When you think of shopping, the country of Andorra doesn’t jump to the forefront of your mind, especially not with Paris only a few hours away. However, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that Andorra only has a 4.5% low value-added tax, compared to most European countries’ VAT of 19% or more. This tiny European country, located between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains, is known for its stellar skiing and almost tax-free shopping.

The capital city, Andorra la Vella, has a population of just over 22,000 people, but it also has around 400 shops; an absolutely outstanding people to store ratio! This “city” is a great place to find anything and everything you have been looking for, without paying the hefty taxes. Bonus: you can get the 4.5% tax back by keeping your receipts and submitting them to Global Blue at the airport!

The two main shopping streets are Avenue Meritxell and Avenue Carlemany. For some upscale shopping, head to Illa Carlemany and Pyrenees Andorra. Here you’ll find international luxury and fashion brands, food options and plenty of parking, which is a luxury itself in Europe. Look for brands like Hugo Boss, Superdry, Timberland and The North Face.

If you have anyone with you that isn’t jazzed to shop all day, send them to one of the five movie theaters in the Illa Carlemany shopping center. If that still doesn’t do it, there is also a gym, spa and salon. With so many options, any company that likes to moan and groan about sitting in the waiting room while you find the perfect pair of jeans can just chill out. There’s plenty of other things to keep family members busy while you shop until you drop!

From fashion accessories to the latest and greatest technology, Andorra is the place to find it. Popular international designers and local boutiques are all within the city and just calling your name. Remember to bring an empty suitcase with you, just in case! You never know when you might find your new favorite store.

Topping most “must-see” lists is the iconic city of München (Munich). 

In addition to its historical beauty and local charm, February is a great time to visit if you want to be a part of the ultimate Fasching experience! 

Local Highlights 

Olympia Park - This was the site of the 1972 Summer Olympics. Today, it’s a venue for concerts, social, sport and religious events. You can take in what the park has to offer on one of its many tours or hands-0n experiences. The self-guided tours help you cover the most distance during your stay. 

Neues Rathaus - This iconic, breathtaking landmark is truly a sight to behold! The town hall sits on the Marienplatz, where they host flea markets and a Christmas market. Don’t forget to wait for the larger than life mechanical clock (Glockenspiel) come to life at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. with its 32 figures and 43 bells. 

Hofbräuhaus - You may have tasted the beer before, but it doesn’t compare to being in the ornately-decorated location where it originated. Plus, they have amazing, savory Bavarian-style food. Be sure to get a reservation, because you aren’t the only one that’s reading this article right now. 

BMW Welt - You can’t come to Germany and not have some sort of car-related experience. Here, BMW Group offers a variety of experiences to visitors. Take a tour of the museum, plan or shop for a car, take the kids to a workshop creating cars and so much more! 

St. Peter’s Church - You can’t leave a German city without marveling at their beautiful churches. Not only is it architecturally magnificent, but it affords the best panoramic view of the city from the top — after a 299-step climb. The tower is open seven days a week, including holidays; however, the hours are limited. 

Nymphenburg Palace - Once the summer residence of Bavarian monarchs, it’s now one of Munich’s most popular attractions. You can take tours of the residential areas and museums or take in the air in the gardens. Even though it’s cold in February, you’ll be amazed by the size. 

Midnightbazar - Cap off your day with a flea market shopping spree. Not only will you get to shop for one-of-a-kind pieces, but you can do all this while enjoying live music and extraordinary street foods. The social scene is definitely unlike any other flea market you’ve wandered through. Check the sale dates before you go because they are limited. 

Fasching festivities 

This year, Fasching is celebrated Feb. 28-March 6. It’s a time for foolish malarkey and over-the-top shenanigans. You will hardly be able to go anywhere in the city without feeling and experiencing the festivities. There are parades daily and different parties across the city during. The Dance of the Market Women is Munich’s highlight of this foolishly festive season. You’ll want to be at the Viktualienmarkt on Shrove Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. 

Have some extra fun on your trip and go in costume! It’s one way to get multiple uses out of that Halloween costume you purchased last year. 

Hotels want us to feel at home, and that’s why they provide us with all kinds of little niceties, from shower gels to slippers. While some items there are strictly for our one time use (no, that bathrobe is not yours to keep!), there’s a whole plethora of items you’re welcome to help yourself to that may serve you well on that real or metaphorical rainy day. Here are my top five picks:

Sewing kit: How genius is it to have an emergency supply of thread, buttons, needle, and if you’re really lucky, that handy tool that helps an older pair of eyes thread such needle on hand when wardrobe disaster strikes?

Slippers: disposable slippers can be great to have on hand for later use in a locker room or on a long flight. The hotel won’t be re-using them after you’ve worn them, so help yourself to them.

Emergency toothbrush and toothpaste: the brush is usually a bit crude, but it beats having fuzzy teeth by a long shot. That itsy-bitsy tube of toothpaste is a keeper, and it’s the perfect size for your next trip hiking the Alps, when every ounce counts.

