Escaldes quietly “flows out” of Andorra’s capital, Andorra la Vella. Together they form a commercial and cultural center located in a gorge at an altitude of 1050 meters above sea level, where the climate is always warm and mild.
A bit of history
The name Les Escaldes comes from the many thermal springs, which are famous for their healing hot water with temperatures ranging from +22 °C to +66 °C. The springs have been known since Roman times and have been used for medicinal purposes. Also in the Middle Ages, the textile industry flourished here and the traditions of the Catalan Santa Anna dance developed.
According to wholevehicles, Les Escaldes is one of those places where tradition and modernity are combined. This is noticeable both in everyday life and in sights. Antoni M. Badia i Margarit, rector of the University of Barcelona, said:
The State of Andorra is one of the few examples of a unique combination of ancient traditions and modern technologies.
Antoni M. Badia and Margarit
How to get there
Escaldes can be reached either through Spain or through France. In Barcelona (or Toulouse) you need to transfer to a bus / car and get to Andorra.
Slopes
The nearest skiing opportunity, the lower station of the Pas de la Casa – Grau Roig cable car, is located 5 km from Escaldes (travel time by ski-bus is 15 minutes). A state-of-the-art indoor lift – the Funicamp telecabin will take skiers to Grau Roig in 15 minutes. The distance to Soldeu, where you can start climbing to another skiing area, is 19 km, the travel time by ski-bus is 30 minutes. By regular bus you can get to Ordino (20 km) and Pal – Arinsal (15 km).
Cuisine, restaurants and nightlife
Night entertainment should be sought in the city center, in “alpine” restaurants and discos in ski areas. Escaldes’ most famous restaurants are El Pi and Casa Canut, which offer gourmet cuisine and seafood dishes. For those who still have the strength after conquering the snowy slopes, the resort invites you to a fun Bay-Bay disco. Free time in the town can be devoted to walking around the numerous shops. Fortunately, the capital is also nearby, and, as far as we know, this is the best place in the country for shopping (who is not in the subject, we recall that the Principality of Andorra is a duty-free zone).
Hotels
In Escaldes and the capital of the principality adjacent to it, there is a wide variety of hotels for every taste and budget – from economical three-star hotels to luxurious premium hotels.
Entertainment and attractions in Escaldes
In 1978, Escaldes became the seventh province of Andorra. A little earlier, the city was presented with a monument in honor of the fact that there will be a province. The monument is a Gothic cross that stands in the town square. Opposite is the neo-Romanesque church of Sant Jaume, with beautiful decoration and a Lombard bell tower – a sharp contrast with local buildings.
Escaldes has a unique Perfume Museum, offering visitors a fascinating journey into the world of essences and fragrances.
Thermal water complex in Escaldes ” Caldea “: water games, fountains, geysers, steam shower, cascade of four jacuzzis with hydromassage, sauna, Indo-Roman baths, solarium, gym, jacuzzi, massage rooms, VIP club, bars and restaurants, tennis courts, shopping center. Caldea is open until 23:00.
The Roc del Metge thermal spas are considered one of the hottest in Europe: the water temperature in their pools reaches unchildish +70 °C.
In addition, the unique Perfume Museum has been opened in Escaldes, offering visitors a fascinating journey into the world of essences and fragrances and learn all about the origin of smells and the feelings they evoke. The exposition of the exhibition consists of thousands of flasks with fragrances “marked” by time, in addition, everyone gets the opportunity to become the creator of their own fragrance.
CAEE (Centre d’Art d’Escaldes-Engordany) is located in a historic building, in the space of the Josep Viladomat house. The center’s collection contains an amazing selection of Catalan sculptors. On the second floor of the Arts Center there are temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibition with Romanesque art is located on the third floor. Escaldes also houses the Russian Matryoshka Museum.
3 things to do in Escaldes
- Stock up on cosmetics, perfumes, clothes, shoes and ski equipment – after all, Andorra is a duty-free zone and it is better to come here with a full wallet!
- “Listen” to all the fragrances presented in the Perfume Museum and try not to faint from dizziness!
- Lie in the open-air jacuzzi in the Caldea thermal complex and not get out of it until you are kicked out – you will be provided with an energy boost, but, here, it will not be sweet with buses at eleven o’clock in the morning. Caldea opening hours: from 10:00 to 23:00.
Sant Michel d’Engolasters is a 12th century Romano-Lombard church with a small rectangular nave, a gable roof, a semi-circular apse and a four-sphere dome. The building is characterized by architectural simplicity and a high bell tower. Inside are copies of Romanesque frescoes by the artist Santa Coloma, which date back to the 12th century and are now kept in the National Museum of Catalan Art MNAC in Barcelona. Temple opening hours: from July to August every day from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00. Free tour. The building of a modern building, the so-called Casa Creu house (address: 67 Carlemany Street), is also noteworthy. Architect: Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
