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Andorra

Andorra

Capital city description

Located on the European continent, Andorra la Vella is the capital city of the Principality of Andorra. It is called a tiny European principality, trapped between France and Spain. Andorra la Vella is home to many historical sites to visit. The Església de Sant Esteve is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Andorra la Vella. Tourism and especially skiing are essential economic resources of the city. The free port, a bustling commercial center, attracts 10 million tourists a year.

Climate

The climate of Andorra is a mountain climate with Mediterranean influences; the winter has low temperatures, while summer temperatures are mild. The temperatures undergo significant differences, depending on the altitude and orientation of mountain slopes. Andorra has a high percentage of sunny days; the climate in winter is relatively dry. During the winter, the clear days are prevalent; the months between January and March are the driest of the year, the wettest months are May, August, and September.

Languages spoken

Catalan is the official language of Andorra. It is also the most spoken language in the country. About 38.8% of the Andorran population speak Catalan as their primary language. On the other hand, Spanish is the second widely spoken in Andorra. About 35.4% of the people of Andorra speak Spanish.

Fun/Fascinating Facts

  1. Andorra is among the safest countries globally, with almost zero pickpocketing, car theft, and disorderly conduct incidents.
  2. There is no official army in Andorra. France and Spain protect them. However, when emergencies arise within Andorra, all men between the ages of 21 and 60 are required by law to serve and defend.
  3. In Andorra, Skiing is a popular sport, attracting millions of tourists every year. Vallnord and Grand Valira are two popular ski areas in the country.
  4. Andorra has only one university, which is the state-funded Universitat d’Andorra.
  5. There are no airports in Andorra. Accessibility to international passengers is provided by nearby airports located in Spain and France.

Unique Customs/Traditions

  • Many Catholic families of Andorra still avoid eating meat on Fridays. In the feast of the Virgin of Meritxell, Andorran families usually eat outdoors after the solemn midday mass: they eat cold cuts, chicken, and rabbit. The Christmas cycle is also an occasion for organizing family meals.
  • All public ceremonies, including some sessions of Parliament, are accompanied by a Catholic mass. The festive Andorran calendar is adapted to the Catholic liturgical calendar, and the nation, like every parish, has a patron saint and a collection of religious and lay celebrations.
  • Music is an integral part of Andorran culture and has expanded to embrace classical and modern jazz and orchestral concerts. Additionally, traditional Catalan cuisine is considered a vital part of the state’s cultural glories.
  • The various and rich Catalan folklore is a part of everyday life in the principality, with the roots of colorful legends and tales set as far away as Andalusia and the Netherlands. 

Popular universities

Name Description
Universitat d'Andorra (University of Andorra) Universitat d'Andorra (University of Andorra) is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the medium town of Sant Julià de Lòria, established in 1997. The University of Andorra has grown in training and research at a sustainable rate, and it now offers academic degrees at all three university levels (bachelor, master, and doctoral). Most of the qualifications offered are first cycle (3-year bachelor's degrees – 180 European credits), both on-campus and online, mainly in technology, business, health, and education. All taught degrees are adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) framework and recognized by participating countries.

Festivals & Events

Big Snow Festival

Date: March

The Big snow festival celebrates snow sports enthusiasts in the Arinsal ski resort in March. It consists of many sports contests, live music, and mad parties at the local bars and pubs.

Arinsal in Andorra played host to hundreds of festival-goers as they gathered for seven solid days of mountainous music, snowboarding, fun, and mayhem. Over 80 percent of the crowd experienced skiing and snowboarding for the first time.

Our Lady of Meritxell Day,

Date: 8th September

The most important of Andorra’s festivals is Our Lady of Meritxell Day, which celebrates the country’s patron saint. The event has been held on September 8, every year since 1873. The event honors the state’s patron saint, focusing on a replica of the Chapel of Meritxell’s sanctuary.

On the day of the celebration, all shops and businesses close, and everyone heads to the Meritxell Church for mass. After that, there is a big torch procession, concerts, and dancing in the streets, music, parties, and concerts.



International Women's Clown Festival

Date: May

International Women's Clown Festival is a famous annual event that delights Andorran residents and tourists in May. It brings together female clowns from several countries worldwide, including the USA, and audiences from many regions.

Andorra’s jazz festival

Date: July

In July, Andorra’s jazz festival is held in Escaldes-Engordany and attracts renowned jazz acts worldwide. Andorra’s jazz festival features talented musicians like Chano Dominguez, John Scofield, Madeleine Peyroux, Miles Davis, and Fats Domino. Hugely popular, the entire town joins in the celebration, both on and off the street.

