Join
Nancy and Ray McKinley to See and Ski in
Andorra
March 1-12
or 16, 2012
Potomac Valley Skiers is joining
BRSC for a true gem of a ski trip—to one of the smallest and most<
mountainous countries in the world—
Andorra, a skier’s and tourist’s
paradise. And we’ll visit
spectacular Barcelona. There are optional trips: to Madrid and the
Prado Museum, and the
medieval, walled city of Carcassonne, France with its winding cobbled
streets, and turrets—a World
Heritage Site. From Madrid we’ll have the opportunity to visit the
fortress city of Toledo with its
Christian, Jewish and Islamic heritage, and Segovia and Avila to see
the 2,000-year-old Roman
aqueduct, the fairyland castle of Alcazar and much more.
Skiing in Andorra is World Class. It’s huge; 6 separate ski areas with
7,600 acres, a vertical of
3,575 feet, 111 lifts with a capacity of 156,390 skiers/hr, and 187 mi
of runs. Lift tickets are not
included, but don't forget - for those 65-70 a lift pass is only 18
euro/day; those over 71 ski free!
Our 12-day 10-night (we spend 1 night on the plane)
Trip includes: 3 nights in historic, vibrant Barcelona
at the 4-Star NH Duc de la Victoria in the old gothic
quarter; 7 nights at the 5-star
Crowne Plaza Hotel in
Andorra’s capital, with two people per junior suite.
This includes breakfast and a daily 5-course themed
buffet dinner! And we include Emergency medical and repatriation
insurance, a pre-trip party, a
welcome party, a mid-week Apres-
Ski party, a Grand Finale Dance in the ballroom and a post-trip party.
We
also offer a 4-night post-trip extension to magnificent Madrid, home of
some of the world’s best
museums. Lodging will be at the 4-star Carlton; we’ll have a city tour
and 2 optional tours.
Our Fabulous Barcelona-Andorra Ski
Vacation Includes
♦ Airfare ♦ Lodging, double occupancy ♦ happy hours ♦ all breakfasts, 7
dinners ♦ pre & post trip parties ♦ 4 night option to scintillating
Madrid, Spain
GREAT PRICES - $2,560*; LAND ONLY
$1,755*; SPAIN +$800*
* Prices based on 1 euro = $1.42 (If rate changes dramatically, there
could be a price adjustment.)
We currently have some limited availability. Please call us for
information. We have participants’
$100 deposits.
Please fill out and send the Application and signed Waiver of Liability Agreement (click here to view and print). Include your full name
from your passport and send
as soon as
possible to
McKinleys, 1805 Crystal Drive, Unit 813, Arlington, VA 22202-4406. Please also include the
August 10 payment. You can reach us at (703) 527-7126 or e-mail
raymckin@gmail.com
A Wealth of Trip Data
Our trip will be exceptional! We fly Dulles via Munich to Barcelona,
one of the most exciting cities in Europe. Our hotel, NH Duc de la
Victoria is just two blocks from the Ramblas in Barcelona’s Gothic
quarter, the city’s oldest and most historical area. Here you are
surrounded by a pedestrian area, major attractions, and world-class
shopping along Portal del Angel. Our location is an excellent starting
point to discover the city of Barcelona. All of the hotel’s rooms are
tastefully decorated with Gorgeous downtown Barcelona contemporary
styling and benefit from natural daylight, full amenities, and
soundproof windows so you can enjoy a restful sleep. We include a
half-day tour of Barcelona, including the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s
masterpiece--still under construction. From Barcelona we travel to
Andorra via Monserrat. The views from Montserrat are simply
breathtaking. It’s a mountain top monastery in Catalonia, Spain.
In Andorra, we stay at the 5-star Crowne Plaza Hotel. Relax in
comfortably furnished junior suites in this elegant hotel located in
the heart of the town of Andorra la Vella. Decorated with Cosmopolitan
downtown Andorra la Vella tapestries by Salvador Dali, the Crowne Plaza
includes amenities such as an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, Turkish bath,
solarium, sauna, gym and massage. Our hotel is adjacent to a
supermarket and ATM, and a block from the major tax-free shopping area.
There is easy access to Caldea, Europe’s largest thermal spa. From
Andorra, there is an optional day tour to Carcassonne. La Cite,
Carcassonne's UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, is a medieval
walled city with winding cobbled streets, turrets and towers.
