Andorra - sovereign microstate between France and Spain, in Western Europe

Andorra is a small, mountainous country in Western Europe, located 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.

Cities

• Andorra la Vella — capital of Andorra
• Santa Coloma d'Andorra — south of Andorra La Vella towards the border with Spain
• Sant Julia de Loria — south of Santa Coloma towards the border with Spain
• Escaldes-Engordany — this is really an eastern suburb parish of Andorra La Vella
• Encamp — parish to the NE of Andorra La Vella between Engordany and Canillo on the road to France
• La Massana — small town and parish about 5 miles north of Andorra La Vella. You can access Arinsal - Pal ski area from it directly
• Ordino — northernmost and least populated parish but almost the largest by area
• Canillo — northeasternmost parish on the main road and border to France
• Arinsal — small village and ski resort in the north west
• Pal
• Pas de la Casa — a town bordering with France
• Soldeu

Understand

History

For 715 years, from 1278 to 1994, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality ruled by the French head of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgell. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the Andorra government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. The French claim goes back to the Counts of Foix, whose claim passed to the Kings of Navarre, who came to be French kings in the 16th century. France abandoned the claim during the First Republic, but has continually exercised the position since the days of Napoleon, even under Republican governments. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many migrant workers (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Economy

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has eroded as the economies of neighbouring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited—only 2% of the land is arable—and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Electricity

Electricity is supplied at 220 to 230 V 50 Hz. Outlets are the European standard CEE-7/7 "Schukostecker" or "Schuko" or the compatible, CEE-7/16 "Europlug" types.

Get in

Due mainly to the mountainous nature of Andorra, there is only one road entering Andorra from France, and only one widely-used road entering Andorra from Spain. Almost all entry into the country happens at one of these two points.

Andorra doesn't require a visa from any visitors, but because the country can only be entered from Spain or France, you'll need to enter the Schengen Area first in order to get to Andorra. See the Schengen Area entry requirements.

Visitors from outside the EU should note that Andorra is not a Schengen member, and exiting France or Spain into Andorra would theoretically terminate a single-entry visa. In practice, though, immigration does not enforce this.

By plane

There are no airports in Andorra. The nearest airport is La Seu d'Urgell Airport (IATA: LEU), 42.338612°, 1.409167°. The airport, owned by the Government of Catalonia, has twice-weekly scheduled passenger flights from Madrid on Fridays and Sundays and occasional charter flights.

The nearest larger airports are:

Perpignan (IATA: PGF) (France) to the east, no coach connections but you can take a Yellow train to La tour de Carol and further to l'Hospitalet.

Toulouse–Blagnac (IATA: TLS) (France) to the north. You can pre book a coach or a taxi from Toulouse Airport to all the resorts in Andorra with Sea-Lifts.

Barcelona El Prat (IATA: BCN) (Spain) to the south.

By helicopter

To Andorra la Vella, La Massana or Arinsal heliports, the journey from airports in Toulouse or Barcelona for a maximum of 5 passengers, takes less than an hour and costs €2500.

See the Heliand (dead link: January 2023) website for more information.

By train

Andorra is the only sovereign non-island state in Europe to have never had a railway.

While there are no train lines or stations in Andorra, stations near the border can be accessed easily from Barcelona, Perpignan and Toulouse. There's also a direct sleeper from Paris.

• Gare d'Andorre-L'Hospitalet (before 2008: L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre), 42.588889°, 1.8°. Despite its name, this station is not on the territory of Andorra, but rather in France, some 3 km from the border. Six trains per day run from Toulouse-Matabiau (2½ hr, €23.40). There are regular buses onward to Andorra but it's unclear when. The last bus seems to leave at 19:45 so if the train arrives after that, you're stuck.
• Gare de Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg (Catalan: La Tor de Querol-Enveig), 42.458611°, 1.906111°. This station is in France but close to the Spanish border. It is the terminus of three rail lines: suburban R3 line from Barcelona-Sants (4 daily, 3 hr, €11.20); the line from Toulouse (6 daily, 3 hr, €26.10) which runs via L'Hospitalet (30 min); and a narrow-gauge line from Perpignan (2 M-F, 3 weekends, 4–5 hr, €27.20) (change at Villefranche Vernet les Bains). Buses also connect Latour-de-Carol with L'Hospitalet.

As of 2017, the French Intercités de Nuit still serves both stations, but the network has been curtailed severely and this service could be axed in the foreseeable future, too. As with most long distance trains, early booking can net you very good deals indeed.

The French railway company, SNCF, used to operate one bus per day (TER Midi-Pyrénée, dep 09:35, 26 min, €3.20, SNCF discounts apply) from the train station of L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre (also called Andorre-L'Hospitalet-SNCF or L'Hospitalet) to the first town after the Andorran border, the supposed shoppers' paradise of Pas de la Casa, from where it's possible to take frequent buses to Andorra-la-Vella (€5.85) — every 30 min with Cooperativa Interurbana (+376 806 556 , line 4) or cia Hispano-Andorrana (+376 807 000 ). Check!

Hispano-Andorrana bus company runs services twice a day from the L'Hospitalet train station directly to Andorra-la-Vella, also calling at some other stops, for about €8.

From France, getting to Andorra by train and onward bus costs around the same as the direct bus. It is very cost-effective for holders of SNCF discount cards such as Carte 12-25 or those coming with the sleeper train from Paris. Anyone under 26 years-old traveling at off-peak hours with SNCF is entitled a 25% discount (called "Découvert 12-25").

From Barcelona, the train-bus combination is much cheaper than the direct bus; however, it requires two changes: one in Latour de Carol and one in L'Hospitalet.

Caution: L'Hospitalet train station is in a deserted area, is often unmanned, and its rooms have restricted open hours, so in winter it's important to match connections well. If you need assistance, you may want to call the Toulouse train station at +33 8 91 67 76 77 .

By car

Roads in Andorra are generally of a good quality. Entering from the Spanish side is a relatively straightforward drive; however entering from France is a more stressful affair involving many hairpin bends. Border control officers at both sides are generally fine. Entering Andorra, you generally do not need to even stop, but you must slow down and be prepared to stop if requested. When leaving Andorra, you must stop and be prepared for delays during busy times. Gas prices are usually lower in Andorra than France and Spain, so it's a good idea to fill up your tank before leaving the country.

Also beware of black ice and snow drifts as the temperature in Andorra can be much colder than at sea level. Be sure your car is in good condition.

The approach from the French side passes through the 2.9-km-long Tunel d'Envalira which requires a credit or debit card for payment of the fee. The amounts are: winter (remainder of year)

• Cars €5.60 (€4.80)
• Others €16.70 (€10.70) Winter is from 1 December-31 March

Occasionally the road through to France can be closed in winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanche risk. Keep in mind that weather and road conditions may be very different on the northern slope of the Pas de la Casa than to the south.

Car rental The usual car hire companies operate from locations such as 'downtown'; the desks are sometimes quiet and unmanned so it may be a good idea to book in advance on-line, your rates should still be good value.

• From November to April, it is necessary to have winter tyres and/or snow chains to hand in the car. In snowy road conditions, cars without winter tyres or snow chains fitted are not allowed to drive. This is often enforced by police checkpoints on access roads to the ski resorts and on mountain passes such as the CS-311 and the road above Pas de la Casa.

Drivers considered to be at fault in fatal accidents are always prosecuted and usually imprisoned.

Taxi Taxi Josep provides a Mercedes Benz car and speaks many languages Tel: +376 323111 ; Taxi Domènec Segura provides a van but does not speak English or French tel: +34 636 490 685 . Taxi Josep can arrange the ride with Taxi Domènec Segura if you absolutely need a van. Payment must be in cash.

Taxi Barras +376 323743 provides local service.

By bus

An overview of local buses can be found at bud.ad (in Catalan) international destinations are listed at busandorra.com.

Many coach routes serve Andorra, particularly from Spain, mainly Barcelona but also Girona, Madrid, Malaga, Lleida and Valencia.

From France

Toulouse is the main hub for accessing Andorra.

Andbus runs from Toulouse's Matabiau bus station and Toulouse–Blagnac airport (both 3 hr, €35). The stop at Toulouse airport is outside Arrivals, Hall B in front of door B.

