Andorra la Vella town
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Andorra la Vella - by luis vidilla on Google
Description
Andorra la Vella is the capital of the Principality of Andorra, located in the Eastern side of the Pyrenees between France and Spain. The word "Vella" can be translated as "Town" and the population of the entire urban area (incl. Escaldes-Engordany) is about 40,000. The town has been the main regional settlement since at least the 13th century and the old town has retained some streets from its medieval period. Highlights include the Casa de la Vall which has been used as the parliamentary house since 1702, the Old Town area, and the 11th-century Romanesque Church of Sant Esteve. Trivia #1: Andorra is not a member of the European Union but it uses the euro Trivia #2: the country does not have a train station
Access & Transport
The town is 32km from El Pas de la Casa, at the border with France The nearest cities with international airports are Toulouse in France (180km) and Barcelona in Spain (200km) - there are shuttle buses to the latter and to Girona airport.
Instructions & Recommendations
We suggest combining this activity with a visit of the Church of Santa Coloma d'Andorra, only 4km out of town and / or the Museo Carmen Thyssen Andorra in Les Escaldes (contiguous to la Vella)
Environmental & Social
The main activities in the town have a low carbon footprint. Tourism is a welcome injection of activity in the local economy during the summer
Conclusion
Don't have high expectations for Andorra la Vella, it is nowhere close to a typical European capital and does not deserve a special trip from outside the Principality. Notwithstanding that, if you are exploring the country, this should be on your short-list as being the historical center with a handful of cultural attractions. Worth 2-4h of exploration.
Key positive
A few historic buildings
Key negative
No standout attraction worth a long-range drive
Suitability
Partially suitable for visitors with reduced mobility due to the slope. However, Casa de la Vall isn't accessible.
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 30m
est. visit time:2h 30m
Sunrise / early morningNo
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo