Andorra la Vella
The capital, running into Escaldes-Engordany: duty-free shopping, thermal spa and every bus route.
Andorra country guide
Things To Do In Andorra
The largest ski area in the Pyrenees, no airport, income tax capped at 10%, and two heads of state who are a French president and a Spanish bishop. Cheaper skiing than the Alps by a distance.
€25
Dorm bed, from
300km
Of ski pistes
1,996m
Average altitude
0
Airports and railways
A ski country between two others
Andorra is 468 square kilometres of mountain wedged between France and Spain, with no airport, no railway and the highest average altitude of any country in Europe. You arrive by bus or car from Barcelona or Toulouse, which takes three hours and is part of the deal.
Skiing is the industry. Grandvalira is the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, and one Andorra pass also covers Pal Arinsal and Ordino-Arcalís — around 300km of pistes in all — at substantially less than the Alps, which is why it fills with British, French and Spanish skiers from December to April.
In summer it changes completely: hiking, mountain biking, and a set of high valleys that are UNESCO-listed and almost empty. The other thing Andorra is known for is shopping — low duties mean Andorra la Vella's main street is a continuous run of electronics and perfume shops, which is either a curiosity or a reason to leave.
Where to go
One valley, one bus route, and the ski areas at either end of it.
La Massana
2 hostels · dorms from €15
The Vallnord ski base, and the valley for hiking and biking in summer.
La Massana is a good neighbouring town to Arinsal. Nice people . As a tourist, I feel that the Only drawback is the public transport in Andorra is very very expensive
A traveller, on Hostelworld
Canillo
The eastern valley and the Grandvalira lift system, with Soldeu and El Tarter above it.
What kind of trip is this?
Andorra is skiing in winter and hiking in summer, and not much else — which is fine.
Adventure in Andorra
Pyrenean peaks, a UNESCO valley and a serious bike park.
What to do
- Hike the Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley
- Ride the Vallnord bike park
- Walk to Coma Pedrosa
Spots to visit
- Madriu valley
- Coma Pedrosa
- Tristaina lakes
Best cities for it
Budget in Andorra
Cheaper lift passes than the Alps.
What to do
- Ski Grandvalira for less than the Alps
- Stay in La Massana
- Buy duty-free on the way out
Spots to visit
- Grandvalira
- Pal Arinsal
- La Massana
Best cities for it
Culture in Andorra
Romanesque churches and a very strange constitutional arrangement.
What to do
- Santa Coloma's round bell tower
- Casa de la Vall
- The Romanesque church trail
Spots to visit
- Santa Coloma
- Sant Joan de Caselles
- Casa de la Vall
Best cities for it
City break in Andorra
Two days in the capital, mostly for the spa and the shops.
What to do
- A day at Caldea thermal spa
- The shopping street, briefly
- Old quarter of the capital
Spots to visit
- Andorra la Vella
- Escaldes
Best cities for it
Beach in Andorra
No sea, but thermal water and mountain lakes instead.
What to do
- Caldea thermal spa
- Swim in the Tristaina lakes in August
- Outdoor pools in summer
Spots to visit
- Caldea
- Tristaina lakes
Best cities for it
Nightlife in Andorra
Après-ski in season, and quiet the rest of the year.
What to do
- Après-ski at El Tarter
- Bars in the capital
- A late spa session instead
Spots to visit
- El Tarter
- Andorra la Vella
- Soldeu
Best cities for it
Things to do
Things to do in Andorra
Skiing is the reason most people come. Grandvalira is the largest area in the Pyrenees with around 215km of pistes, Pal Arinsal adds another 60-odd, and one lift pass covers all three areas, well below the price of the big Alpine resorts, with a season that usually holds from December to early April.
Caldea in Escaldes is the other headline: a large thermal spa complex fed by hot springs, with indoor and outdoor pools and a glass spire visible from most of the valley. A session costs around €40 and is the standard rest-day activity.
In summer the country empties and the walking is excellent. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley is UNESCO-listed, has no road into it, and is the quietest place in the country. The bike park at Vallnord is among the better ones in the Pyrenees.
Food and drink
Eating in Andorra
Andorran food is Catalan mountain cooking: escudella stew, trinxat made from cabbage and potato, grilled meats and charcuterie, and a great deal of it designed for people who have been outside all day.
Prices sit between Spain and France and below the Alps. A menu del dia at lunch runs €14 to €20, and mountain restaurants on the slopes are noticeably cheaper than their Alpine equivalents.
Because of the low duties, wine and spirits are cheap here, which is the other reason the supermarkets are full of French and Spanish day trippers.
Nightlife
Going out in Andorra
In ski season, après-ski runs from four in the afternoon at the base stations — El Tarter and Soldeu have the liveliest — and continues into the evening in the villages. It is cheaper than the Alps and busier than you would expect for a country this size.
Andorra la Vella has bars and a couple of clubs, and a crowd that skews towards seasonal workers in winter.
Outside ski season it is quiet. In summer the evenings are for a drink on a terrace after a day of walking, and the country essentially closes down in May and November between seasons.
Getting around
Getting around Andorra
There is no airport and no railway. You arrive by bus from Barcelona — about three hours, and the most common route — from Barcelona or Girona airports directly, or from Toulouse on the French side. Book the Barcelona buses ahead in ski season.
