Andorra is one of the tiniest countries in the world and is often overlooked as a travel destination. Of late however, Andorra day trips from Barcelona have become increasingly popular. We visited Andorra in late spring and fell in love with the country. Mind you, we did spend three days here so we did not head out on a day trip but this was because we usually prefer slow travel.
Now we traveled by car, stayed outside the city and enjoyed the full degree of hospitality that this country is known for. Not once did we feel bored and we always felt short changed for time. Our toddlers came down with a nasty bug but even they were pretty happy here during the 3 days.
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Table of Contents
What Is Andorra Famous For?
Andorra is well known for its snow capped mountains. In fact, everywhere you look, you will see the towering peaks. A lot of people who visit the country on a regular basis come here for its winter sports. The ski resorts get fully booked during this time.
Albeit not quite as popular in summer, the forested slopes are also a pretty great place to be if you love hiking. There are paths for all difficulty levels and we just explored a tiny but when we visited largely because the kids were ill and it was still a bit cold.
Andorra is also famous for its duty free shopping!
Are Andorra Day Trips From Barcelona Worth It?
Now this is actually a hard question to answer. I think it depends largely on the individual. Andorra is a beautiful country and if you take a day trip from Barcelona, you will end up spending almost 3 hours getting there. That’s one way. This means that the excursion will take the whole day and you need the luxury of time. I usually recommend this trip if you spend 3 to 4 days in Barcelona.
In addition to this, you will explore the city of Andorra. This is pretty but it is also small. It has lots of places to shop at and eat so it is always a great idea. From the city, you can also catch a glimpse of the hilly countryside.
The city in itself will take an hour or two to explore thoroughly so you won’t be short on time.
So would I recommend visiting Andorra as a day trip? If you don’t have the luxury of staying in the country then yes. You should go. It is quite different from its Spanish neighbor despite the similarities in food. Andorra is an experience and I would visit again in a heartbeat.
How To Get From Barcelona To Andorra?
There are three ways in which you can head out on Andorra day trips from Barcelona. These are mainly by bus, car and by guide tour. We chose the car as is probably obvious and this was because we visited it on an epic trip from the Netherlands right down to Spain.
Andorra Day Trips From Barcelona By Car
Time Taken: 2 hours 45 min
Cost: Fuel and rental costs
Benefits: Cool to explore the countryside in Andorra.
Cons: Parking is difficult to find and expensive.
This is the easiest way to explore the country. The only thing is that you need to be comfortable driving up the mountains and in snow. The speed limits in Andorra are low and this may seem frustrating in summer but know that it is all about safety because these roads see a lot of ice and snow.
Driving is pretty cool and I highly recommend it if you are headed out in a larger group or if you have kids because it’s comfortable and the larger the group, the more economical it gets. The downside is that finding parking is hard and I’m not even talking about free parking. We parked on the outskirts of the city and walked all over because that was the best option at the time.
Driving to Andorra also allows you to head away from the main city and explore the countryside. It is this flexibility that I truly loved.
Andorra Day Trips From Barcelona By Bus
Time Taken: 4 hours
Cost: Approximately $30
Benefits: This is the best way to explore Andorra on a budget.
Cons: You are at the mercy of the bus schedule
If you are looking for a budget way to explore Andorra then think about taking the bus. I would recommend starting out early because the bus takes 4 hours to reach. This means that the total journey would take you about 8 hours in travel time alone.
So start out early and leave in the evening back to Barcelona. This way you will make the best of your Andorra day trips from Barcelona by bus. Luckily there are plenty of buses that ply to and fro between the cities.
Just know that there is a city in Spain that is called Andorra. You could accidentally book a ticket to the wrong place so make sure you pay attention to the details.
Andorra Day Trips From Barcelona By Guided Tours
The final and third way that you can head out on Andorra day trips from Barcelona is via guided tours. Now these trips are pretty fast paced so it’s perfect for anyone who wants to cover a lot of ground quickly. Plus everything including transport is all organized with hotel pick ups and drop offs. All that you have to do is book them in advance.
