Latest news with #Pyrenees
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
A Small Nation's Big Love for One of the Greatest Sports Cars Ever
The Porsche 911 isn't the kind of car you expect to see at the top of any country's sales charts, but the Principality of Andorra isn't just any country. This tiny nation, tucked high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, has crowned the legendary sports car as its best-seller for 2024. With so many compact crossovers and fuel-efficient sedans dominating the world market, this is the kind of statistic that makes car enthusiasts do a double take. This insight originally came from a TikTok video by Launch Mode, which highlighted a report from Felipe Munoz (Car Industry Analysis), who works for auto research firm JATO Dynamics. The data showed that among the 2,379 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sold in Andorra last year, the Porsche 911 led the way with 83 units sold—a staggering 40.7% increase from 2023. That put it ahead of other performance-focused models, including the Toyota GR Yaris and even Porsche's own Cayenne and Macan. With a population of just over 87,000, Andorra is known for its ski resorts, tax-friendly policies, and wealth. That last part plays a huge role in shaping the local car market. In 2024, the country saw 2,379 sales of new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Leading the pack was the Porsche 911, with 83 units sold — an astonishing 40.7% increase from the previous year. That put it ahead of performance-focused models like the Toyota GR Yaris and even Porsche's own Cayenne and Macan. There are a few key reasons why Andorra has become a haven for high-performance cars. First, the country's economic landscape makes luxury vehicles more attainable. Low tax rates and a strong tourism sector mean a significant portion of residents can afford cars that might be out of reach elsewhere. Second, the terrain is a dream for drivers. Winding mountain roads, crisp alpine air, and breathtaking views create the perfect environment for a car like the 911 to stretch its legs. Finally, there's a strong local appreciation for driving culture. Unlike in larger nations where practicality often wins out, Andorrans have the means and the desire to buy cars that thrill. What makes this trend even more fascinating is how different it is from the rest of the world. In the U.S., the Ford F-Series remains the undisputed king of car sales, with more than 700,000 trucks sold in 2024. The 911, while beloved, doesn't even come close to the top 25 best-selling vehicles in America. The contrast shows just how much geography, economy, and culture shape what people drive. Andorra's love for the Porsche 911 is more than just a sales anomaly—it's a reflection of a unique automotive culture. In a country where driving isn't just about getting from point A to point B, but about the thrill of the journey, it makes perfect sense that one of the world's most celebrated sports cars would take the crown.
Times
6 days ago
- Times
22 of the best rail journeys in Europe
European rail journeys embody more than mere romance. The latest independent routes and packaged tours allow travellers to gaze over entire nations, while train windows screen lakes, mountains and countryside in full colour. By avoiding airport hassle, and zipping from city centre to city centre, Europe's trains promise more time 'on holiday' too. On longer journeys, you'll have the added thrill of falling asleep in your private compartment and waking up at sunrise in a new place. Whether you opt for slow travel across the snow-covered Scandinavian Arctic, being whisked across rural France on the high-speed TGV, or the unfettered luxury of black tie and bellinis on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, there's a train journey for every budget. Here are the most exciting European rail journeys. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Le Train Rouge (Red Train) clatters along 100-year-old tracks over gravity-defying suspension bridges, through tunnels and across flower-filled French Pyrenean meadows on its 35-mile journey Rivesaltes to the small town of Axat. The ride is one of the day trips on this week-long break to Catalonia, travelling by rail from London and staying in the resort of Roses, on the Costa Brava. Rail fans will also revel in the day on the Nuria Rack Railway, which travels eight miles to the Nuria Valley, where mountain pastures fringe a blue-green lake. Visits to Girona and Figueres, for the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation — provide a culture fix. You could arrive on the