Inside the country, a cheap national bus network links every parish along the main valleys, running frequently enough to reach the ski stations without a car. Ski resorts also run their own shuttles from the villages.
A car is useful in summer for the trailheads, and note that winter tyres or chains are required in snow conditions, and the border passes into France can close in bad weather.
Costs
What Andorra costs
Andorra is cheaper than the Alps for the same kind of holiday. Lift passes cost less than the big Austrian resorts and much less than Switzerland, and on-slope food costs noticeably less.
Beds are the thin part: hostel supply is very limited, with a handful of properties across La Massana, Escaldes and the ski villages, so book early in season. Dorms start around €25.
Low duties make alcohol, tobacco, electronics and perfume cheap, which is the basis of the shopping trade — though allowances apply when you cross back into France or Spain, and they are enforced.
Safety
Staying safe in Andorra
Andorra has very low crime and is among the safest places in Europe to travel. Everything that goes wrong here is mountain-related.
In winter that means avalanche risk off-piste, which is published daily, and roads that need chains or winter tyres. The passes into France close in heavy snow with little warning, so check before relying on them.
In summer, the Pyrenees produce fast weather changes, and the high routes reach 2,900 metres. Mountain rescue is efficient and is billed, so check your insurance covers it and covers skiing specifically if you are here in season.
Entry and documents
Entry and documents
Andorra is not in the EU and not in the Schengen area, though it uses the euro and has no functioning border controls with France or Spain beyond customs checks.
In practice you can only reach Andorra through France or Spain, both Schengen countries, so you need to satisfy Schengen requirements to get there. Because Andorra is not in Schengen, leaving and re-entering does not reset the 90-day clock — the crossing is not stamped, so the days you spend there are generally treated as part of your Schengen stay.
Customs checks on the way out are real. Duty allowances on alcohol, tobacco and electronics are enforced by French and Spanish officers, and queues at the border can be long on Sundays in ski season.
When to go
Two seasons and two gaps. Ski season runs December to early April, hiking June to September, and May and November are when much of the country closes.
Jan
Peak ski season. Reliable snow and full resorts
Feb
Busiest month, with school holidays across three countries
Mar
Spring skiing, longer days, good conditions high up
Apr
Season ends early in the month. Quiet after that
May
Between seasons. Much is closed
Jun
Hiking season opens. Green and quiet
Jul
Warm, and the bike park and trails at their best
Aug
Peak summer, with Spanish and French visitors
Sep
The best hiking month. Clear and empty
Oct
Autumn colour. Trails quiet, lifts closed
Nov
The dead month. Waiting for snow
Dec
Season opens, and Christmas week is busy
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs for Andorra la Vella at 1,000m. The ski areas sit between 1,700 and 2,600m and are considerably colder, with the season usually running December to early April.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel and how long for. Per night, for one person, excluding lift passes.
A lift pass is the main extra, and hire adds €20–30 a day. Caldea spa is about €40. Summer hiking costs nothing.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
What's on
What is on while you are there
A small calendar built around the ski season and a set of village festivals in summer.
Some seasons
Ski World Cup races
Soldeu
Soldeu hosts World Cup races in some seasons, including the finals in 2019 and 2023, and the country fills when it does.
February
Andorra la Vella Carnival
Andorra la Vella
Parades and costume in the middle of ski season.
23 April
Sant Jordi
Nationwide
Books and roses, as across Catalonia.
July and August
Festa Major
Every parish
Each village holds its own summer festival with music and dancing.
July
Andorra Ultra Trail
Ordino
A mountain ultramarathon across the high country.
Late November or December
Ski season opening
Grandvalira · Pal Arinsal
Depends on snow, and the whole economy waits for it.
Hostels
Where to stay in Andorra
The hostels here, live from Hostelworld. There are only a few, concentrated in La Massana and the ski villages, so book well ahead in season.
Andorra travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
How do I get to Andorra?
By bus or car only — there is no airport and no railway. Buses run from Barcelona city and its airport in about three hours, and from Toulouse on the French side. Book ahead in ski season.
Is skiing in Andorra cheaper than the Alps?
Yes, noticeably. Lift passes cost less than the big Austrian resorts and much less than Switzerland, and on-slope food is cheaper too. Grandvalira is the largest ski area in the Pyrenees.
Does Andorra count towards the Schengen 90 days?
Effectively yes. Andorra is outside Schengen but can only be reached through France or Spain, and crossings are not stamped, so the days are generally treated as part of your Schengen stay. It does not work as a visa run.
Is Andorra worth visiting in summer?
If you walk or ride, yes. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley is UNESCO-listed with no road into it, the Vallnord bike park is among the best in the Pyrenees, and the country is almost empty from June to September.
What is Caldea?
A large thermal spa complex in Escaldes fed by hot springs, with indoor and outdoor pools and a glass spire visible across the valley. About €40 a session, and the standard rest-day activity in ski season.
Is Andorra good for shopping?
Low duties make alcohol, tobacco, electronics and perfume cheap, which is why the capital's main street looks the way it does. Allowances are enforced by French and Spanish customs on the way out, so check them first.
Are there many hostels in Andorra?
Only a handful, mostly around La Massana and the ski villages. Supply is genuinely tight in season, so book well ahead or look at apartments shared between a group.
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