The Three Countries Tour
Okay so if you are going to do a fast paced tour why not do something interesting? This tour takes you through 3 countries in a single day. I know it sounds insane but it is totally doable because all three countries share a border.
The itinerary is pretty simple. You head from Barcelona to Baga. This is a medieval village that has some cool architecture. It is a fun place to explore. From there you cross the border and head to a place called Ax-les-Thermes. Now this is a spot in France and it is famous because it is a spa town. You will instinctively note the difference in the city because it has a whole French vibe going if you know what I mean.
Finally you head to Andorra which is country number 3 for the day. Here you can head out and explore the city, indulge in a bit of duty free shopping and savor some of the local cuisine before you head back to Barcelona.
Small Group Tour Of Andorra
If you want a little slower pace when it comes to visiting Andorra, I recommend booking this tour because it spends more time in Andorra itself than traveling from spot to spot. The group is always small and is limited to 6 participants which means that you will get individualized attention and won’t at times feel like you are part of a horde.
During this trip you will visit Pont de la Margineda, Casa de la Vall, Mirador del Roc del Quer, Coll d’Ordino and Santuario de Meritxell. As you can see, the tour offers you more of the country than just a shopping experience that many tours offer.
Another thing that I like about this tour is that they provide infant car seats and it is wheelchair accessible. Plus you travel in a Mercedes van which is super comfortable and has plenty of leg room.
Things To Do In Andorra In A Day
Like I’ve mentioned before, the reason that many people head on Andorra day trips from Barcelona is because the city is super small and you can cover a lot of the highlights in a day. If you have the freedom to spend some more time in the country you can also pack in some hiking or skiing alongside your sightseeing. Though for that you may have to be in the area for more than a day.
1. Stroll Through The City
For many the main city of Andorra is the biggest attraction. Yes the city and the country share a name so it can get confusing but its such a small country that it really doesn’t matter much because they are pretty much interchangable.
The city has some pretty iconic sights but in general, I was less than impressed if I have to be honest. We spent a couple of hours here before we decided to head out and enjoy the sights around.
2. Head Out Shopping
You will find that many people who head out on Andorra day trips from Barcelona do this for the shopping. Surprised? Andorra has loads of Duty free stores so there is a lot of discounted shopping that you can indulge in. We weren’t there for the shopping but we did find some amazing deals on winter wear.
3. Take In The Views
Andorra has some of the most breath taking views that I have seen in my life. If you love mountains then you really should consider these Andorra day trips from Barcelona. The city itself is located in the mountains but you can’t truly appreciate the mountainous view until you get out into the countryside.
We stayed at a hotel that was about 15 minutes out of the city and every morning we were greeted with the stunning landscape. I honestly could not get enough of it.
4. Eat Some Amazing Food
Not everyone knows this but Andorra has some amazing food. In fact, you will find that there are many dishes here that cross over with the Spanish cuisine. They eat a lot of rice, use quite a number of spices and definitely use a lot of meat in their cooking.
Cheese is also very popular and we even got a taste of our first Iberian ham here. My recommendation however is to make a reservation for lunch during the peak tourist season because it gets crowded.
5. Go Skiing
Andorra is one of the few places in the world where you can find snow all year round. It is also home to some of the best ski slopes in Europe. During winter, these slopes are loaded with snow and you will find that people head here to enjoy all the winter sports. In summer however, the snow is generally at higher altitudes so you can’t ski during that time of the year.
6. Hiking Is Fun Too!
In summer most of the lower parts of the mountains don’t have snow. The weather is not cold or hot. In fact, it is nice and cool so it is perfect time to head out on a hike. There are loads of trails and each one differs in difficulty. There are even some that are meant for young children. So make sure to ask your local residency about the best ones located close to you.
As you can see there are so many ways to take Andorra day trips from Barcelona. The way you move between the cities totally depends on the budget you have and the amount of comfort that you want. We were lucky enough to have our own car so we had the best of both worlds.
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