Doesn’t this name sound like a fantasy land? Well, this is an actual country in Europe, located right between France and Spain. Andorra is not a new country. In fact, its existence has been recorded for 1,000 years. It also has a seat in the United Nations and participates in the Olympics. Andorra is listed as the 16th smallest country in the world in terms of land and 11th in terms of population. Even so, the country follows a co-principality and is headed by two princes; the President of France Emmanuel Macron and the Bishop of Urgell, currently headed by Joan EnricVives Sicilia. Andorra uses Euro as their currency.
Andorra is famous for its tourism. Although the population of this country is only 77,000, Andorra has the highest number of tourist visitors in the world, with over 10 crore visitors every year. Let’s take a look at the top cities to visit in Andorra.
1. Andorra la Vella
Andorra la Vella is the highest capital city in Europe in terms of altitude. The capital is also one of the most visited tourist spots in the country. This city was initially isolated for many years. Modernization here began in the 1930s and tourism developed here after World War II. Later in the 60s and 70s, this rustic town was developed into a commercial city to attract people from around the world. You can walk around most of the city and do some duty-free shopping. Winter sports are also an attraction here.
2. Arinsal
Arinsal is a small village bordering Spain. Located at an altitude of 1550 to 2560 meters, this village is a prime location for skiing and other winter sports. Tourists from around the world flock to this place during winter to enjoy the snow and the amazing nightlife offered. During summer, the village is quiet and often attracts adventurers for mountain biking.
3. Meritxell
Located near the French border, Meritxell is really a serene place to visit. This place is a holy site and has the most religious temple of Andorra, The Sanctuary of Meritxell Basilica is located here. Most of the time people come here to enjoy this enclosed landscape and visit Our Lady of Meritxell, the nation’s patron saint. The place is also home to statues of various other Andorran States, who are patrons of other parishes in the country. There are two structures in the sanctuary, the Old temple and the New temple, which was made after a fire broke out and the Old temple perished. The New temple has an exhibition hall and attracts a huge number of religious people to visit.
4. El Serrat
Located in the Ordino parish, El Serrat is a village surrounded by mountains. The country rests at the head of the El Serrat valley. The village has a beautiful view to offer, covered with lakes and ridges. Tourist season is in the winter when they come for skiing and snowboarding. During the summer, the valley is open for hiking. The most popular trail starts from El Serrat to the Tristina Lakes. They also offer you exquisite regional cuisine which will blow your mind.
5. Canillo
Canillo is a village as well as a parish located in the northwestern part of Andorra. Canillo is the highest parish in the country, hence is also known as the summit of the Principality. Meritxell is located in this parish. One of the must-see sights is the Christmas nativity during Christmas. During this, the city lights up and transforms, giving you all the Christmas
vibes. Another site to visit is the Tibetan Bridge. This 603-meter-long bridge is the second-longest Tibetan bridge in the world and attracts tourists and adventurers alike.
With a great view of the mountains and long history, Andorra sure has a lot of things to offer. As the principality is landlocked, tourists should travel to Spain or France and enter the border. Most of the tourists enter the borders via Spain as it is relatively a straight drive, rather than France where there’s only a single road and the terrain is rough. Andorra is a great choice for family ski trips and also honeymooners and a must-visit for adventure lovers.
Written By : Ashwathi Anoopkumar
Author’s Bio:
Ashwathi Anoopkumar is a student pursuing her Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. She has a content writing experience of 1.8 years and has written for multiple genres.
