Hotel Niunit restaurant
What to order: Carn d'Andorra veal from the grill and a homemade dessert
geocalia
Day itinerary · 42.56° N · 1.53° E
Three lakes and a mine, from the Tristaina cirque to the iron tunnels of Llorts.
The three-hour loop round the three Tristaina lakes, above Ordino Arcalís, a lunch of chargrilled meat and local veal in El Serrat and, in the afternoon, the Llorts iron mine and the Ruta del Ferro, among sculptures.
Leaving from
Direct flight to La Seu d'Urgell fromPalma de Mallorca 1 hMadrid 1 h 15
Add to my trip
Total time12 h
By car2 h 30 each way
Route4.4 km · 210 m · 3 h
First lake40 min, easy with children
Mine€6.75 adult · €3.75 ages 6 to 12
Best timeJuly · August
BringID card, boots and swimwear for the lake
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Lleida 2 h 30 by car
via the C-14, La Seu d'Urgell, the Sant Julià customs post and the CG-3
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1
The Estanys de Tristaina, three lakes above Arcalís
4.4 km loop · on cable-car days, the road to La Coma is restricted from 8:30 to 17:00: go up on it · with a guide, €55
+376 891 820
- 15 min by car10 km
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2
Hotel Niunit restaurant
charcoal-grilled meat and Carn d'Andorra veal · €€€
Ctra. General del Serrat, s/n, AD300 El Serrat · +376 735 735
Restaurant €€€Book - 6 min by car4 km
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3
Llorts iron mine and the Ruta del Ferro
mine, €6.75 · last entry at 17:00; then the Ruta del Ferro
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Back home
in Lleida around 20:30
Approximate cost
About €90–120 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The Estanys de Tristaina, three lakes above Arcalís
The Ordino valley can be covered from top to bottom in a summer day: in the morning, the high mountains of Tristaina, above the ski resort; at midday, El Serrat; in the afternoon, the villages below, with an iron mine and a path of sculptures.
From 2,220 metres to the tunnel
6:30 · Departure. From Lleida along the C-14 and La Seu d'Urgell, the Sant Julià de Lòria customs post and, at Andorra la Vella, the CG-3 northwards through La Massana and Ordino. Carry your ID card.
9:30 · Estanys de Tristaina. The circular loop round the three lakes is 4.4 km and 210 metres of ascent, about three hours at an easy pace, from the La Coma car park, at 2,220 metres. On days when the Tristaina cable car runs, the road to La Coma is restricted from 8:30 to 17:00, so go up on it. The first lake is forty minutes away and is easy with children; in the top one, the Més Amunt, swimming is allowed in summer. If you prefer a guide, the resort organises one for €55 with a minimum of six.
13:30 · Lunch in El Serrat. Go down to the restaurant of the Hotel & Spa Niunit: local cooking, chargrill and veal with the Carn d'Andorra seal. Call first on +376 735 735.
15:30 · Llorts mine. A few kilometres away, in Llorts, thirty metres of tunnel of the old iron mine, €6.75 for adults and €3.75 for ages 6 to 12. The last entry is at 17:00. On the way out, the Ruta del Ferro, an easy 4.2 km mostly downhill among sculptures, in case you have legs left.
18:00 · Return. Along the CG-3, Andorra la Vella and La Seu. In Lleida around half past eight.
If you stay the night
The valley has a base for two days: in La Cortinada, the Hotel Mu & Spa accepts small dogs, and in Ordino the Hotel Coma has a pool. The next day, the Vall de Sorteny or the Tristaina Mirador Solar.
Distance4.4 km
Ascent210 m
Time3 h
Change the route
With young children: the short trails and the botanical garden:
Vall de Sorteny Natural Park and its botanical garden
If you want to go up to 2,701 m by chairlift:
Tristaina Mirador Solar, on the Peyreguils peak
If it rains: the Ordino museum and its holograms:
Casa d'Areny-Plandolit Museum, the house of the lords of Ordino
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Restaurant Tòpic
What to order: the Andorran foal or the chargrilled magret; with children, a thin-crust pizza to share
Restaurant Cal Ventura
What to order: the escudella or the trinxat with rosta, and the oven-roasted shoulder of lamb
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Ordino
Late June to September for the lakes free of snow. The mine opened in 2026 from 16 June and daily in July and August; in June and September it closes on Sunday and Monday.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the cable-car days
On days when it runs, the road to La Coma is closed from 8:30 to 17:00.
- 2Bring swimwear
In summer you can swim in the top lake.
- 3Book the mine
Online or at the Ordino tourist office, on +376 878 173.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to do the Estanys de Tristaina?
About three hours for the full loop, 4.4 km; the first lake is 40 minutes away.
How much does the Llorts mine cost?
€6.75 for adults and €3.75 for ages 6 to 12.
Can you do it with children?
Yes: as far as the first lake, the mine and the Ruta del Ferro are all easy.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/andorra/ordino/itineraries/tristaina-lakes-and-iron-mine
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.