Andorra la Vella

Andorra la Vella, the capital of the principality, is the highest capital city in Europe, set at over 1,000 metres in a valley ringed by Pyrenean peaks. At its heart lies the small but charming medieval old quarter, the Barri Antic, of narrow cobbled lanes centred on the Casa de la Vall, the historic former parliament house. The modern town is famous above all for its duty-free shopping, a magnet for cross-border visitors, and for Caldea, one of the largest mountain thermal spa complexes in Europe, where visitors relax in warm, mineral-rich waters beneath a striking glass tower.

History

The site has been settled since before the Christian era, notably by the Andosin tribe from the late Neolithic, and Andorra was part of the County of Urgell, one of the Catalan counties of the Marca Hispanica set up by Charlemagne in the 8th century as a buffer against the Moors. Andorra la Vella has been the principal town since 1278, when the French and the episcopal co-princes agreed to share sovereignty, and its old quarter, the Barri Antic, keeps streets and buildings from that time, above all the Casa de la Vall of the early 16th century, the seat of the parliament from 1702. The valley stayed largely forgotten well into the 20th century; after the unrest of the 1930s and an attempted coup by Boris Skossyreff an informal democracy grew up, and the constitution of 1993 placed its government, parliament and courts here (Wikipedia, Andorra la Vella).

What you'll find

• The Barri Antic - the medieval old quarter and cobbled lanes.
• Casa de la Vall - the historic former parliament house.
• Caldea - the vast mountain thermal spa complex.
• The duty-free shopping - the shops that draw cross-border visitors.

When to go

Year-round; the town is a base for winter skiing and summer hiking alike, and its spa and shops are all-weather attractions. The old quarter and the surrounding mountains are pleasant to explore in the milder months, while the thermal spa is especially welcome after a day on the slopes or trails.

Practical notes

Andorra la Vella is a small capital dominated by shopping and traffic in its modern centre, which can feel congested and commercial, so its historic old quarter is charming but compact and quickly seen; the real draws are the spa, the shopping and its role as a mountain base. As the highest capital in Europe, with a pretty medieval core, a superb thermal spa and easy access to the peaks, though, it is a pleasant and convenient hub.

Nearby

The Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley, the ski resorts and the mountains are close.

Key facts