Five ideas for family activities in Andorra to escape a sedentary lifestyle

Andorra la VellaWith the arrival of the holidays, it's time to plan a getaway or outdoor activity with the little ones at home. The search for summer ideas begins, allowing us to escape the high temperatures and avoid the sofa at the same time. We'll save the movie and popcorn plan for next winter, and now it's time to enjoy our surroundings, discover new landscapes, and get away from the urban routine. To make it easy, we suggest five ideas for simple routes and shady plans to do as a family.

After a race against time course it is important to stop because, as physical educator and dietitian Astrid Barqué says, “sharing leisure time and physical activity is fundamental to creating bonds. The priority should not be to do great workouts or complicated routes, just to enjoy and for the little ones to feel included. That is why a good way to start is with the simple and familiar routes offered in all tourist offices”. However, Barqué warns us that “a point comes when the children pull more than us and our job will be to keep up with them”.

Without going too far, in Andorra, you can find one of the most family-friendly itineraries to start hiking. It is the route "Els amics de l'Estevet" which leads us into the Obac forest, located in Andorra la Vella itself. The path goes through different stages where there are games and challenges to discover the species and insects of the area. The route is circular and simple, it is less than two kilometers long and there are few difficulties on the route. "These types of activities with games are perfect for starting to walk," says the physical educator.

For those looking for a more adventurous option with no difficulties along the route, in Andorra you can also opt for the Tibetan Bridge of Canillo, where there is the excitement of heights and, at the same time, access that is fully prepared for children. Despite the impression of crossing a suspension bridge, it is a short and easy excursion with a free bus that goes right to the bridge and a previous walk of one kilometer to the start of the walkway (children up to 5 years old get in for free).

And what if the children don't want to follow us? According to Astrid Barqué, “water activities always work, in the end children need to do things and that's why it's important to plan it. A good solution is to combine sports: for example, if we like to go for a run, the children can accompany us on skates or by bicycle. There are more and more spaces designed for active life such as skate parks or pump tracks (a circuit of bumps)”.

A good strategy is to combine outdoor excursions with cooler afternoons in the shade and inside a museum. There are quite a few interactive museum options that include activities and games for children, such as the Bici Lab in Andorra. This cultural space houses a large collection of over 300 historical bicycles and immersive experiences like a virtual reality simulator that allows us to experience the sensation of cycling through the mountains. A visit designed for all audiences and so accessible that we can even go with babies.

Simple walks, museums, and proposals for an active lifestyle that can help us make the most of our holidays and open the door to discovering new activities to do as a family throughout the year.