PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)
Main places:
Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa
PICK OF THE WEEK: Monday, 16th December – Sunday, 22nd December, 2019
MUSIC
Monday, 16th December at 21.30h at the Hotel Màgic, La Massana. (Free) Vibrand Concert in Clau de Soul. Every Monday you have an appointment with the best live music. Start the week enjoying ‘Magic Mondays’ and the best atmosphere! The band will play the songs you like most by artists such as Sting, Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Bruno Mars, among many others. Come and dance while we sing funk, soul, reggae, swing and jazz.
Thursday, 19th December at 21:30h at the Hard Rock Cafe, Andorra la Vella. (Free) Hard Rock Cafe Concerts: Relative Music. Concert with the collaboration of the School of Relative Music.
Thursday, 19th December at 20.30h at the Hotel Piolets Centre Soldeu, Canillo. (Free) Vibrand Concert in Clau de Soul. Every Thursday you can enjoy live music and the best atmosphere in Soldeu! The band will play the songs you like most from artists such as Sting, Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Bruno Mars. Come and dance while we sing funk, soul, reggae, swing and jazz!
Friday, 20th December at 21h at Les Fontetes Theatre, La Massana. (10€ from the La Massana Tourist Office) Christmas Concert by the Opera of Andorra Choir.
Friday, 20th December at 21.30h at El Cabin, Arinsal. (Free) The Shuffle Express in concert. You can’t miss the musical Friday nights at El Cabin! You will enjoy the best atmosphere of Arinsal to the best blues rhythms!
Friday, 20th December maybe at 22.30h (check by ringing 821 815) at the café-teatre La Fada Ignorant, Andorra la Vella. Concerts at La Fada: Joan Blau
Saturday, 21st December at 21.30h at Anyós Park, La Massana. Vibrand concert in Clau de Soul. The best proposal for Saturday! If you like live music while you enjoy the gastronomy of the country, we are waiting for you at Anyós Park! A trip that is born of soul and goes through different musical styles playing the songs that you like the most! Soul, funky, R & B, jazz, reggae, bag …, by artists such as Sting, Jamiroquai, Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Bruno Mars.
Saturday, 21st December maybe at 22.30h (check by ringing 821 815) at the café-teatre La Fada Ignorant, Andorra la Vella. Concerts at La Fada: Indomable
Sunday, 22nd December at 12h at the Ordino Parish church. Christmas Concert by the Coral Casamanya.
Sunday, 22nd December at 12.45h at the Parish Church of San Iscle and Santa Victoria, La Massana. Carol Concert by the Chorales San Antonio and Les Orenetes de la Massana
Sunday, 22nd December at 20h at the café-teatre La Fada Ignorant, Andorra la Vella. Concerts at La Fada: Sick Goats.
CINEMA
Monday 16th and Wednesday, 18th December at 20h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. Jumanji: The Next Level. Directed by Jake Kasdan. Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart. The Story: In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world’s most dangerous game.
Thursday, 19th December at 20h at the Cinemas Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany, Les éblouis (in French – called The Dazzled in English) Directed by Sarah Suco. Starring: Camille Cottin, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Éric Caravaca. The Story: (The film is based on the true story of the director Sarah Suco). Camille, 12, passionate about circus, is the eldest of a large family. One day, her parents enter a religious community based on sharing and solidarity in which they invest fully. The girl must accept a way of life that calls into question her desires and her own torments. Gradually, regimentation becomes sectarian. Camille will have to fight to assert her freedom and save her brothers and sisters.
CONFERENCES/TALKS (In Catalan un less otherwise stated. A chance to improve your language skills.)
Wednesday, 18th December at 21h in La Valireta, Encamp. A Talk on cinematography. What is cinematic language? plus a screening of the short films: Wolves and Le Blizzard. The conference room of La Valireta will be the setting for the talk by the young director Álvaro Rodríguez. The event will be used to discover, through the director, the creative process of making a short film. Attendees will also enjoy the screening of Rodríguez’s two short films Wolves and Le Blizzard selected for more than 100 international short film festivals.
Wolves is the first short film by Alvaro Rodríguez. Made in 2016, it features Andorran actor Isak Férriz. Wolves was selected in 110 international festivals, including the Sitges Festival, the largest fantasy genre festival in the world for the Official section. Wolves, which won 10 awards, is set in WWII and tells the story of Arthur, a British Royal Air Force pilot flying through the field after crashing his plane. Thus begins a fight to survive in which you will run into more than just German enemies.
Le Blizzard was shot in December 2017 and stars Goya nominee Aida Folch. Its premiere was at the Sitges Festival. To date, the short film has been selected at more than 100 international festivals in more than 35 countries. It is noteworthy that Le Blizzard has been present at the three major fantasy film festivals in the world: Sitges, Fantasia (Canada) and Screamfest (Hollywood, U.S.A. ) and has been selected at Oscar-winning festivals such as Sitges and the Odense Festival, and has won up to four nominations for the Silver Méliès for Best European Fantasy Short. This film is also set in WWII, and tells the story of Marie, who wakes up wounded and disoriented in the midst of a snowstorm. In front of her, a mysterious forest separates her from her daughter.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS and VILLAGES.
ANDORRA LA VELLA’s ANNUAL CHRISTMAS VILLAGE AND MARKET from Friday, 29th November – Sunday, 29th December
Events are scattered around the capital with the market in the Plaça del Poble, the ice toboggan down by Santa Maria del Fener church, other things in the Plaça de Guillermó.
El Poblet de Nadal brings magic and delight to Andorra la Vella. A set of spectacular proposals will fill the streets with animation, games, colour and an enchanting atmosphere that will help us live the Christmas holidays with more intensity.
CHILDREN (All children’s activities are in Catalan unless otherwise stated.).
Monday, 16th December at 18h in the Ordino library: Storytime.
Tuesday, 17th December at 18h in the Escaldes-Engordany Communal Library. (For families with children aged from 3 to 5. For Reservations, ring +376 802 256 or email [email protected] .) Lots of stories for little readers … Storytelling: Christmas Tales with Grandma Nona played by the actress Jèssica Casal. Grandma Nona loves to tell stories but has a small problem: she falls asleep easily. The only way to keep herself awake is by reading her Christmas story book. Can you help her?
Tuesday, 17th December at 17.30h at the Bebeteca, Ordino. Moms Storyteller in English.
Thursday, 19th – Monday, 23rd December from 16h –19h in the village of Pal, La Massana – 42°32’43.2″N 1°28’29.9″E. (Price of the activity: adults 50€ / children 25€.) Visit to Father Christmas’ house. How many times have you dreamed of visiting Father Christmas’ house? And if it also happens to be in a beautiful place in the middle of the woods of Pal and the majestic mountains of La Massana such as the Cardemeller Bordes? The activity includes: Snowshoe excursion, hot chocolate and the visit to Father Christmas’ house.
Saturday, 21st December from 12h – 14h and from 16.30h – 20h at the Palau de gel ice rink of Andorra in Canillo. (Recommended minimum age: 4 years. Admission: 17€ – includes entrance to the workshops, rental of equipment and hot chocolate with coca. The goblins are here! Come and experience the training of Santa’s goblins at the Ice Palace. Have fun doing a lot of activities on the ice rink with the goblins !! Don’t forget to come equipped with long pants, long socks, jacket and gloves.
Saturday, 21st December at 17h and 18:30h at the Teatre Communal, Andorra la Vella. (Adult tickets: 4€. accompanying Children free.) ‘Chimera’ Puppets by La Guilla Theatre. The characters of this story will enter a new world of dreams and illusions, where nothing can be and everything is possible. A place without mobiles or internet connections. A world where only the imagination has a place. Please be punctual. Once the performance begins the entrance will be closed.
Saturday, 21st December from 10.30h – 13h at the Comapredosa Interpretation Centre, Arinsal. (Family activity. Limited places. Register: [email protected]). Christmas Wreath Workshop. Learn how to make effective, and above all, inexpensive Christmas wreaths with reused materials, Christmas motifs, stars, pompoms, etc., to decorate the front door and make the whole neighbourhood jealous!
Until Sunday, 5th January 2020 at Cal Pal, La Cortinada, Ordino. Christmas in Cal Pal. Discover in Cal Pal how Christmas used to be lived and how it is celebrated in other parts of the world! In addition there are free children’s activities from 16h – 18h on Saturdays 21st and 28th December and 4th January with the storyteller Carol Caubet, and with many surprises! We open every Saturday from 10h – 14h and 15h – 19h and Sunday from 10h – 14h from 21st December every day until 5th January (except 25th and 26th December and 1st January).
NOTES FOR YOUR DIARY: Stand by! There are no less that nine events taking place on Christmas Eve, with Father Christmas visiting Canillo, Encamp, Pas de la Casa and La Massana and maybe more. And then there is Lessons and Carols (see below) and, at midnight, the traditional Missa de Gall (Cockerel Mass) in Andorra’s parish churches. Will give exact information in the Update.
Christmas holiday activities for boys and girls from Monday, 23rd December – Wednesday, 8th January, 2020 at the Esplai Els Estels de Canillo i Punt Jove, Canillo. Book by phoning 753 635 or 753 632.
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
See also France travel guide
See also Spain travel guide