Bagpipers’ Gathering

Date: August

The Bagpipers’ Gathering celebrates the legend of Val d’Ordino’s traveling bagpipers, known as ‘burners.’ A genuinely traditional annual occasion, held in the second week of August, the event sees attendees thrill to the skirl of the pipes for an unforgettable experience. Bagpipe players from across the region attend to perform and play together.

Andorra la Vella Festa Major

Date: First week of August

Andorra la Vella Festa Major, held in the capital at the beginning of August, is Andorra's top summer event. Its rich program includes street performances and folk dances to circuses and feasting. The Andorra la Vella Festival brings activities for everyone. Animations and music of all styles will fill the city.

Montserrat Caballe Singing Contest

Date: May

Montserrat Caballe Singing Contest draws young, talented classical singers worldwide to compete every May for the coveted prize and title of Monsterrat’s most outstanding performer. Caballe, one of the world’s greatest sopranos, is Catalan, and the contest attracts many opera fans.

The competition has helped launch the careers of many talented young singers ­– over six thousand from all five continents have taken part – and will continue to do so. The event is held in a different place, and forthcoming editions will be staged in other opera houses. 

Narciso Yepes International Festival

Date: October

For 34 years, a festival dedicated to Narciso Yepes has been held in Andorra. Still, in his hometown, in Lorca, a festival commemorates the guitarist and his legacy.

Narciso Yepes International Festival, held in October in Val d’Ordino, is named after the famous guitarist. International orchestras and musicians alike arrive to perform, and it’s a favorite attraction for the classically inclined.

Attractions / Top Sights

Andorra la Vella

When to visit: April to October

 Andorra la Vella — the capital of Andorra, is this small nation's busiest tourist attraction perched high in the eastern Pyrenees. At an altitude of 1,029 meters, it's one of the world's highest capital cities. 

Presiding over the Gran Valira river under the east side of the 2,317-meter Pic d'Enclar mountain, the city's main street is lined with shops selling everything from souvenirs to local arts and crafts and luxury goods. The road also boasts many fine galleries, cafés, restaurants, and excellent hotels.

Vallnord

When to visit: December to April

Situated in the northern part of Andorra and boasts a peak altitude of 2,625 meters, Vallnord. It is one of the Pyrenees' most famous winter sports destinations and draws skiers and snowboarders from across Europe to its many fine slopes. Vallnord has won the World Ski Award as the best ski resort in Andorra. It has the best alpine skiing and snowboarding schools, perfect for beginners and seasoned skiers. 

Vallnord has three unique ski resorts: Arcalis, Pal, and Arinsal. Vallnord Pal-Arinsal covers 63 km of slopes and is the ideal place to come for beginners and families who want to learn to ski. Arinsal is ideally set up with an excellent ski school internationally recognized for offering an outstanding level of tuition. On the other hand, more professional downhillers usually head for the north-facing alpine slopes of Arcalis with long-lasting snows. Activities such as speed riding (a mix of skiing and hang-gliding), heli-skiing, and ski-biking are available for the truly adventurous.

LaCasa de la Vall

When to visit: April to October

LaCasa de la Vall is one of the best attractions in Andorra la Vella. It lies just to the southwest of the Andorra National Library. It is a heritage property registered in the Cultural Heritage of Andorra. Constructed in 1580 and now the seat of government, it's notable for its ornate coat of arms and other historical emblems of its former rulers.

The structure has two floors. The floor of the building is rectangular. A tower in the shape of a dovecote stands in a corner. In front of the building, where the rocky cliff hung over the valley, an open area was created in the 2011 project for the new parliamentary building, allowing a clear view of the old house and offering a splendid vista over the valleys. On the façade, at the sides, and behind the building are dates and sculptures commemorating significant moments of Andorra.

Soldeu Ski Resort

When to visit: January to early March

When to visit: https://www.andorraresorts.com/soldeu/

Soldeu is a trendy ski resort that forms part of the extensive Grandvalira ski domain and hosts many top-level events, including the Alpine Skiing World Cup. It is a truly international resort attracting many British, Spanish, and French tourists and appeals to couples, families, and groups alike.

The resort features 200 km (124.27 mi) of pisted slopes, consisting of a good number of blue and green slopes for beginners, more challenging red and black runs for advanced skiers, and even snow gardens for the kids. The resort is also home to the Sport Wellness Spa for relaxing the muscles after a day on the slopes.