Côte d'Azur frazzled from hours on the autoroute — or you could just relax on the train, racing from London to Nice on the Eurostar and TGV and using the city as a base for forays along the coast by rail: swish Antibes, Cannes and pretty Villefranche-sur-Mer are all easy day trips. In Nice, people-watch on the Promenade des Anglais, admire the Chagalls and Matisses in their respective museums and take a front-row seat for salad niçoise and catch of the day at Le Safari on Cours Saleya, the old-town market. • Eurostar guide: everything youneed to know before you travel Reach the French Alpine resort of Chambery on day one, before gunning through the mountains to charming Turin on day two. Sightseeing options include Turin's old Fiat factory, immortalised in The Italian Job, and which now hosts Europe's largest rooftop garden. A snaking run down the Adriatic deposits travellers in historic Bari: base for the sleeper ferry to Albania, a land of eagles, secret beaches and madcap socialist architecture. The trip finishes in buzzy Tirana for a two-night stay. • Best places to visit in Albania The spiky Dolomites of Italy are criss-crossed by narrow-gauge railways and funiculars, which form the basis of four excursions in this week-long idyll on the banks of Lake Molveno in Trentino. Take a deep breath as the improbably steep Mendola funicular cranks a terrifying 854m (2,801ft) at a 64 per cent gradient, with magnificent panoramas from the top your reward. The Renon railway, too, is 18 minutes of lip-biting drama — the historic carriages haul you up to a high mountain plateau to see 25,000-year-old earth pyramids, bizarre rock spikes left over from the Ice Age. • Read our full guide to Italy The high-speed link from Paris Montparnasse to Toulouse, which zips for four and a half hours through France's agricultural heartland, puts this cool university city within quick-getaway reach of the UK. In La Ville Rose, named for the dusky pink of its terracotta bricks, plunge into the edgy food scene of the Vieux Quartier. Check out the 5 Wine Bar, thrice voted best in the world, with more than 500 wines by the glass. Load up on cheeses and pâtés from the Victor Hugo market before canoeing on the Garonne, or cycling along the Canal du Midi. The three-star Hôtel Albert 1er is a lovely boutique hotel with a fine line in slow-food breakfasts; coffee comes from Maison Roquemaurel, an artisanal city roaster. Take in the antiquities of Rome, the ravishing Amalfi coast and chic Taormina in one trip, speeding across Italy's rolling hills and lush countryside by train and staying in locally owned four-star hotels. Pack a picnic for the train journey from Naples to Taormina and settle back to marvel at the views, with mountains on one side and flashes of sparkling blue Mediterranean on the other. For the 20-minute crossing of the Strait of Messina from Villa San Giovanni in Calabria to Sicily, the train is actually loaded onto a ferry, passengers enjoying the spectacle from the boat's upper decks. You have optional day trips to Pompeii and Etna — but throw in some fun with the more immersive tours on offer: gelato-tasting in Rome, pizza-making in Sorrento and dinner with a local family in Sicily. • Discover the best of Sicily Napoleon claimed he could smell the maquis, an intoxicating perfume of wild brush and herbs, as he crossed the sea to his beloved Corsica. You'll have plenty of chance to breathe in the mountain air and soak up rugged coastal scenery with an exploration of the island on the quaint trinighellu trains. Highlights include the atmospheric port of Calvi; the old capital, Corte, its extraordinary citadel teetering on a vertiginous rock outcrop; and the captivating train journey from here to Ajaccio, across Gustave Eiffel's Vecchio viaduct and through forests of pine and chestnut. • Best things to do in Corsica Mysterious, mist-shrouded Transylvania lends itself particularly well to old-fashioned train travel. This private adventure on the luxurious Golden Eagle Danube Express starts in Istanbul, crosses Bulgaria and climbs through the wild, forested Carpathian Mountains before speeding across the vast Hungarian steppes into Budapest. Stops include medieval Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria's former capital, where a jumble of stone houses cling to the banks of the Yantra River, as well as the turreted Bran Castle in Romania — said to have inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula. On board, expect lots of polished wood and brass, fine dining and cosy compartments with private bathrooms. Journey across wintry landscapes on the night train from Stockholm to Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost city, deep inside the Arctic Circle on the banks of frozen Lake Luossajarvi. Activities you might book include trekking through snow-laden forests on snowshoes, dog sledding, ice fishing and spinning across the icy tundra on snowmobiles, keeping an eye on the sky for the rippling green curtains of the aurora borealis. You have three nights for Arctic adventures, following train travel there via Münster and Copenhagen, and two in Stockholm. Summertime adventures on the same tour enjoy the midnight sun. Vienna's graceful baroque heart is easy to explore on bicycle, foot and tram. This eight-night holiday by rail gives you three nights in the Austrian capital and three in dreamy Salzburg, stopping in Frankfurt on the way out and Zurich on the return. Check out the Hofburg palace and the State Opera, get your art fix at the MuseumsQuartier and gorge on coffee piled with whipped cream in the 19th-century cafés. In Salzburg, just two hours and 20 minutes away on the speedy Railjet service, there's the legacy of Mozart and the von Trapps to explore. • Discover the best of Vienna Spain's grand, belle époque Al-Andalus train takes a seven-night route round the great Moorish cities of Andalusia, from Seville and Cordoba to Granada, sprawled at the foot of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada. You'll taste sherry in Jerez, poke around the ancient port city of Cadiz, tap your feet to flamenco in Seville and explore Granada's exquisite Alhambra palace. While the plush velvet and polished, inlaid wood make the vintage carriages a magnificent base, you won't miss out on Andalusian cooking, as lunches are taken in local restaurants. • Best things to do in Seville Like the immaculately terraced vineyards, the railway along the Douro Valley snakes round the contours of the hills, making for one of the prettiest train journeys in Europe. On a rail-and-walk week-long break you'll enjoy daily guided group hikes along the river, across hilltops, through wild olive groves and between the sprawling port wine estates, taking the train between overnight stays in a family-run hotel in Regua, which promises a comfortable base after long days on foot. Getting there is half the fun on this romantic escape: jump on the Eurostar to Paris, then take the TGV to Zurich, where you'll board the night sleeper. Look out for the moon reflecting on the snowy mountaintops as the track snakes along the curves of the Zürichsee and Walensee lakes. You'll wake to a cup of tea and a lush Bohemian forest, arriving in Prague by 11am. You have three days to roam this unforgettably beautiful city, losing yourself in cobbled alleys and squares, admiring the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, and drinking in the atmospheric beer gardens. • Best things to do in Prague The GoldenPass Express route in Switzerland winds its way from Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva to the glittering glaciers of Interlaken in three hours and 15 minutes. Seats are spread over three classes: second, first and prestige, the latter with chairs that are warmed at the touch of a button and swivel to take in the 360-degree views from panoramic windows. It's from these windows that the real magic unfolds: alpine valleys studded with bell cows, snow-dusted chalets and mountains reminiscent of those on Toblerone boxes. • Best places to visit in Switzerland For sheer opulence you can't beat the classic journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, whisking you from London to Venice in a blur of black tie, bellinis and belle époque splendour. Doze off to the swaying of the train as it dashes through the night before being woken by your steward for breakfast amid the snowy vistas of the Swiss Alps. After two nights in Venice, the Frecciarossa — Italy's flashy 'red arrow' express — speeds you through the countryside to Florence and Rome for a further two nights in each city. • Best things to do in Rome A tiny package of glacial lakes, ice-capped mountains, vineyards, meadows and a sliver of Adriatic coast, Slovenia is easy and rewarding to explore by rail. Your journey takes you from Lake Bled through a bucolic landscape of vineyards and cherry orchards to Bohinjska Bistrica, near the Italian border, before heading south to Ljubljana, the leafy capital. After two nights exploring its markets, intriguing streets and riverside cafés, you're off to the improbably picturesque Piran — all Venetian façades, pretty squares and, around the marina, enticing seafood restaurants. • Discover the best of Slovenia The dream for fans of steam: