How Many Days? Why I chose 2 Days to Visit Andorra from Barcelona, Spain
How Many Days in Andorra? Why I Chose to Spend 2 Days in this Tiny Country
How many days should I spend visiting the country of Andorra? That was the first question that came to mind when I first decided to visit this tiny yet beautiful country. I ended up choosing to spend 2 full in Andorra and focus on the capital city of Andorra la Vella. By the time my visit to Andorra came to a close, I felt like I was able to see everything that I wanted to within the two-day period.
Andorra is a tiny country located in the Pyrenees Mountains between the countries of Spain and France. The country is the 16th smallest in the world by land and 11th smallest by population. Andorra has a population of just over 77,000 people. The largest city in Andorra is Andorra La Vella.
I chose to spend two days in Andorra in the summer of 2017 because I thought it would be a unique destination that other travelers often overlook.
How Many Days in Andorra? Why I Chose to Spend 2 Days in Andorra - Table of Contents
- How Many Days in Andorra? Why I Chose to Spend 2 Days in this Tiny Country
- How to Get to Andorra from Barcelona, Spain?
- Where to Stay in Andorra? – Andorra Palace Hotel
- Will My Cell Phone Work? – Nation Wide WiFi
- What to See: Andorra La Vella
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Andorra Tours
- Best Travel Rewards
- Related Content
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How to Get to Andorra from Barcelona, Spain?
Before I could begin my two days in Andorra, I had to get there first. Before I visited Andorra, I was in the Spanish city of Barcelona. The next question I had to answer was how to get from Barcelona to Andorra? A quick flight search showed that there were no commercial flights from Barcelona to Andorra la Vella.
It turned out the easiest way to get to Andorra from Barcelona was to take the bus. The bus company that has routes from Barcelona to Andorra is called “AndBus,” and they had departures from Barcelona Airport.
The cost of the bus was €60 round-trip, and I was easily able to find the bus outside of Terminal Two near the “Bloc Tecnic.” The Bloc Tecnic is an area where buses that are going outside of the Barcelona area pick up and drop off passengers. On my way to the airport from my hotel, the taxi driver was fascinated that I was going to the airport to catch a bus and not an airplane.
The AndBus from Barcelona to Andorra was on-time and easy to find. The drive to Andorra took three hours and was not very comfortable. Since we were going into the Pyrenees Mountains, the ride was bumpy and slow. To make matters worse, the bus did not have a bathroom, and by the time we arrived in Andorra La Vella, I really had to use the restroom. The other difficulty was that the driver spoke Catalan and didn’t fully understand my Spanish. Thankfully, I was able to communicate through broken Spanish, and the driver dropped me off in front of my hotel. It was time to begin my two days visiting Andorra.
Where to Stay in Andorra? I Chose the Andorra Palace Hotel
The final question I had when planning my visit to Andorra was where to stay. I knew I wanted to stay in the capital city of Andorra la Vella in a fairly central location. The hotel I ended up choosing was the Andorra Palace, as it was within walking distance of the center of the city. The cost of my room at Andorra Palace was €120 for two nights, which was much cheaper than the accommodations in Barcelona.
When we finally arrived at my stop, I got off the bus and checked in at the Andorra Palace.
Does Cell Phone Service Work in Andorra? - Nation-Wide Wifi
Another question I had was, would my cell phone work in Andorra? The answer was sort of. My Verizon cellular carrier did not have an agreement to use my phone for a flat fee. Usually, the cost of using my regular plan outside of the US is $10 per day. In Andorra, I would have to pay $.40 per minute and $.10 per text. The data was even more expensive.
I was surprisingly pleased when I learned that Andorra had nationwide Wifi. Having nationwide WiFi meant I could use my phone as I normally would and make calls using Apple’s FaceTime Audio. When I connected my phone, I was shocked to see a plethora of messages. I received 50 text messages and 20 voicemails. While I was off the grid traveling from Barcelona to Andorra, a terrorist had driven a truck down La Rambla in Barcelona. Just the night before, I had posted pictures of me walking down La Rambla. My friends and family had been very concerned and even more alarmed that they couldn’t reach me. I spent the next few hours notifying friends and family that I was safe. Even some of my students who knew I traveled to Barcelona during the summer emailed me to check to see if I was there. I was glad to be safe but felt a deep sense of sorrow for the people who had lost their lives enjoying an area that I had visited 12 hours ago.
