Andorra is an exciting country where you can see high snow-capped mountains, picturesque alpine meadows and fast flowing rivers. It is a country of interesting nature, unique attractions and a rich history. People of different nationalities live here, but all of them are very open, friendly and independent. Welcome to Andorra, it is looking forward to you!
Andorra on the map
Geographical location of the country
Andorra is not immediately identifiable on a map of Western Europe, let alone the world – it’s so tiny! It lies on the border between Spain and France in the Pyrenees Mountains.
Landlocked, Andorra is slightly more remote from the Atlantic Ocean than the Mediterranean. Its area is just over 467 square kilometres.
Safety for tourists in Andorra
Andorra is considered one of the safest countries for tourists in the world. The crime rate here is almost zero. There are no pickpockets, no car thefts, almost no petty hooligans. The most common crime is shoplifting.
The safety of locals and tourists is ensured by 24-hour Spanish police patrols.
Holidays
Andorra is a very small country from what is commonly referred to as a dwarf country. So it might seem that the tourist here has nothing to look forward to in terms of noisy festivals and fiestas. This is not quite the case. Andorrans take pride in their holiday traditions, which have been shaped by the influence of neighboring countries.
It celebrates New Year’s Eve, Easter, Christmas, Labour Day and Independence Day. Numerous festivals, such as the Roser or Ansalonga festivals, are held here. Carnivals and even the Cavalcade of Kings happen here, which the most discerning tourist will be curious to visit.
Things to do in Andorra
The millions of tourists that Andorra attracts every year come here primarily in pursuit of skiing. But the country has other equally exciting activities as well.
- Alpine skiing and snowboarding. The Principality’s ski resorts are renowned for their weather and clever infrastructure. There are plenty of slopes designed for all skill levels. Andorra’s skiers are always among the leaders in major competitions for a reason.
- Andorra la Vella. The capital of the country. A very beautiful town, with many historic buildings preserved alongside modern architecture.
- Shopping. Andorra has significant discounts on many goods, which makes shopping here profitable for tourists. But remember that many goods have a customs quota, so it is not possible to take away too many of them.
- Balneotherapy. There are three major balneotherapy centres and many spa hotels offering treatments with mineral water and local healing mud.
- Mountaineering. Andorra is a mountainous country and attracts not only ski lovers but also ordinary climbers. There are many rocks of interest to climbing fans, including the highest mountain in the country, Coma Pedrosa.
- Walking and bus tours of the country. Due to its small size and lack of roads, many places are more convenient to travel on foot, but bus routes are also common. Tourists can choose from any of the existing itineraries: visit the picturesque Madru Perafita valley, take part in the discovery of iron ore deposits, or learn how the farmers lived in La Massana.
Information on Andorra
If you are planning to visit Andorra, here are some of the most important things to know
Language
Catalan is considered to be the official language of the country. It is spoken not only in Andorra, but also in the neighbouring Spanish province of Catalonia. The total number of Catalan speakers is estimated at 11 million. Among them, Andorra has only about 25 thousand.
However, other languages of neighbouring countries are also spoken in the country: French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Population
The country has a population of 86,000, almost half of whom are ethnic Andorrans. Approximately 20% of the population is Spanish, with many Portuguese and French.
Cities are home to 87% of the population, once a highly agrarian country.
- More interesting facts about Andorrans, their character and local flavour can be found in this article.
Currency
Andorra does not currently have its own currency. The country is not a member of the European Union, but has traditionally used the monetary units of Spain or France. Therefore, the euro has been unofficially adopted as the basic currency in Andorra since 2012.
For collectors and tourists, the Andorran dinar is issued as a souvenir and not as currency.
Religion
The vast majority of Andorrans are Christian Catholics. Other religions are represented in small numbers, and about 10% of the population describe themselves as atheists.
Climate
Andorra’s climate is entirely determined by its topography. The country lies as if in a small basin, bounded on three sides by high mountains and only relatively open to the south.