Soldeu Ski Resort, Canillo, Andorra

Ordino and Casa d'Areny-Plandolit

When to visit: April to October

The little town of Ordino, located at the base of the 2,740-meter-tall Casamanya mountain, is another Andorra's picturesque tourist spot. Aside from its quiet streets, quaint shops, elegant hotels, and old churches, the town is home to Casa d'Areny-Plandolit.

Casa d'Areny-Plandolit is an essential historic structure built in 1633 and later rebuilt in the mid-19th century by Baron de Senaller, a man famous for instigating reforms in 1866 that gave heads of households voting rights. This magnificent old house boasts a superb wrought-iron balcony from 1843, along with a reproduction of the country's original Cupboard of the Seven Keys.

Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley

When to visit: In summer

When to visit: https://visitandorra.com/en/nature/madriu-perafita-claror-valley/

The stunning tiny Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley, Andorra's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, an isolated glacial valley, is a sanctuary for various endangered and rare wildlife species, boasts spectacular vistas over mountains pastures, rugged crags, and thickly forested valleys.

The valley covers an area of 42.47 km², approximately 9% of the total area of Andorra. It is part of the second-largest watershed basin in Andorra. The remote valley is only accessible by walking trails, resulting in a surprisingly peaceful and tranquil hiking experience.


Caldes Spa

When to visit: April 9th to June 24th. or. September 3rd to November 18th.

Located in the heart of Andorra la Vella, the massive Caldea spa, complex dominates the capital's skyline with its magnificent glass pyramid tower.

The Caldes spa has mineral-rich warm waters that emerge from the city's thermal source; a visit to this uniquely designed spa complex is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are not soon forgotten. The facility features more than 6,000 square meters of watery fun and treatment areas, numerous lagoons (both indoor and outdoor), and many saunas and Jacuzzis. It boasts many specialized spa areas featuring Indo-Roman baths, cascades, warm marble slates, and even a grapefruit pool. 

Sant Joan de Caselles Church

When to visit: Between April to October

 Sant Joan de Caselles Church is regarded as one of the country's finest Romanesque churches. This magnificent ancient stone building was built in the 11-centuries in the style typical for other Andorran churches attributed to the Romanesque period and contained many exciting features. Most notable among them is its refined interior decorated with excellent frescoes, as well as a retablo, St. John, and the Apocalypse, dating from 1525.

Other highlights of this well-preserved Catholic church are the choir grille with its Romanesque stucco figure of Christ on the Cross and the remarkable polychrome painting that surrounds it.


Vallnord Ski Resort

When to visit: December to April

Situated in the northern part of Andorra and boasts a peak altitude of 2,625 meters, Vallnord. It is one of the Pyrenees' most famous winter sports destinations and draws skiers and snowboarders from across Europe to its many fine slopes. Vallnord has won the World Ski Award as the best ski resort in Andorra. It has the best alpine skiing and snowboarding schools, perfect for beginners and seasoned skiers. 

Vallnord has three unique ski resorts: Arcalis, Pal, and Arinsal. Vallnord Pal-Arinsal covers 63 km of slopes and is the ideal place to come for beginners and families who want to learn to ski. Arinsal is ideally set up with an excellent ski school internationally recognized for offering an outstanding level of tuition. On the other hand, more professional downhillers usually head for the north-facing alpine slopes of Arcalis with long-lasting snows. Activities such as speed riding (a mix of skiing and hang-gliding), heli-skiing, and ski-biking are available for the truly adventurous.

Church of Saint Stephen

When to visit: Between April to October

One of the most important tourist attractions in the village of Andorra is the Church of Saint Stephen (Sant Esteve d'Andorra la Vella), located in the capital of Andorra la Vella. This little 12th-century Romanesque church is a part of the rich Romanesque cultural heritage on the territory of Andorra. Though initially built in the 12th century, it has been changed and renovated many times over the years. The church has impressive sculptures, a bell tower, and an apse.


Valley del Sorteny Park

When to visit: Between April to October

When to visit: https://www.sorteny.ad/

The Natural Park of the Valle del Sorteny covers 1,080 hectares (2670 acres) declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in October 2020, the Sorteny Valley Nature Park has a great diversity of flora with over more than 700 phanerogam species. It is also home to unique animals, including the amazing wild boar and roe deer.

The park is dedicated to education and runs many different workshops, guided hikes, and tours throughout the year. The park also boasts a warden-protected lodge open in both winter and summer, with restaurant services available.