Andorra: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Andorra feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 35 written places.
A hardworking mountain enclave that is neither Spanish nor French - and quietly insists on it.
✓ Considered polite
- Greet with Bon dia - Catalan is the official language and locals notice when you try it
- Say hello and goodbye in small shops - the Franco-Spanish courtesy applies here too
- Greet fellow hikers on mountain trails - it is expected
- Book restaurant tables ahead in ski season - the small parishes fill completely
✗ Better avoided
- Call Andorrans Spanish or French - shared neighbours, distinct country
- Expect dinner much before 20:00 - eating hours run on the Spanish clock
- Assume duty-free means limitless - French and Spanish customs enforce allowances on the way out
- Treat it as just a shopping stop - locals are proud of the Romanesque churches and high trails above the malls
Worth knowing
- Shops open seven days a week, often until 20:00 or 21:00 - Sunday closing does not apply here
- The euro is the currency even though Andorra is not in the EU
- Tipping is optional - round up or add 5-10% for good service
- There is no airport and no train - everyone arrives by road from France or Spain, and winter can mean snow chains
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.