Pad of paper: a pad of stationery embossed with the hotel’s logo is perfect for penning a note to go with a gift, or serves as the perfect scratch pad to keep by the phone back at home. Delay on the flight home and restless kids to amuse? It’s perfect for hangman, tic-tac-toe, categories or other games.

Shower cap: the uses of the shower cap go well beyond that of keeping hair dry while showering. It’s perfect for stashing a wet bathing suit in, or a pair of shoes to be packed in the same bag as the rest of your clothing. It’s also handy to use as a cover for a bike helmet on a rainy day.

Our newest edition of our new and improved What’s Up is available now!

In February’s edition read all about Germany’s tradition of Fasching, day trips from your region to celebrate Fasching/carnival, Germany’s top five wellness spas, experiencing the wonders of Morocco, bucket-list things to do in Marrakesh, escaping to Europe’s dreamy destinations, how to conquer Mykonos in 24 hours and so much more!

You’ll also be in the know of the best events happening in February and what exciting things to plan ahead for in March! Pick up your free copy at your local BX, commissary and shoppette!

Arjeplog, a town in Sweden’s Lapland just south of the Arctic Circle, is home to some 2,900 inhabitants in the summertime. From approximately January through April, its population increases to 6,000. But it isn’t ski areas that draw in these temporary residents. Arjeplog offers many lakes — 8,000 in total. Once a thick layer of ice takes hold of their surfaces, the auto industry takes hold of Arjeplog. The ice and snow atop the frozen lakes is plowed and shaped and re-formed to recreate world-famous racetracks: Silverstone, Formula 1 circuits, and others have found their icy counterparts here.

The area’s frigid temperatures give automakers the chance to discover how their latest models perform in extremely cold weather and allow them to make tweaks accordingly. Winter car testing first took place in the 1980s and has taken off since, proving a boon to the local economy. Car testers, engineers and other specialists now come up here for months at a time. Local residents temporarily move in with friends and family in order to rent out their homes to them.

Paparazzi, zoom-lensed cameras in hand, are known to stalk the nearby forests. They’re aiming at supermodels of the four-wheeled persuasion. Photos of yet-to-be-released makes of autos can net them big bucks. You might spot a car with a zebra-like paint job. The design confuses a camera’s lens, making it hard for a photographer to capture a sharp image of the prototype.

With a captive population with money to burn, the area was ripe for an event location. Enter the Iglootel, a seasonal wonder constructed wholly of ice and snow offering space for after-work gatherings and overnight accommodations. Each year, as soon as enough of the white stuff has fallen, the construction process begins anew.

With frequent, three-hour nonstop flights connecting Stuttgart, Munich, Frankfurt-Hahn and Hannover with the nearby Swedish town of Arvidsjaur, those residing in Germany can also avail themselves of the Iglootel’s chilly charms. A standard package tour to the area consists of two nights’ stay in a standard hotel, along with one night in the Iglootel.

My long weekend of Arctic exploration began with a flight from Frankfurt-Hahn, a one hour, comfortable bus transfer to Arjeplog, and check-in to a lovely rustic cabin making up part of the Kraja camping complex and a warm meal. So delicious was my late dinner of Arctic char served up by the restaurant attached that when the news flash of the appearance of the Northern Lights reached our table, I refused to budge. This proved foolish on my part, as that was the only time they choose to reveal themselves for the duration of my stay.

Over the next couple of days, I was treated to a trio of unique excursions. Bundled up in furs and tucked into a sled towed behind a snowmobile, a moose safari resulted in the spotting of eight specimens, including a mama and her very big baby. SpeedCar on ice was six turns in the shotgun seat of a peppy rally car. My favorite outing by far was the sled dog tour, in which a team of ten yapping huskies raring to go pulled us through a silent, snowcapped forest.

I also enjoyed some quiet pursuits of my own, including tasting locally brewed beer at the elegant Silver Lodge, checking out the interior of the coziest church I’ve ever seen, and exploring the shops downtown.

On the final night of my stay, it was my turn to experience the ice hotel. Following a tour of the premises, a scavenger hunt/quiz game played with the other guests, a bowl of hot soup that quickly turned cold and a cocktail served in a glass of ice, it was time to brace for the night ahead. I prepped as advised, by soaking in a Jacuzzi under starry skies, then working up a sweat in a wooden sauna warmed by a wood-burning stove. I then put on my warm woolen underwear and a hat, crawled into my polar sleeping bag, and drifted off into an uneasy sleep It wasn’t the most comfortable of nights, but it was one I’ll never forget.

If I’m ever to return to Arjeplog, I’d like to visit the Sami village and to check out the Silver Museum to learn more about the area’s history. There’s a ski area nearby as well as a brewery. And if ever again I hear the call “The Northern Lights are shining,” I’ll drop my fork and head outside.