Top Five Reasons to Visit Andorra
Tiny Country in the Pyrenees Offers Unique History, Art, Culture
Dec 12, 2006
Coming from the United States, tiny countries such as Luxembourg, Monaco and San Marino are intriguing merely for there size, or lack there of. Likewise, the principality of Andorra practically dares visitors to make the trip to the Pyrenees.
Although Andorra’s neighbors - France and Spain - are slightly more well known and contain a few more attractions to draw visitors, Andorra is not without its highlights. Here are the top five reasons to visit Andorra:
- Shopping. Andorra can legally sell a wide range of duty free products, such as alcohol, cigarettes and perfume, because it is not a member of the European Union.
- Outdoor activities. From skiing and snowboarding in the winter to whitewater rafting, mountain biking, climbing and more, Andorra is an outdoorsman’s dream. The country has several ski resorts including, Grand Valira, Vallnord, Soldeu/El Tarter and Pal/Arinsal. In the summer, these resorts offer hiking, biking, climbing and other activities.
- Catalan culture. Andorra’s official language is Catalan, although French, Portuguese and Spanish are also widely spoken and understood. Most of the natives of the principality are Catalan, and with their background, they bring a variety of cultural attributes including a love of music. The most important cultural event in Andorra is the Escaldes-Engordany international jazz festival. Dances are also extremely popular, especially at the various festivals held throughout the year.
- Romanic art. Found throughout the valleys of Andorra, Romanic art is the country’s national art. There are more than 50 churches classified as Romanic (keep in mind that Andorra is only 181 square miles).
- The uniqueness of it. How many people do you know who can say they’ve been to Andorra?
For most of its history, Andorra has been isolated and difficult to visit. It’s only in recent years that restaurants, night clubs, pubs and cinemas have been available in more than the capital city. Very little food is grown in the country, which results in most of the food being imported. It is not known, for its food, although it is heavily influenced by Spain and France.
For the record, the official currency is the euro.
Yes, Andorra is small, and it doesn’t have an Eiffel Tower or a Brandenburg Gate, but the duty-free shopping, recreational opportunities, Catalan culture and Romanic art are reason enough to make a quick trip to the tiny country set in the Pyrenees.
