Sitting in the beautiful Pyrenees, Andorra is located halfway between France and Spain. It's a great alternative to the busier and sometimes costly slopes of France. Famous for its dramatic scenery, duty-free shopping, and young, lively nightlife, Andorra is perfect for groups looking for a good time.

Though smaller than other ski areas, Andorra has worked tirelessly to upgrade their facilities, meaning they now have excellent high speed lifts and wonderful piste grooming and maintenance. Like most places that attract a young crowd, snowboarding is big here and most resorts have cool terrain parks and half pipes. All kinds of bars and clubs really come alive at night, the resorts buzzing both on and off the slopes.

With the new upgrades, new snow parks and better snow making facilities, Andorra can offer great varied skiing. While the gentle well-groomed terrain and impressive ski schools favour beginners, experts can test themselves on the good reds and blacks and the forest off-piste. Arinsal is a typical Andorran resort, a mix of smart new hotels and quaint water fountains where locals still fetch the pristine water. Now linked to Pal, it offer 65 km of pistes, mainly blue and red.

Pas de la Casa is the biggest resort, and as part of the Grandvalira area, gives you access to 192 km of pistes. Pas de la Casa itself doesn't offer great expert skiing, but has three beautiful valleys and a wicked terrain park. Nearby picturesque Soldeu has a relaxed ambience, is exceptional value for money and there's lots to do off-slope, day and night. Great value, plenty of sunshine, fast-paced nightlife and great beginner areas mean Andorra is the perfect escape for first timers, those looking for a cheap ski holiday, and large groups.