Andorra la Vella is the capital of Andorra. At an altitude of 1023 m, it is Europe's highest capital, and the only one located over 1 km above the sea level.
Bus companies operating international lines via Andorra la Vella:
Within Andorra, Interurbana. operates seven bus routes and all of the lines either start at or has stops in Andorra la Vella. 2018-02-24
You should be able to walk around most of Andorra la Vella. The town is really in two parts. There is the newer section at the north end of the town that is very commercial with lots of shops. The other half is the older half, down across the river and to the south and west. This also has shops, places to eat and the historic part.
If you stay in either of these areas, you can easily cover them on foot, but walking from the end of one half to the other will take a good half hour or more, so it may be worth taking the local bus which is cheap. Be sure to read the timetable and routes carefully at the bus stop.
Church of Saint Stephen (Església de Sant Esteve), Plaça Príncep Benlloch, 42.507224°, 1.521692°, +376 730 003, info@oficinaturisme.ad. 10AM-1PM & 3PM-7PM. This church in the old part of the city dates from the 12th century. Free guided tours; otherwise, the church is open to tourists outside of mass hours. free 2017-10-26
Church of Sant Andreu, Sant Andreu St., +376 827 117. M-Sa. Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. It is obligatory to reserve by phone.
Casa de la Vall, Carrer de la Vall, 42.506617°, 1.518333°. M-Sa 09:30-13:00, 15:00-19:00; Su (May-Oct only) 10:00-14:00. Dating from the 16th century, it was the former seat of the Consell General (Andorran Parliament). Access is by guided tour only. Tours are on the half hour and last about a half hour. Reservations are required for the tour, so it's best to stop by and reserve a tour in the morning and return during your tour time. €5/adult, €2.50/concession 2018-02-24
Bridge of la Margineda, Santa Coloma. This bridge dates from medieval times but is still in perfect condition. Nearby there is a metallic sculpture made by the Valencian sculptor Andreu Alfaro.
Rec del Solà and Rec de l’Obac. Paved paths with handrails illuminated in the night. They are 2.5 km long. Starting point: Collegi Sant Ermengol road and Tarragona avenue, respectively.
The town square. This is a surprisingly peaceful place with a panoramic view of the Valley of Andorra.
Parliament building and old town. The parliament building is a relatively modern building and you can walk around up the hill behind it and go onto the roof where there is a type of mini park. On a nice day, there is a great view out over the valley across and looking south towards Santa Coloma. From here you can head back up the hill slightly to the right and visit the old church of St Esteve. Behind it is an interesting little area filled with narrow streets which is clearly the original location of the settlement.
Park Central. 06:00-24:00. Park with small pond.
El Portal de la Vall, c/ Prat de la Creu 74-76, baixos (ground floor of the Comú building), +376 823 000, portal@madriu-perafita-claror.ad. M-F 09:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00; June 26 - Sept 7 08:00-15:00. This visitor center has useful information on the leisure activities offered in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley, as well as facts on the tasks carried out to manage the valley and promote the values that have made it a UNESCO Human Heritage site. Free 2017-09-29
Rocks in the Street Museum, Pl. de la Rotonda. Formed by different specimens of sedimentary, magnificent, metamorphic rocks and high-quality fossils from Andorra, it is accompanied by a panel with explanations. free 2017-09-30
The cultural landscape of Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley (dead link: January 2023), which was inscribed in the World heritage list in 2006, can only be accessed on foot. It offers great hiking and climbing possibilities in summer and in winter ski mountaineering or walking with snowshoes is an option.
The best bargains can be obtained in electronic goods and jewellery. High cost items tend to be cheaper than anywhere else because of the low tax.
The great thing about the electronic goods like digital cameras is that there are a huge range of shops and a huge stock range, so you really get to see all the different makes and models.
Some of the larger shops seem to stock a lot of brand label clothing. Don't miss out on the Via Moda Group, a chain of stores under different names, especially during sales.
There are loads of ski gear shops. Shop around.
There are reasonably priced restaurants, although many of them tend to be Italian restaurants serving pizza and pasta. You find almost nothing open after 22:30.
All these are in the city centre:
Drink and spirits especially are very good value in the supermarkets. Especially at the Hiper Andorra.
There are no four- or five-star international chain hotels. The only well-known chain hotels are Novotel, Holiday Inn and Ibis. The remaining hotels are almost always independently operated.
See nearby Escaldes-Engordany since it's very close.
The stretch of Avinguda Meritxell in downtown Andorra la Vella and Avinguda Carlemany that continues Av. Meritxell in the adjacent Escaldes-Engordany has free public WiFi.
Andorra la Vella is not a bad location if you want to go skiing because you can get either the local bus or the "Snow" bus up to most of the ski resorts. Most hotels during the ski season should have details.
The old town is worth visiting. It is up on the hill to the West and South of the main modern part of the town. It is quite old and quaint. You should cover it in about 2 or 3 hours.
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