32°C (89°F). It's a welcome bit of warmth after a hard day's frolicking in the snow. Visitors can further soak up the serenity with a hydromassage or a dip in the Turkish baths, both of which are included in the three hour entrance ticket.
Caldea is open daily at Parc de la Mola 10, about a 2km (1.5mi) walk from Plaça Guillemó in Andorra la Vella. Tickets are available at tourist offices.
Encamp
The town of Encamp has one of Andorra's few museums, the Museu Nacional de l'Automòbil, which exhibits about 100 cars dating from 1898 to 1950 as well as scores of antique motorcycles and bikes. Just a short walk north of town is the Església Sant Romà de les Bons, which dates from the 12th century.
The Romanesque frescoes in the apse are reproductions of the originals, which are tucked away in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona. Encamp's popular local resorts, Soldeu-El Tarter and Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig, are privy to some of the best skiing in Andorra.
Ordino
As Andorran villages go, Ordino is a big one, but despite some development (a British vacation home boom), it remains peaceful and traditional in character. The highlight of the town itself is the Museu d'Areny i Plandolit, the ancestral home to the country's illustrious Areny Plandolits family.
In the parish's far north-western corner, the Ordino-Arcalís ski area offers some decent skiing and snowboarding in the snowy season and some of Andorra's most rewarding hikes when the sun comes back. A number of peaks in the area top 2800m (9200ft).
