Andorra travel guide

Andorra is tiny and so is its capital Andorra la Vella. The name literally means "Andorra the old", which unfortunately only refers to a small fraction of the otherwise modern mountain town. Its setting is pretty along a raging river at the bottom of a valley with gorgeous views of mountain peaks. Andorra la Vella isn't known for much else than being the highest capital in Europe (altitude 1023 m) and for its tax-free shopping. The main streets are lined with shops selling any combination of electronic goods, booze, cigarettes and sports gear, and get easily clogged up with power shoppers from Spain. However, the town is more than cheap sneakers and traffic jams. Even though there aren't many sights within the town itself, it makes a perfect base for exploring the rest of Andorra, where any place can be reached within a hour - on traffic-jam free days.

Deep in a beautiful valley along a roaring river lies Arinsal. The cute village consists mostly of traditional stone houses and is one of Andorra's prettiest resorts. Trails and telecabines (cable cars) link Arinsal with the big ski/snowboarding/mountain biking area of Vallnord to the west near the border with Spain. In winter, it's popular with skiers and snowboarders with pistes right outside the door and in summer the mountains turn into a heaven for hiking and mountain biking.

Contrary to towns like Ordino and Arinsal, which have some kind of village charm, the towns along the main road (CG-2) from Spain to France are not much more than resort towns. Here are hotels, apartments for rent, restaurants, supermarkets, sports shops and ski lifts - and that's it. But maybe that's all you need.

Ordino is one of the most charming towns in Andorra. There are old traditional stone houses, a 12th century church and even a few cute winding streets where no concrete buildings are in sight. Trekking trails of varying degrees of difficulty lead into the mountains and for those less active, there are pretty views of the valley from the tourist office. Like any town in Andorra, it's a short bus ride from Andorra la Vella and even closer to the skiing area at La Massana, making Ordino a good option as a base while in Andorra.

A few hundred metres from the French border lies the ugly town of Pas de la Casa. It's a wonderful strange blend of tax-free shopping and ski resort. Big parking lots filled with cars and tourist buses take up the first part of town. The middle part is the shopping zone lined with shops selling anything from grocery, cigarettes, chocolate and booze to sports gear, motorcycle equipment and souvenirs, along with a few trashy fashion stores and sexy lingerie boutiques. The last part of town lies at the foot of the mountains and is devoted to skiing. There are breathtaking 180 degrees panoramic views of the mountains and the ski slopes run right into town, within mere metres to all the hotels, restaurants and après-ski bars.

Andorra has its fair share of ski resorts, where the biggest are Vallnord, near the border to Spain, and Grandvalira, stretching from the border to France and inland. Both are composed by several areas. Vallnord consists of Arinsal, Pal, and Ordino-Arcalis, while Grandvalira covers Pas de la Casa, Encamp, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter, and Canillo. During summer, Vallnord turns into one of the biggest cross-country and downhill mountain bike parks in Europe. And for those with less hunger for adrenaline, there are always the hiking trails with splendid views.