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Arinsal has apres-ski and nighlife to suit most tastes, so here is a rundown of the bars to give you a flavour of what is out there. Bar owners/managers, please get in touch if you want us to add to or edit your listing, or if you are interested in a sponsored listing with more detailed information.
El Derbi - The Derby Irish Pub
Arinsal's Irish bar is a short distance from the Gondola and has Videoski footage from the slopes (and DVDs for sale), pub games and live music. British and Irish footie and rugby matches shown live.
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The Derby Website
Ciscos cave bar is built into the rock in the old part of the town opposite the Gondola. Popular with English and Spanish speakers alike, with various themed nights (80s Disco, Ladies Night) and pub games.
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Apres ski and sports bar close to the slopes. Popular with English speakers. Video footage from the slopes and live sports on the big screen. Occasional live music.
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Loud and lively bar popular with English and Irish visitors. Free toasties apres ski. Pub games, occasional live music, videos from the slopes. Theme nights include the Beach Party and Arinsal's legendary 70s night.
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Ambient nightspot with resident DJs from the Andorra Sound Project. Videos from the slopes.
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Apres ski the Surf shows videos from the slopes, and the restaurant is well knows for it's steaks. However the venue is best known for the discotheque which starts to get lively after midnight and carries on until four or later. Ibiza DJs appear from time to time and house beats are the order of the day (night). Very popular with Spanish speakers.
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A friendly bar well placed directly opposite the Gondola. Formerly more of a cocktail bar and restaurant, it has expanded over the last couple of years and now has an upstairs restaurant and downstairs bar. There is still an excellent cocktail menu, but it is also a lively apres ski bar with varied entertainment later in the evenings.
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The large bar below the Hotel Solana is sometimes lively with part nights, big screen sports, and pub games. It is popular with Spanish speakers at weekends.
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Latest Posts on the Message Forum |
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Latest News |
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11th May 2010
The Vallnord area will re-open for the summer season on June 5th. Planned events for June include the Bike Park opening weekend, 5th-6th June, the Maxiavalanche mountain bike downhill, 12th-13th, the Andorra Ultra Trail, 26th-27th, and the Andorran Police and Firefighters' Games beginning on the 29th.
Summer activities in and around the Arinsal/Vallnord area include downhill, cross-country and trials mountain biking (accessed via ski lifts), hiking, fishing, 4x4 trips, via-ferrata, 8 wheel amphibian driving, quad biking, pony treking, canyoning, bungee jumping, and more. See the Vallnord website or
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25th March 2010
After this week we have two more weeks of skiing before Arinsal and Pal close for the season on 11th April. Arcalis will remain open until the 18th. In spite of a recent spell of warm weather and some rainy days there is still plenty of snow on the pistes, enough to last well past the closing date.
All in all it has been a good season. New snowmaking and good management of the snow have meant that La Capa and Les Marades, two runs wich were previously very susceptible to snow and wind conditions, have been open throughout the length of the season. Snow conditions have been good, with regular snowfall topping up the pistes, although there has not been quite as much sunshine as we might have liked. So far we have not had a single closed day this season, and there was only one last winter.
Of course Arinsal is still here in the summer, and the main ski lifts will re-open after a break to transport hikers, sight-seers and mountain bikers into the mountains. There are many activities on offer in Andorra in summer - watch this space for a run-down of what is available.
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Number One's Report |
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It always snows in April in Andorra that has been true for the last 26 years that I have been here. This year we had three falls during the first week of April, so we have been enjoying good skiing for the past week. It has been very busy during this week, as a lot of Portuguese arrived and gave work to the Spanish speaking instructors. Some of the English speaking ones left early as they thought that there would be no work for them this week. One is on his way back to Australia for their winter season. We needed you Dingo, have a great season down under.
Now that the season is over, I have been thinking what I shall miss in Arinsal and what I am looking forward to in England. Of course, I will miss the skiing and the great holiday atmosphere in the village. I will miss my many friends that I will not see again until December. I must also mention the tremendous hospitality of all the staff at the Palarine, especially Graham, Maria, Stuart (BBA) and the lovely newcomer, Daniela.. And finally free skiing with my good friend Corinne. What I will NOT miss is the smoky bars. Andorra still permits smoking in bars and restaurants. They will eventually catch up with the rest of Europe, after all they have allowed women to vote since 1970.
Now, for the things that I am looking forward to in England. Firstly, seeing my wife and daughter, Alexandra. A pint of real ale in a smoke free pub.. Seeing this year’s spring flowers. This year they are late appearing in Andorra.. Usually I see crocus, hepatica, grape hyacinths and hellebore before I leave Andorra.
This will be my last report until next season, unless I hear something interesting about Arinsal, before next winter. Bye for now and have a great summer.
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Last week I attended an instructor’s refresher course in the nearby resort of Soldeu. This course was both enjoyable and informative. When the course finished, we like many other skiers, decided to go for an “après ski” beer. We went into the Aspen Bar, an ordinary bar but very conveniently situated in the main street. I was shocked to be charged €6 for two bottles of local beer. Back in Arinsal you would have been charged €2-50 for the same round in the Palarine during après ski. Two pints of the same beer on draught would have cost you €3 in Cisco’s and there, they would have offered you free nachos. Soldeu has an extensive ski area and is a much larger village. Many people have said that it is not as friendly as Arinsal. Now I have decided that it is also a lot more expensive, especially The Aspen Bar.
Enough of me complaining about the price of beer in Soldeu, let me tell you about the great spring skiing that we have been enjoying in Arinsal. The past week has been very warm and sunny. This means that the snow is very slushy by the late afternoon but we have enjoyed great skiing in the mornings and higher up the mountain during the lunch time. We had a fresh fall of snow on the 1st of April and it was a lot colder, so the skiing was great for the whole day. We have very few British skiers in the resort but quite a few Spanish enjoying the Easter holidays.
Next week is the last of the season, and then it is back to England for the summer. I am always sad at the end of the season but I am looking forward to seeing my family again.
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During Your Stay 
