The capital of the principality, if desired, can be circumvented on foot - its area is 12 square meters. km The city is located at an altitude of 1029 m above sea level and is the highest mountain capital of Europe. And almost all the narrow streets of Andorra la Vella lead to the mountain slopes.
The city, which emerged in the 9th century, is located in the very center of the country, in a valley between the peaks of the Pyrenees. The valley formed by the Valira River at an altitude of 1050 m above sea level is replete with unusual mountain landscapes, but there are all the advantages of a European city: many restaurants, hotels and entertainment centers offer a full range of necessary services. Read our Andorra la Vella city guide to know more about the capital of Andorra. Andorra has neither its army nor diplomatic missions in other countries and is under the protectorate of two states at the same time - Spain and France. The principality has created a practical banking system and very favorable conditions for doing business. These opportunities are widely used by numerous representatives of world business elites, opening bank accounts and registering their companies.
The ski season in Andorra la Vella lasts from December to mid-April. Although Andorra is located in the mountains, the north wind does not get here, and the average temperature in December and January is around 0 ° C. On winter slopes, the temperature in the daytime is usually slightly above zero, so all tracks are equipped with snow cannons. In winter, it often snows, and the sun shines 250 days a year.
Andorra has neither its own airport nor railways. You can get to Andorra la Vella only by bus from Spain or France. Airports are about the same distance from Andorra - Barcelona at 210 km, Toulouse at 196 km. Buses from Barcelona to Andorra depart from the 1st and 2nd terminals of the international airport several times a day. These buses come with a stop through the Barcelona Estacio de Sants station, where you can also land. Passenger transportation is carried out by EuroLines and Alsa, the schedule can be found on their websites. Basically, buses in the direction run from 6.30 to 22.20. The price of a one-way ticket is from 33 euros. Travel time is about 3.5 hours.
The departure point for the Toulouse-Andorra bus is the central bus station. Ticket price from 36 euros. Buses arrive at the Andorra la Vella bus station, which is located a five-minute walk from the main pedestrian street of the city. So walking to any of the hotels is easy. You can also order a shuttle of the Andorran companies Regina or Novatel or rent a car. But it must be borne in mind that you will have to drive along mountain roads. Therefore, for uncertain drivers it is more appropriate to use transport services.
Bus service covers all areas of the country. Intervals of movement on some routes do not exceed 10 minutes. Transportation is carried out by private companies, and some local lines are operated by the government. Andorran's private bus companies include Cooperativa InterUrbana Andorrana, Eurolines, Camino Bus. Special bus routes Sky Bus during the ski season run at intervals of 10-20 minutes from large towns to the ski lifts.
Andorra la Vella is an integrated resort area. There are five ski stations in the vicinity of the city. Those who have settled in the city can choose where to go for a ride. You will have to get to the tracks by public transport or taxi, the journey takes 15-30 minutes. There are two ski areas in Andorra: Grandvalira and Vallnor. The first is considered one of the largest in the Pyrenees. It laid 118 routes with a length of over 200 km. The elevation in Grandvalira is approximately 930 m.
The Grandvalira ski area consists of two of the largest ski areas: Soldeu - El Tarter and Pas de la Kassa - Grau Roig. There are several ski schools in the Soldeu - El Tarter sector, so it is customary to start your skiing training here. In Pas de la Cassa - Grau Roig, difficult tracks with red marking prevail, there are several black tracks. Skating in this area of the resort will interest experienced skiers and snowboarders. Vallnor is half as much, but it has the longest run for beginners: the eight-kilometer Megaverda slope will even conquer those who first go skiing. In total, Vallnor offers 69 tracks with a total length of 93 km. There are three ski schools in Vallnord. They also teach snowboarding and telemarking.
The ski region of Vallnord combines the ski areas of Pal-Arinsal and Ordino-Arkalis. Pal-Arinsal will appeal to those who love steep slopes and virgin lands. There are slopes in the sector with the largest vertical drop in the country - more than 1000 km. At the same time, there are many wide and gentle slopes in Pal Arinsal, equipped for beginners. The Ordino-Arkalis sector is the best place for snowboarding in Andorra. But fans of alpine skiing will also enjoy well-groomed and interesting trails.
Andorra la Vella attracts snowboarders - you can ride on the virgin snow and twist the tricks in the snow parks. The snow park in Pas de la Casa is designed specifically for snowboarders with intermediate and primary levels of training. This snow park on the Coll Blanc pass (2,600 m) is well equipped - there is a halfpipe, a border cross-country track is equipped. Snow park in El Tarter is more suitable for snowboarders with a high level of training.
Andorra la Vella attracts with monuments of medieval architecture. There are many nightclubs and discos, so loved not only by young people.
In the eastern suburbs of Andorra la Vella, called Les Escaldes, the modern Caldea complex is located, which is considered the largest thermal spa in Western Europe. "Caldea" is a modern building with giant pools, where thermal water circulates after additional purification. Several pools with a jacuzzi and water of different temperatures, saunas and the Caldea club, where they massage and offer various cosmetic procedures - this is only part of the complex. Caldea has shops, restaurants, cafes and a bar. From the windows you can see the slopes of the Pyrenees, and thermal water seethes in the pools, which perfectly affects the skin, the circulatory system and muscle tone. You can also explore shopping malls that sell duty-free goods, and a large number of restaurants with local cuisine, which is considered very tasty even by the most stringent European criteria.
Andorra la Vella offers mainly Spanish and French cuisine. But the dishes here are prepared easier than those of European neighbors. "Home" options for meat and fish grill are in almost any restaurant. Of the dishes that can only be tasted here, we recommend paying attention to Catalan sausage. It is cooked according to old recipes and is rightly proud of this dish. You should definitely order trout in Andorran style. This is also one of the exclusively local recipes.