Canillo

Canillo is the largest of Andorra's seven parishes by area and the heart of the Grandvalira ski area. A trip to Canillo takes you to Soldeu with its slopes, to the national shrine of Meritxell, and onto the Roc del Quer viewing platform, which hovers above the valley.

Location and Villages

The parish of Canillo lies in the northeast of the principality along the upper course of the Valira d'Orient and borders France. It includes several villages that stretch up the valley, among them Canillo itself, Meritxell, Ransol, El Tarter, and, at the very top, Soldeu at roughly 1,800 meters (5,900 feet). The landscape is shaped by high valleys, mountain lakes, and peaks above 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). The parish also includes the Vall d'Incles, a green high valley with hiking trails to the Juclar Lakes on the French border.

Sights in Canillo

Soldeu is the gateway to Grandvalira, the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, with more than 200 kilometers (125 miles) of runs stretching all the way to Pas de la Casa. World Cup races are held here in winter. In summer, the area becomes a destination for mountain bikers and hikers. In Meritxell stands the shrine to Andorra's patron saint, a modern building by Ricardo Bofill that was rebuilt after a fire in 1972; her feast day on September 8 is Andorra's national holiday. The Romanesque church of Sant Joan de Caselles, with its bell tower and a stucco figure, is one of the finest Romanesque buildings in the country. Above Canillo, the Roc del Quer juts out, a viewing platform over the abyss, and a Tibetan bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in Europe, spans a gorge. At the Palau de Gel, you can go ice skating.

Food, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit

Mountain huts and restaurants serve trinxat, escudella, lamb chops grilled over charcoal, and crêpes brought over by French visitors. Canillo lies on the main road from Andorra la Vella to the French border; buses connect the villages. There are no airports; the nearest are Barcelona and Toulouse. The best time to visit is December through April for skiing and July through September for hiking.