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What To See - Andorra La Vella
After checking into my hotel, I decided to walk the streets of Andorra la Vella and take in some of the top sights. To get to the center of the city, it was about a 10-minute walk from my hotel.
The first sight that I saw, after I entered the central part of Andorra la Vella, was the famous bridge and clock statue. The clock statue, named La Noblesse du Temps, symbolizes the passing of time. Salvador Dali, who created the clock, initially gave it to the government of Andorra.
Later it was moved to its present location. Behind the clock is the famous Pont de Paris Bridge. The bridge was completed in 2006, crossing the Gran Valira River, which flows through most of Andorra.
Andorra is a tax haven, and most of the country is dedicated to shopping. The main attraction for most tourists visiting Andorra is shopping. People come to Andorra from Spain and France to make significant purchases due to the low Value Added Tax (Sales Tax) on goods. When returning to Spain, we had to go through a checkpoint, but we were not asked if we had anything to declare. Andorra La Vella is basically the world’s largest shopping mall, with high-end stores selling everything from electronics to jewelry.
One of the most unique buildings in Andorra La Vella is the Caldea Thermal Spa, which I accidentally mistook for its national cathedral. The spa looks like a giant church and is considered by many Andorrans to be an eyesore.
To learn more about the Caldea Spa by reading a review written by fellow travel bloggers Lance and Laura from traveladdicts.net. You can read their article by clicking HERE.
During the second and final day of my visit to Andorra La Vella, I started walking up the main highway towards the Pyrenees. It was quite a walk, and after a few kilometers, I was able to get a stunning view of the city. I kept walking as I was hoping to reach a park about 10 kilometers from the city limits. As I got closer, I heard thunder and decided to return to a lower elevation. I didn’t think it was safe to be in the mountains during a storm.
I wish I would have been able to make it up to this resort high in the Pyrenees Mountains. The view from this vantage point would have been spectacular.
On my walk back to the city center, I passed some other interesting statues and scenery. I ate dinner at an interesting restaurant where I was given half-cooked steak that I could then cook on a little cast iron grill. I enjoyed my two days visiting Andorra but was ready to get back to Barcelona. For tourists interested in visiting Andorra it can easily be seen in two days.
I had looked into taking tours of Andorra. I wanted to take a tour that would go up into the Pyrenees. There is only one tour group that offers tours and then has a different one every day. I was disappointed to see that the days I spent in Andorra that the Pyrenees tour was not one of the options.
My final meal in Andorra la Vella was at the Burger King. I always like to try at least one American fast food restaurant when visiting a foreign country. The food at this Burger King was similar to Burger Kings in the United States.
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Andorra Tours
A tour of Andorra is not really necessary, in my opinion. Most of the sights are accessible by walking and easy to find. If you are interested in going deep into the Pyrenees, a tour might be necessary. Some tours begin in Barcelona and then end in France. Since I know some people prefer tours, I am linking some of the best-looking packages below.
I am an affiliate partner of Viator. If you book a tour using one of the links below, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I would greatly appreciate it if you would consider booking using one of my links.
 12-Hour Private tour of Andorra from Barcelona - $271.54 Enjoy this completely personalized private tour of the Principality of Andorra, and enjoy its most important monuments and sights that this beautiful mountain valley has to offer. Take this opportunity to get to know this area located 3 hours away from Barcelona in this experience with your own private official tour guide in Andorra for 4 hours and private vehicle with chauffeur from Barcelona. Get to personalize your own experience. |
 Three Countries in One Day: France, Andorra and Spain from Barcelona - $162.92 Pack your passport and expand your horizons on a day trip from Barcelona that visits three countries in one day. Start your morning early with a visit to the medieval Spanish village of Baga, then head to French UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of Ax Les Therms for breakfast, go duty-free shopping in Andorra la Vell and end your trip with a drink en-route to Barcelona – all in one day! This small-group tour is limited to 20 people, ensuring a more personal experience. |
 City Escape: Andorra Private Day Trip - $233.33 This is not a typical day trip; this is YOUR day trip! |
 Spend 1 day in Andorra - $129.89 Andorra is an independent country between Spain and France, with an unique history, nature, gastronomy and heritage which makes this daytrip one of the most interesting ones to rest a bit during your stay in the crowded Barcelona. |
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