150 motorcyclists ride through Andorra in Papanoelada parade

Around 150 motorcyclists rode through the centre of Andorra on Sunday in the traditional Papanoelada, a festive Christmas motorcycle parade led by a van carrying Santa Claus and several elves. The event, organised by the Penya Motorista l’Esquirol, follows the club’s customary Christmas lunch and has become one of the season’s most distinctive local images.

The procession set off from the Carretera de la Plana and travelled along Andorra la Vella and Santa Coloma’s main thoroughfares, including Avinguda d’Enclar, Avinguda de Santa Coloma, Avinguda Príncep Benlloch and Avinguda Meritxell, before passing through central streets such as Prat de la Creu, Bonaventura Armengol and Consell d’Europa. The route also included emblematic points like the Dama de Gel roundabout, the Unió, the kilometre 0 roundabout and several inner-city avenues, finishing with a final stretch back through Príncep Benlloch, Santa Coloma and Enclar.

Riders and accompanying elves greeted tourists and residents along the way; many bystanders reacted with surprise and recorded the unusual scene on their phones. The parade caused some vehicle build-up and required riders to coordinate traffic management at times, including a pause on Avinguda Meritxell.

Participation displayed varied approaches to festive dress: some motorcyclists wore full Santa costumes, others decorated their bikes with Christmas lights, and several took part in regular riding gear simply to support the initiative. Local police provided an escort and monitored the route from start to finish.

The Papanoelada continued a well-established seasonal tradition, demonstrating that Christmas celebrations in Andorra can also be experienced on two wheels.