three days chugging along 87 miles of narrow-gauge lines on Germany's venerable Harzer Schmalspurbahnen. You'll stay in medieval Wernigerode after a leisurely two-day train journey from London, then a Harz Rover pass gives you time to explore; the steam-hauled journey up the Brocken mountain is a highlight, as much for the Cold War museum at the top as the sweeping views. Half-timbered Quedlinburg can also be reached by steam train. The trip ends in Essen, with a chance to ride the Schwebebahn, a futuristic suspension railway that runs eight miles across the city of Wuppertal. • Best sleeper trains in Europe This seven-night 'rail cruise' across Spain's northern coast is slow travel at its most indulgent. Aboard the opulent Transcantabrico, polished, inlaid wood features heavily in its four lounge cars — beautifully restored Pullman carriages dating from 1923 — and the suites are pretty sumptuous, too, with private bathrooms and living quarters. You'll sleep well, as the train remains stationary after dark. The route hugs the coast from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela through Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, rattling through lush countryside beneath the spiky Picos de Europa. Reaching Italy's palm-fringed Lake Maggiore is a breeze on the Eurostar to Paris, followed by TGVs to Zurich and Milan. Your base on the lake is the comfortable Hotel Cannero, alongside the pink and ochre villas on the waterfront of the pretty resort of Cannero Riviera. From here, explore the lake on boat trips to the Palazzo Borromeo and botanical gardens on the Borromean Islands, or spend a day in arty Stresa, from where a cable car whisks you up to Mottarone for sweeping lake and mountain views. • Discover the best of Milan Visiting Norway the slow way takes 12 days there and back by train, starting from London, but overnights in hip Hamburg and Gothenburg are all part of the adventure. You get two nights in Oslo before speeding past forest and lakes to the fjord-indented west coast. At the Myrdal mountain station, high in the vertiginous Flamsdalen valley, you'll switch trains onto the Flam railway, one of the world's steepest standard-gauge lines, slowly trundling in and out of 20 tunnels on its hair-raising journey down to Flam itself, a sleepy village at the head of Aurlandsfjord. After three days exploring the walking trails around Flam, board the ferry for Bergen, sailing the length of Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord. • Discover our full guide to Norway The Eurostar and TGV combo from London to Bordeaux is so efficient that you can whizz from work to wine country in just six hours, with a quick change in Paris. Bordeaux sweeps in a graceful half-moon along the banks of the Garonne, the salty scent of the Atlantic on the breeze. There's loads to see in a weekend: the elegant Place de la Bourse with its reflecting water mirror, the futuristic Cité du Vin museum, the grand, 18th-century city centre and riverfront cafés and markets. Stay at the cool, Philippe Starck-designed Mama Shelter boutique hotel in the centre; the rooftop bar buzzes on balmy nights. • Best hotels in Bordeaux Enjoy a five-day return trip to the Netherlands from London, which includes first-class rail. Spend four nights based in a smart hotel in the university city of Utrecht; explore colourful local canals, the Dutch national railway museum and, during spring, the Keukenhof Gardens where millions of tulips and other seasonal bulbs are on display. The tour also includes a tour on the Medemblik steam train and a day trip by train to Amsterdam. • Best things to do in Amsterdam Additional reporting by Tristan Rutherford and Lucy Perrin
The Sun
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
England stars are physically and mentally cream-crackered – surely life is too short for these Andorra and Senegal games
WHY do we need to put ourselves through this again? Why do England have to play Andorra at football, when the basic point of sitting down to watch any football match is to think: 'I wonder who's going to win this one'. 3 We already know that England will win. We know that Andorra are extremely unlikely to score. And it would be a significant surprise if Jordan Pickford has to make a single meaningful save. Surely your life is too short to tune in at 5pm on Saturday and watch this thing happen. This isn't English arrogance. It's not jingoistic or tub-thumping to point out that Andorra has a population of 80,000 - making it slightly bigger than the town of Bracknell but smaller than Weston-Super-Mare. And therefore, England, with its 57 million people, will always beat it in a football match. Andorra is a lovely place in the Pyrenees, it's good for skiing and the Andorrans are rightly proud of their tiny nation state. Not that they currently have a football stadium suitable to hold this World Cup qualifier, which is instead being staged at Espanyol's home ground in Barcelona. But with players burnt-out, the calendar congested with fixtures and with a month-long Club World Cup about to start, does anyone need this thing - Andorra versus England - to be part of our lives? 