There are lots of exciting non-skiing opportunities here in Andorra:
Have a great leisurely buffet breakfast; shop tax free; Caldea, the
world-famous spa in Andorra get on the Tourist Bus for any of 3
half-day tours of the cultural and historical sights of Andorra
including museums, ancient churches, scenic landscapes and more; enjoy
the hotel pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish bath, or gym; visit St. Esteve,
the 12th century Romanesque church just around the corner from the
hotel or stop by Casa de la Vall from 1580. Hop on the skiers bus and
take a ride on the Funicam gondola, the longest ski lift in the world,
to the top of Grandvalira ski area to see the panoramic view and have
lunch; get a massage at the hotel; go over to the mountain and go
snowshoeing, dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, sled
riding, or snowmobiling among other activities.
In Madrid, we are at the 4-star Hotel Carlton located ideally to
explore the great city, situated within easy reach of some of the
city's most famous attractions including the Prado Museum, the Queen
Sofía Art Gallery, the Thyssen Museum, the Botanical Gardens and
the Plaza Mayor. The rooms are modern and our stay includes a daily
breakfast. We will start with a half-day city tour. There are also two
optional tours. We’ll have the opportunity to visit the fortress city
of Toledo with its multi-ethnic heritage, and the beautiful Segovia and
Avila to see the 2,000 year old Roman aqueduct, the fairyland castle of
Alcazar and much more.
FLIGHT SCHEDULE (complete trip with
Madrid add-on)
March 1, 2012, 5:33 pm United flight 902 Dulles to Munich; Munich to
Barcelona arrive March 2, 2012 at 11:25 am March 16, 2012 9:45 am
United flight 7662 non-stop from Madrid to Dulles arrive Dulles March
16, 2012 at 2:00 pm
TRIP INSURANCE
Trip cancellation insurance is available for all group participants.
Cancellation insurance is not included and it's not a function of age.
It's only $165 each. We recommend this insurance--which you will need
to pay separately with your August 10 payment. You must make out a
separate check for $165 per person; the check is made out to “GTU,
Inc.” and it must have your name(s) on the check and “Cancellation
Insurance for Andorra Trip” in the subject line. (This check will
likely take quite a while to clear.) Emergency evacuation insurance is
included in the trip price. This insurance covers skiers evacuating
from the mountain and expenses related to an early or delayed departure
home.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
We have your $100 deposit. A payment of $1,660 is due by August 15,
2011 payable to Ray McKinley. The remaining fees ($1,600 regular
package; $800 for those not going to Madrid; $795 for land only) plus
costs for any optional trips are due on December 15, 2011. Note:
Payments are due when ours are. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR. Those
payments not received by the date due must be charged a $30.00 late fee.
PACKAGE PRICE AND OPTIONS
The entire16-day 14-night Barcelona, Andorra and Madrid package is
$3,360. The land only package is $2,555. For those not going to Madrid
the price is $2,560. There are 3 optional tours which are described
above. We do not yet have firm optional tour prices, but we expect them
to be about $100 each. The single supplement for the Madrid portion of
the trip is $325. We may be able to help you with air from other
locations. You can come early or stay longer--call us.
CANCELLATION FEES
In the event (hopefully unlikely) it becomes necessary for you to
cancel your trip to Andorra and Madrid, your trip leaders will make
every effort to try to minimize your losses. However, certain fees are
mandated by the airline, the hotels and the tour operator. Each
emphasizes that every case will be treated individually, and some fees
could, under some circumstances, be waived. All cancellations must be
in writing. All fees will be less if a replacement is found.
Cancellation fee is $125 through December 15; December 15-January 15
the fee is $1,400; after January 15 no refund is likely. We strongly
urge trip insurance. On a recent trip 5 people cancelled costing each
of them up to $1,190 -- insurance is a bargain.
SINGLE PARTICIPANTS
If you are a “single” participant requesting space on a PVS-endorsed
ski trip, and your roommate cancels, you will be offered the choice of
one of the following three options: 1) Helping the trip leader find a
replacement trip participant who will fill the space vacated; or 2)
Staying on the ski trip by paying the “single supplement” or 3)
Cancelling from the ski trip and paying all currently due penalties.
Please visit the Potomac Valley Skiers home page.
Andorra has enough skiing for everyone
Crown Plaza Lobby
Upper Lift Restaurant
Gorgeous downtown Barcelona
Cosmopolitan downtown Andorra la Vella
Caldea, the world-famous spa in Andorra