Other coach services operate via the French border towns L'Hospitalet (3 km from Andorra) and Latour-de-Carol (Spanish: La Tor de Querol, near the Spanish border, 20 km from Andorra). It is not recommended to take a train from Toulouse or Latour-de-Carol and connect to the public bus at the Gare d'Andorre-L'Hospitallet train station in the morning because the bus departs half an hour before the first SNCF train arrives at this station. The only suitable train-bus connection is the daily train from Toulouse that arrives at Gare d'Andorre-L'Hospitallet at 19:21 and the bus departs at 19:45. This bus service is catered towards Andorrans departing for France or Spain and connect to those trains towards Toulouse and Latour-de-Carol. An alternative option from the Gare d'Andorre-L'Hospitallet train station is to take a taxi to Pas de la Casa (~€30).

From Spain

The trip from Barcelona takes 3hr 15min to 4hr, depending on the number of stops.

Andbus connects Andorra to Barcelona's airport (€30); and Girona's bus station and airport (both around 3hr 30min, €32).

Eurolines runs from Barcelona airport (outside the door of Terminal B), via Barcelona Sants train station to Andorra. Arrive early as the driver doesn't hang around and may leave early. You pay for the ticket at Sants, not the airport. You will need to show your passport.

Autocars Nadal also travels between Andorra and Barcelona and its airport.

Alsina Graells has eight trips a day from Barcelona (€23 one-way and €40 round-trip).

ALSA has daily trips between Barcelona and Andorra. Bus leaves from Barcelona Nord. Tickets are (€29 one-way and €55 round-trip).

By bicycle

From Spain

From La Seu d'Urgell in Spain, a ride with a moderate climb of some of elevation leads to the border of Andorra. There is no dedicated cycle path to the border. You'd ride on the wide shoulder of a somewhat busy highway with cars passing by at a respectful distance. From the border it's another 10 km and another climb to the capital Andorra La Vella.

From France

While entering and leaving from Spain should be doable for most, the only connection with France goes across a true mountain pass. From the last village in France, L'Hospitalet près-l'Andorre (bikes can be brought on the train here from Toulouse) at elevation, you get to climb up to Port d'Envalira pass at before going back down to Andorra la Vella at . While the pass seems to be open all year, it naturally can get extremely cold up there. Bicycles do not seem to be permitted on the Túnel d'Envalira which cuts through the mountain under the pass at about elevation.

For those who don't want to climb the mountain pass, the local L4 bus connects the capital Andorra la Vella and the border town El Pas de la Casa ( elevation) which is 15 km from L'Hospitalet près-l'Andorre. It's usually possible to lay the bikes in the luggage compartment of the bus without a requirement for further wrapping; note that this is not a specialised storage for a bicycle and the drivers naturally take no responsibility for any damages.

Get around

By bus

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 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.

The lines are:

• L1 Sant Julia de Loria - Andorra la Vella / Escaldes-Engordany
• L2 Andorra la Vella - Encamp
• LC Circular bus route within Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany
• L4 Andorra la Vella - Encamp - Soldeu - Pas de la Casa
• L5 Andorra la Vella - La Massana - Arinsal
• L6 Andorra la Vella - La Massana - Ordino
• E (express) Sant Julia de Loria - Andorra la Vella/Escaldes-Engordany

There are also three night bus lines with sparse intervals:

• Bn1 Andorra la Vella - Sant Julia de Loria (every 60 min)
• Bn2 Canillo - Andorra la Vella - Canillo (every 120 min)
• Bn3 Ordino - Arsinal - Andorra la Vella - Ordino (every 90 min)

By car

The roadways in Andorra are winding, congested, and small. Despite the close distances indicated on the chart, it is worthwhile to take your time. Traffic moves slowly. Many locations have narrow streets. It is crowded, particularly in and around the city. Sometimes it's challenging to locate parking.

The 43 km long main route runs through Andorra. Although the road is generally in good condition, it can get very crowded, particularly near the borders. Although the highway is wide in some areas, driving through Andorra takes a while because of the towns and villages it travels through.

