Andorra

Overview

Andorra is a small, mountainous country in Western Europe , up in the Pyrenees between France and Spain . Full of beautiful mountains and charming old villages, the country thrives on tourism, mainly visitors from nearby countries who come for shopping, skiing, hiking, and banking.

Sights and landscapes

Threatened by seemingly unchecked development, the country's main draw is still its magnificent mountainous landscapes , offering spectacular vistas in every season. At these heights, summers are cool, making for excellent hiking conditions through the romantic green valleys. Challenging day long hikes can be had on even higher grounds, and will take you through truly memorable scenery. Don't overlook the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley , Andorra's only UNESCO World Heritage site . Only reachable on foot, this undeveloped area is an important wildlife sanctuary and consists of forest and fields, dotted with the odd shepherd's hut. In winter, snow covers large parts of the country, changing the Alpine character into an equally beautiful stage for various winter sports. Check the Andorra national parks page for more info on parks.

Yet, there is more to this tiny country. There are a number of lovely historic villages , home to centuries old houses and medieval Romanesque churches and shrines along cobblestoned streets. Good places to sample some culture are Ordino , Santa Coloma d'Andorra (home to the oldest building in the country, a 9th-century church) and Sant Julia de Loria . In between the village of Canillo and Encamp stands the shrine of the country's patroness, Our Lady of Meritxell . A 1972 fire ruined the original statue, but the excellent replica makes a fine stand-in. Les Escaldes is a good place to witness some traditional dance .

The country's capital, Andorra la Vella , may seem like a traffic- and shop-heavy place at first – and indeed it is. Look a little deeper, however, and you'll find the 11th-century Església de Sant Esteve , a Romanesque church dedicated to St. Stephen. A nice piazza and the historic parliament building make for other highlights in your city explorations.

Experiences

Most of these resorts were once small mountain villages which have grown due to skiing. The resorts have joined together so that your ski pass covers neighbouring areas. As a result there are now two large alpine skiing areas known as Vallnord and Grandvalira .

Vallnord covers Arcalis and the Arinsal – Pal ski area. Arcalis is quite distant away from Arinsal-Pal but the latter have been joined up by a cable car connecting the two ski areas. The Arisnal-Pal ski area is directly accessible from La Massana right from the middle of the town. 93 km (58 mi) of trails.

Grandvalira covers Soldeu and Pas de la Casa . The Soldeu ski area is also accessible from Encamp and Canillo . This quite cleverly has opened up these areas to cope with the influence of visitors without putting all the strain on Soldeu. It has 193 km of ski slopes between 1710–2640 m. The surface of grandvalira is about 1.926 H, and it's divided into 6 different areas:

If you would like more information on the mountain huts in Andorra, go to this site . Be sure to bring something other than sandals for your feet and a purse for your cellphone.

Andorra is a great place for hiking. The point of departure is the town of Arinsal at the foot of the Coma Pedrosa (2,942 m/9,652 ft) and the Pic de Médécourbe (2,914 m/9,560 ft).

In Andorra La Vella there is the famous Caldea to visit which is a spa/swimming pool complex. This is very popular. It is at the top end of Andorra-la-Vella and you cannot miss it because it is the large glass spire structure which is quite an attraction on the skyline. In the case of Caldea, it is about thermal waters that emanate from the interior of the earth at a temperature of 70º C.

Andorra is tiny yet fields a national team, playing at Estadi de la FAF in Encamp. 10 clubs play in Primera Divisió and 10 in Segona Divisió, but the leading club FC Andorra plays in the Spanish leagues.

Culture and food

The Trinxat , consisting of cabbage, potato and bacon or salted pork, is the other typical dish of the country's gastronomy and that can be tasted in most of Andorra's traditional restaurants, many of which are housed in former rustic huts.

Planning your route

If you have a few days in Andorra, then you can easily visit most of the main villages by the local bus service operated by Cooperativa Interurbana Andorrana, S.A .

There is a journey planner called Mou-te ( iOS , Android ). Tickets can also be bought directly in the app. However, there is about 30% discount on return tickets, which can only be purchased at the driver (in cash). The app supports single tickets and passes only.

There are 7 main bus lines or 'línies', and all of these pass through Andorra La Vella. The fare is between €1.85 to €6.10 one-way depending on how far you are going. Drivers provide change. For the towns nearest to Andorra La Vella, the service is very regular, and as frequent as every 10 minutes during the day. If you are travelling to outlying rural places like Canolic, there are only 2 or 3 buses per day.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.