3 Over the past 19 years, England have played Andorra six times and beaten them 5-0, 3-0, 2-0, 6-0, 4-0 and 5-0. The 3-0 in Barcelona was vaguely memorable because Steve McClaren, probably the silliest man ever to manage England, had a hissy fit and stormed out of the post-match press conference. England star Ivan Toney hits back at Bruno Fernandes with blunt reply after Man Utd star's Saudi transfer snub But, despite being at the majority of those matches, I can't remember a single thing about any of the rest of them. So 4-0 to England will be roughly par, even though pretty much everyone will then say that 4-0 is not enough. There can be a certain sadistic pleasure in witnessing an absolute hiding - a nine or a ten - but that's almost certainly not going to happen either. It is not that difficult for 11 fit young blokes of lower-tier EFL standard - which is Andorra's level - to sit behind the ball in a packed defence, block shots for 90 minutes and keep the score down, especially if they are showing zero ambition of actually scoring. In almost 30 years as a recognised international football team, Andorra have never lost by more than 7-0. They aren't that bad. In the past five years, they have beaten fellow minnows San Marino, Liechtenstein, St Kitts & Nevis and Grenada. Before that, Andorra defeated Moldova, Macedonia, Albania and Belarus - as well as their one genuine stand-out result, a 1-0 win over Hungary in 2017. The Nations League has been excellent for smaller nations, giving them regular competitive football against countries of a similar size and teams of similar ability. Andorra and other postage-stamp nations should not be entirely barred from World Cup qualifying - a pre-qualifying tournament, or Nations League results, could determine that one of them reaches the actual qualifying rounds. But surely something has to give in the fixture schedule. And if you're looking for a place to start when cutting fixtures, then how about fixtures that nobody wants to watch and nobody wants to play in? England's footballers are tired. Very wealthy, yes, but also physically and mentally cream-crackered. They don't need to spend ten days of their lives preparing to play Andorra and then Senegal - who are, admittedly, half-decent - in a match at Nottingham next Tuesday which will mean absolutely nothing. I sincerely hope that you have something better to do at 5pm on Saturday than watching this match. And also that you have something better to do on September 6, when, just three months from now, England will play Andorra yet again. At some point, we will all reach our deathbeds. And, please believe me, none of us will ever find ourselves staring into that ultimate abyss, wishing that we had spent more of our time watching England play Andorra at football. 3
Irish Times
31-05-2025
- Climate
- Irish Times
Cherry season is here: Celebrate with these two delicious summer recipes
This week I'm focusing on cherries , the juicy, rounded red fruit that will be hitting our shelves very soon. They are known for their deep red colour and intense sweet flavour, and the season is short, beginning around July. European cherries will start to land on shelves from next week, with a season lasting from early June to August. Cherries need plenty of sun and heat to develop good fruit. With the weather of late, we could even see them land earlier than expected this year. [ Two classic shellfish dishes inspired by Donegal chefs at the top of their game Opens in new window ] We used to serve perfectly conditioned cherries from the Cerét region of France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, in a restaurant where I used to work. Before they arrived, we had grand plans for complicated and artistic dish designs. Upon tasting them, we quickly realised these were one of those magic ingredients that needed zero intervention. A perfect balance of sugar and acid, we decided to serve them as they were, on the stem, over crushed ice. Being the middle of summer, it proved the perfect ending to a lighter menu, particularly with a cup of herbal tea or single espresso. This week's