In Andorra, the top speed restriction is 90 km/h. These stretches are few and far between, and even those that do occur are not very long. Numerous roundabouts are present. Watch your mirrors because on the inside of the roundabout, locals often past sluggish tourists.

For Andorran travelers, rest or picnic places are few and far between. They are lacking even in places where there is room to construct them. Later on in this guide, a number of locations are recommended.

Talk

Andorra is the only country in the world that has Catalan as its sole official language. Street signs are in Catalan, and it doesn't hurt to learn a few words. But almost everyone speaks Spanish as well, and French and Portuguese are widely spoken too. If you plan to visit there, it would be advisable to have at least some basic skills in Spanish, since English is spoken very little, most of the time at hotels. Bus/taxi drivers, shop employees or other service personnel will hardly understand if you talk in English.

See

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.

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.

Do

Ski resorts

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:

• Pas de la Casa—skiing resort right on the French border.
• Soldeu—skiing resort
• Arcalis—ski area at the head of the valley from El Serrat
• Arinsal—skiing resort part of the Arinsal Pal ski area. Also known as Vallnord which means Valley North in English
• Pal—skiing resort part of the Arinsal Pal ski area.
• Arinsal-Pal -- which is two skiing areas connected by cable car. See Arinsal and Pal.

La Rabassa is a cross-country (Nordic) skiing area in southern Andorra above the town of Sant Julia de Loria.

Hiking and trekking

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).

• Treks from Arinsal (1,500 m) - Pic de Sanfons (2,888 m/9,475 ft, 4hr 45min, climb 1,310 m/4,298 ft, medium until the hut, difficult on the ridge). View on the Coma Pedrosa, the valley of Tor, the lakes of Baiau in Spain as well as on the Pallars mountains. Mountain hut and lake on the way. Parking at Torrent Ribal 1,580 m (5,184 ft).
• Pic de Médécourbe (2,914 m) (4hr 30min, climb 1,335 m/4,380 ft, medium until the hut increasing to difficult on the ridge). A classic! Mountain hut half-way up, lakes and a breathtaking view over the valley of Arinsal, Boet and Vicdessos (France). Parking at Torrent Ribal 1,580 m (5,184 ft). The peak is the western tripoint international boundary of Andorra, France, and Spain.
• Pic de Coma Pedrosa (2,942 m) (4hr 30min, climb 1,370 m, medium until the lake, difficult on the ridge). The highest mountain in Andorra. Mountain hut half way up, lakes. Beautiful view of the surrounding summits, the valley of Arinsal and to the West, the Maladeta and Ecantats massifs. Parking at Torrent Ribal 1580 m.
• Montmantell lakes and the Pic del Pla de l'Estany (2,859 m) (4hr 20min, climb 1,280 m, medium). Mountain hut half-way up, lakes, magnificent view over the Ariège mountains in France and over Andorra. Parking at Torrent Ribal 1580 m.
• Arinsal - Percanela - les Fonts - Pla de l'Estany - Arinsal circuit (2,055 m) (4hr 30min, climb 670 m, medium) 2 mountain huts. Very pleasant circuit which one can do either way. Lovely views of Coma Pedrosa via the imposing natural amphitheatre of Les Fonts. A few bordas (farm houses) on the way, some renovated, some in ruins. Parking at Arinsal 1,466 m.
• Camí del coll de les Cases (1,950 m) (1hr 40min, climb 490 m, medium) Panoramic view over the Ordino mountains and la Massana. Ideal picnic and meditation site. You can continue along the GR11 to Arans (parking at Mas de Ribafeta 1466 m) but transport back to Arinsal must be provided.

Spa

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.

Buy

Money

Shopping

Andorra la Vella is a tax haven and thus typical duty free shopping goods, such as perfumes, cigarettes and alcohol, are popular purchases. On any given day the capital will have lots of people from Spain and France who've driven up for a shopping trip.

Eat

Escudella De Pages (Catalan peasant soup) or Escudella i Carn d'Ollais often considered the national dish. It is sometimes made with pilotas (giant spiced meatballs).

The Trinxat, based on cabbage, potato and bacon in loaches, is the other typical dish of the country's gastronomy and that can be tasted in most of Andorra's traditional cuisine restaurants, many of them rustic huts now transformed into restaurants.

