With the low temperatures we’re having this winter, you may have found your car windows or door handles frozen after parking in the street for a whole day’s shopping in the centre of Andorra.

If you have parked on the street and you find the windows, windscreen, door handles or mirrors frozen, do not activate the windscreen wiper, because the accumulated ice may damage the mechanism. Also, pouring water on the windows will simply create more ice rather than melting it. The best thing to do is to start the engine, turn the heating up to maximum and direct the air towards the windscreen. When it starts to thaw, take a plastic scraper – even a plastic credit card or a CD case – and get to work.

Remember not to scrape the windscreen with a metal object, and don’t pour hot water on the windows, as the temperature contrast can cause them to crack. Use anti-freeze fluids; these are sold at garages and service stations, but think ahead and always carry some in the boot of your car. You can also prepare a homemade alternative: mix two parts alcohol and one part water, at room temperature.

However, there is another more comfortable and practical solution. If you come to the centre of Andorra to do some shopping, park at illa Carlemany, which has 425 parking spaces on three underground floors. From these you have direct access to the shopping centre, which also means you can wheel the Caprabo supermarket trolley right to your car.

And depending on the amount you spend, Caprabo will give you a discount on the cost of parking, while other establishments in the centre will also validate your ticket. In addition, the underground car park at illa Carlemany has a car wash, a recharging area for electric vehicles – including Tesla models, an exclusive area for motorcycles and a number plate reading system at the gates, which makes exiting the car park even easier when you’re ready to leave the premises.