Andorra Travel

With rolling valleys, Romanesque cathedrals, and towering peaks nestled between France and Spain, the Principality of Andorra boasts the best ski slopes and resort amenities in the whole Pyrenees. With an area of 468 sq. km (181 sq. miles) and a population of 79,034, Andorra is the world's 16th-smallest country (and 6th-smallest European microstate) by area and 11th-smallest country by population. Andorra is divided into 7 administrative regions known as parishes namely Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, and Sant Julià de Lòria. At an elevation of 1,023 meters (3,356 feet) above sea level, its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital city in Europe. It has an area of 13 sq. km (5 sq. miles) and a population of 23,000.

Andorra’s independence is traditionally attributed to Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, who reclaimed the area from the Muslims in 803, and his son Louis I (the Pious), who gave the locals a charter of liberties. Charlemagne’s grandson, Charles II, granted Andorra to the counts of Urgell (in present-day Catalonia, Spain), who thereafter granted it to the Bishops of Urgell. In 1278, it became a co-principality headed by two co-princes namely, the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France. In 1993, the co-principality adopted a constitution and introduced a parliamentary democracy.

The Andorran people are a Romance ethnic group closely related to Catalans. Andorra is the only country in the world that has Catalan as its sole official language, but Spanish, Portuguese, and French are frequently spoken. Despite not being a part of the EU, Andorra has made the euro its de facto main currency, since 2002.

Through this series of articles, I intend to share our stories and experiences of traveling across Andorra with our fellow photography and travel enthusiasts. I hope they help you plan your travels across this beautiful country!