Drink

You will find Estrella Damm, a beer from Barcelona, all over the country.

• Destil.leries Andorra (Destilleries El Serrat), Urb. Els Camps, AD400, La Massana - Arinsal, 42.575361°, 1.482856°, +376 333 189. Producing the country's "national spirit", Anis Andorrana, as well as some other liqueurs, this distillery located in Arinsal offers free tours and tastings to walk-in visitors and has a factory store. Its products can also be bought at other supermarkets and liquor stores around the country. 2022-12-25

• Wine – The main Andorran grape varietal is pinot noir.

• Alpha Brewery – The country's only brewery that makes a couple different styles of beer is not sold in most stores. Small gift shops and our tourist-centric businesses may have some.

Sleep

There are no well known five-star international chain hotels, such as Four Seasons, Fairmont, Intercontinental or Marriott in Andorra. But there are several luxury hotels in Andorra with 5 stars and exclusive services such as the Sport Hotel Hermitage & Spa, Andorra Park Hotel or the Hotel Plaza. All from Andorran hotel chains but an excellent option for those seeking luxury and 5 stars. Even three-star chains like Best Western are not here. The only well-known chain hotels are Holiday Inn and Ibis, in Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany respectively (Escaldes-Engordany is just east of Andorra la Vella). The remaining hotels in Andorra are almost always independently operated; the quality and service provided by a four-star hotel, as classified by the local tourism board, is not as good as what you expect from other destinations.

Work

To work in Andorra you need to a work permit issued by the government. If you are on business for only a few days then this would not apply.

Stay safe

There is not much threat from other people in Andorra, but keep safe on mountains. Don't go too high without knowing what you are doing. See Altitude sickness for more.

Drivers are warned to avoid crossing back into France if the Spanish side of the Pyrenees has enjoyed beautiful warm sunshine all day and the road temperatures drop considerably towards the evening - there is danger of black ice from ice melt. The weather in the French Pyrenees is frequently vastly different than that of Andorra and the Spanish Pyrenees. Stay overnight if necessary, as cold morning temperatures are more apparent and less treacherous than sudden evening icing. Driving can become dangerous especially in winter if you don't obey the speed limits or traffic signs due to its narrow roads, sharp turns and mountainous terrains. From November 1 to May 15, drivers are legally required to have winter tires or snow chains installed. Otherwise you will be fined €180 by the police.

Stay healthy

The main hospital in Andorra is the Meritxell (pronounced merichai) Hospital (+376 871 000).

Tap water is drinkable, though if you're coming from far away it's possible the local microbes and minerals may upset your stomach at first. As in many places, bottled water is safest.

Respect

Andorra is not part of Spain or France and people could be offended if you say that it is.

Connect

Cellular service

Andorra's telecom providers are not part of the EU roaming zone so turn off your cell phone if you want to avoid hefty roaming charges, unless your plan allows you to roam in Andorra. If you wish to purchase a local SIM for use during your time in Andorra, Andorra Telecom sells SIMs for €15 with €15 credit preloaded. This is enough to purchase 1.5 GB of data.

Internet

Andorra is a well-connected country and has accepted the Internet with open arms. Almost as many people subscribe to the Internet as landline phones. Free public WiFi is available in parts of major towns, and many restaurants have WiFi as well.

Postal services

Uniquely, Andorra does not have its own postal service and instead relies on both the Spanish and French postal systems. You'll frequently see buildings with two mailboxes, and if you look closely you'll notice that one is for Correos (Spain) and one for La Poste (France). The main offices for both are in Andorra La Vella.

The French post office (Correus francesos) is at Carrer de Bonaventura Armengol is usually open M-F 08:30-14:30, Sa 09:00-11:59 Tel: +376 820 408

The Spanish post office (Correus espanyols) is open M-F 08:30-14:30, Sa 09:00-12:59 Tel: +376 820 257.

Go next

• Latour-de-Carol - first stop on the scenic descent for Perpignan with the open-top Yellow train (fr: Le train jaune) is reachable with the same TER train line 22 that serves L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre.