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 STARTING 15TH MAY 2017
Well, what an amazing cultural celebration the coming week promises to be. Saturday is so full of activities I can’t decide what to choose: 5 concerts, 8 events at the Diversity Festival as well as an all-day smorgasbord of international cuisine. Then there’s a workshop on Japanese printing in Ordino, 10 events at La Massana’s Andoflora, a puppet show and art workshop for children, or you could head for the government art gallery for a glass of vermouth and a chat with the artist Arranz-Bravo. An amazing little country!
MUSIC
CONCERT DE LA DIVERSITAT: Saturday, 20th May at 18.30 sung by the ORFEÓ ANDORRÀ and COR INTERNACIONAL. The two choirs once more come together to offer a concert of songs from around the world: folk songs and traditional, Gospel and classical in Catalan, Spanish, English and Italian.
COR DEL ROC D’ENCAMP with BLACK THURSDAY. Saturday, 20th May at 21h in the Sala de Festes of the Sports Centre, Encamp. (10€) The young choir are shortly off to New York where they’ll be singing at the UN and in Times Square. So, as well as enjoying singing for you, they’re also hoping to help pay for the trip.
ANNUAL CONCERT OF CANÒLICH. Saturday, 20th May at 22h in the Centre Cultural of Sant Julià de Lòria (Free) with the massed choirs of the Llar de Lòria, els Petits Cantaires Lauredians, l’Orfeó Andorrà i la Coral Rocafort.
JONCA SPRING CONCERT A la Natura! Sunday, 21st May at 12h at the National Auditorium, Ordino (5€ in advance from onca.ad or 8€ at the door.) Directed by Albert Gumí, this is an annual concert where the JONCA (Jove Orchestra Nacional de Cambra d’Andorra) with pupils from all the country’s music schools get together to show off their abilities. This year they will be playing music by Ravel, Elgar, Joaquim Serra, Dvorák, Toldrá and Vaughan Williams.
CINEMA
ALIEN COVENANT (for over 16s) Monday 15th – Wednesday, 17th May at 20h and Thursday, 18th May at 19.15 at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. Directed by Ridley Scott, starring Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup. The story: The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.
FESTIVALS (ask at your nearest tourist office for the brochures showing the full programmes of these festivals.)
A WEEK OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY with some nine or ten of Andorra’s cultural associations taking part culminating, on Saturday, with an amazing day of non-stop entertainment. The main parade with people in national costume and led by the capital’s two papier-mâché Giants leaves PLAÇA DE LA ROTONDA at 11.30. From 12h onwards, in the PLAÇA GUILLEMÓ, you’ll be able to watch groups from the ‘Cases’ or Houses, of Peru, Philippines, Chile, Equatoria, Spain, Portugal, Russia and more, dancing, singing, the Russian’s playing the wooden spoons and all whilst sampling the national specialities being sold from the associations’ stands.
ANDOFLORA
From Friday 19th to Sunday, 21st May, all day in the plaça de les Fontetes. Little wooden booths form a miniature village in the square which is the hub of non-stop activity over the weekend. They will be selling plants and foods, offering creative workshops for children and there’ll be lots of dancing and singing as well.
Culturally yours,
Clare
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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
See also France travel guide
See also Spain travel guide