recipes will equip you for the season ahead with both savoury and sweet options. The first uses duck breast, a readily available and cost-effective meat that is easier than you might think to cook. I've added the technique here that I learned in a classic French kitchen – using a low heat to melt down the fat layer between the meat and the skin so the skin goes crispy. With the cherries, I have made a very simple compote that can be batch cooked and kept for months in the fridge. Perfect with the duck, it's also very versatile. Try it with yoghurt and granola, or even on a pavlova for a larger dessert. Black forest gateau. Photograph: Harry weir Speaking of dessert, our second recipe returns to a classic. Black Forest gateau traces its roots to 1920s Germany and calls for chocolate sponge soaked in cherry liqueur or kirsch. Cake baking can often call for complicated equipment, so I have used a standard loaf tin to reduce the hassle. Cherry compote and fresh cherries bring the summer sunshine. This is a perfect dish to prepare in advance and keep in the fridge for a few hours, the soaking time will add to the finished result. Enjoy. Recipe: Crispy duck breast with cherry compote Recipe: Black Forest gateau
The Sun
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Inside Europe's highest capital city with no airports or train stations – but welcomes EIGHT MILLION tourists a year
EUROPE's highest capital city sits on the Pyrenees mountains with no airport or train station to access it. Nestled between Spain and France, the capital of the tiny country Andorra welcomes eight million tourists a year despite lacking transport links. 5 5 5 Andorra la Vella is located 1,023m above sea level and covers only five square miles but has plenty to offer. Tourists flock to the small city for its stunning scenery, duty free shopping and one of the biggest SPA complexes in Europe. Andorra la Vella can be a perfect day trip destination while you stay in bigger cities in France or Spain. The Andorran capital is a haven for shopaholics with a so-called Shopping Mile lined with department stores and duty-free shopping. Avinguda Meritxell offers a shopping scene with one of the lowest VATs across Europe which means luxury goods for cheaper prices. The Caldea Spa, the biggest thermal spa in southern Europe, is the city's other major draw. It was created in 1987 with the use of the area's naturally occurring hot springs. There are hammams, saunas, and different kinds of baths inside, as well as an outdoor lagoon where you can unwind while taking in the breathtaking views of the mountains. Three hours of access is included in the basic package, which costs €30.50. The city's Old Town is a must-see for anyone hoping to take in some of its charming architecture. The European city with cheap UK flights, famous lagoon spas and summers where the sun never sets Casa de la Vall, a stone mansion constructed in 1580 for a wealthy family and formerly the seat of Andorra's parliament, can be found here. Although Casa de la Vall is currently closed for renovations, visitors can still view the General Council area from 10am to 2pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Meanwhile, history lovers could head to a pre-Romanesque church which dates back to the 9th century. Adventure-seekers would love Andorra's hiking and cycling trails in the mountains, suitable for different ages and skill levels. Summers in Andorra get hot with average temperatures of 24C but winters can get chilly with just 8C in January and February. However, if you'd like to try local cuisine, especially the famous Escudella, it is best to come during Christmas time. Escudella is Andorra's national stew made from seasonal vegetables, meats and local sausages. You can find it in traditional "bordas," which are former storehouses converted into restaurants. But to get to Andorra la Vella, visitors will have to switch multiple transport modes or hire a car. Without airports or railway, the only way to the small capital is through France and Spain. If you're travelling from France, the closest station to Andorra la Vella is Andorre-l'Hospitalet, just seven miles away from the country's border. Those coming from Spain can take a high-speed train from Madrid or Barcelona to Lleida Pirineus. A one-way journey from Madrid costs €75.75 and takes 2 hours and 8 minutes. Once you reach these train stations, you can simply grab a taxi to the city centre. Travellers from Barcelona also have an option of taking a coach from Barcelona Sants Coach Station directly to Andorra La Vella. A one-way Flixbus coach costs just £27.41 and takes three hours. 5 5