Much of the territory lies between 800 and 1200 metres above sea level. A subtropical Mediterranean climate prevails there. Higher altitudes give way to altitudinal belts, where broadleaved forests give way to coniferous forests, alpine meadows and snow-covered deserts.
Andorra’s highest point is 2947 metres above sea level. The mountains experience subzero temperatures at night even in the summer, with snow lying on the ground. The average annual temperature in the valley is +22 degrees.
Andorra is famous among tourists for the abundance of sunny days and low precipitation. Andorra is famous for its abundance of sunny days and low rainfall.
Natural disasters
Although the Pyrenees, on which Andorra lies, are relatively young mountains, the tectonic movements of the earth’s crust are much weaker here than even in the Alps and the Caucasus. Earthquakes are fairly frequent, but their intensity is around 2 on the Richter scale. In most cases, you will not even notice the shaking.
The main hazards in Andorra are avalanches and landslides, which are not uncommon in the mountains. Although the country is crossed by several mountain rivers, the risk of flooding is low. Andorra has not experienced any catastrophic rains or heavy snowmelt.
- Read more about all the natural disasters in Andorra’s history in this article.
Political structure
Formally, Andorra has been ruled by Co-Princes since 1278, but in fact it is now a parliamentary democracy.
The Co-Princes of Andorra are the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France. But their interests in the country are represented by vicars, whose authority is purely nominal.
The principal legislative body in Andorra is the General Council of the Valleys, while the government is called the Executive Council.
The country is divided into seven parishes, the smallest of which is Andorra la Vella, the capital.
Major cities and resorts
Andorra la Vella. The capital of the country, home to 22,000 people, a quarter of the Principality’s total population. It was founded in the ninth century, lies at an altitude of 1,200-1,400 metres above sea level. Andorra is famous for its historical monuments – the Church of St. Armengol and the watchtower of 1508. But there are also many modern buildings of glass and concrete.
Grandvalir. A ski resort which is famous for its well-developed infrastructure. It has everything for comfortable recreation and sports: lifts, pistes, spas, shops and discos. It comprises several small resorts spread over almost 100 km.
Vallnord. The second largest and most popular ski region of Andorra. Here the slopes are steeper and higher, but the infrastructure is far inferior to the fashionable Grandvalir.
Symbols of Andorra
Flag. A tricolour flag combining the colours of France (blue and red) and Spain (red and yellow). The flag also has a shield symbolizing the joint government of the country. The shield bears the motto: «Together we are stronger».
Alpine skiing. The country is visited by almost 9 million tourists every year, and almost all of them are attracted to the wonderful ski and snowboard resorts of Andorra.
Sheep. Andorra’s alpine meadows are known not only for their beauty but also for their many flocks of sheep, the region’s main agricultural product. In winter, local shepherds take their flocks to the south of France or Spain, while in summer the sheep graze on Andorran meadows.
How to get to Andorra
There are no direct flights to Andorra due to the lack of airports in this dwarf state. Therefore, tourists fly to Spain’s Barcelona or French Toulouse and then take a train or bus. The journey by bus from Barcelona to Andorra la Vella takes on average 3 hours.
If you have enough money, you can also get to Andorra by helicopter. There are three heliports in the country.
How much money to take with you
Prices for services, accommodation and food in Andorra do not differ much from the European average, so when planning a holiday in this country, a minimum of €50 per person per day should be considered.
Andorra is a duty-free zone, so the cost of many goods here is much cheaper than in the neighbouring countries, and it is beneficial for tourists to buy them.
Thus, the lowest bar on which the tourist should expect is 500–600 euros for ten days, and for a more comfortable rest, excursions and other pleasures should be planned amount of 1000–1500 euros per person.
Please ask
If you have already visited Andorra, please share your impressions in the comments. Please write a few words about what you liked most about Andorra and what you’d recommend to other tourists. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!