Living in Ordino: the quiet parish

Who lives there and what it is like

Ordino is the smallest parish by population and the quietest. It occupies the northern valley above La Massana, and it has kept more of its old stone villages than the rest of the country: Ordino town itself, Ansalonga, La Cortinada, Llorts and El Serrat, strung along the road that climbs towards the Arcalís ski area. The pace is slow, the setting is green in summer and snowy in winter, and there is little through traffic because the valley leads nowhere else.

It is popular with families and long-term residents who want calm, space and the mountains, and who accept a drive for most shopping and for secondary school. The villages are lived in all year, with some holiday use around the ski season.

Getting around

Ordino town is about 15 to 20 minutes by car from Andorra la Vella, through La Massana. The national bus network serves the valley, free for residents since 2022. The road up the valley is kept open in winter, but above Ordino town, towards Llorts, El Serrat and Arcalís, snow is frequent and winter tyres or chains are needed.

Ski and outdoors

The Ordino-Arcalís ski area sits at the head of the valley, reached by road beyond El Serrat. It is smaller and quieter than Grandvalira and known for its snow and its off-piste. The Sorteny valley natural park, above El Serrat, is the parish's best-known walking area, with marked paths and a mountain refuge. Summer walking, climbing and cycling are the main outdoor uses of the valley.

Schools and services

Ordino has public primary schooling, and secondary schools are in the capital area, so older children commute. Everyday shops, a pharmacy and a health centre are in Ordino town; for larger shopping and the general hospital in Escaldes-Engordany, you drive down the valley.

The homes

The stock is a mix of chalets, village houses and small apartment developments, often in stone and slate to match the villages. Large blocks are rare. Ordino town and La Cortinada have most of the flats; the upper villages, Llorts and El Serrat, have more houses and some holiday flats near the road to Arcalís. Much of what comes up is lived in all year, and new building is limited. Houses in Ordino can ask high prices in total because of their size and setting, while flats are generally cheaper per square metre than in the capital; the tables below show the current picture.

Browse homes for sale in Ordino, homes for rent and the Ordino market page. If you are not resident, read buying as a foreigner first; the neighbouring parish to the south is La Massana.

Laws, services and figures change. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice; check with a notary or an adviser before you sign anything.