Andorra Travel Diary (One of the best offbeat countries to visit in Europe) Last Updated: June 20, 2021

Trip duration: 3 nights, 4 days

Total cost: INR 25,000 or approx. EUR 300

Right when I decided to move to Spain, I had three countries on my bucket list that I wanted to tick off while I was there (excluding Spain) – Morocco, Portugal, and Andorra. I planned out my year in a way that I could fit in the trips to these countries.

In October, I had a few days off from university so I decided to enjoy Fall in Andorra. It is a small country situated between Spain and France in the Pyrenees mountains. Although it is more popular during the ski season, we ditched that and enjoy the autumn colors in the country instead. Boy, we were NOT disappointed at all!

There are no direct flights to Andorra since it doesn’t have an airport. The easiest and most economical way to get there is from Barcelona by bus. I traveled with a friend who is a like-minded budget traveler. We planned out a 4-day trip which is more than sufficient to explore a tiny country like Andorra.

Day 1: Andorra la Vella

We explored quite a bit during our trip. We based ourselves in the capital, Andorra La Vella, and took day trips from there. On our first day, we got there by afternoon so had half a day to explore the by lanes of the capital.

A fun fact to know is that the country is known for duty-free shopping. People travel from Spain and France only to purchases products without having to pay taxes. Andorra La Vella in particular is a shopping hub with several big brands in one place.

Day 2: Naturlandia

We spent our second day at Naturlandia which is an adventure park situated on two different altitudes in the middle of the forest area of La Rabassa – one at 1600 meters and one at 2000 meters. Not only does this place have the most breathtaking views of the fauna but also the most exciting adventures for people of all age groups.

Did I mention, they also have the world’s longest alpine coaster?

We started our day going to their highest area at 2000 meters with a natural zoo there and some tube rides for the kids. There were some fascinating breeds of deer, cats, and other animals wandering in their natural habitat.

Most of our time was spent at 1600 meters. This space had all the exciting adventure activities including the alpine coaster, zip line, rifle shooting, and more. We were back to base by evening after a long tiring but fun day at Naturlandia.

This was the perfect time to visit Caldea – which is the largest thermal spa in Southern Europe. A visitor Caldea was much needed since it was cold outside and we were exhausted. They had all sorts of baths inside including Moroccan Spa, Sauna, Thermal pools that lead to an outer open roof area, and also an exclusive VIP section with some more pampering massages. We were lucky enough to get a combo ticket of Naturlandia and Caldea at a promotional price saving us a fair bit of money on both.

Day 3: El Pas de la Casa

Day 3 was all about exploring the small villages of Andorra. We had heard a lot about this place called El Pas De La Casa situated near the French border of Andorra and were keen to visit. We took the local bus to the place.

On our way to El Pas De La Casa, we crossed small villages like Encamp, Canillo Soldeu, and El Tarter. It was a short hike to go up to El Pas De La Casa and also a lot colder up there. We were recommended to go to this small lake up the mountain but there were no proper directions to get there. At some point, we got lost and since we were so close to France, we didn’t realize that we had already crossed the border by foot and actually landed up in France!

We found our way eventually and were welcomed to the most surreal view of the lake. There was a time when we couldn’t see the sky at all because it was covered in fog. The clouds felt so close and we witnessed a beautiful rainbow too! After an hour of soaking in the beauty of the lake and its surroundings, it was finally time to head back. to Andorra La Vella.

It was Halloween on this night. Although it is widely celebrated in the USA, Europeans catch up with it too. We spent the rest of the night celebrating Halloween at the ONLY Hard Rock Cafe in Andorra La Vella.

Day 4: Andorra La Vella

We decided to spend our last day shopping in the capital. Besides being a tax-free country, Andorra is also known for tobacco. You will find it almost everywhere. In addition to no tax, there were huge discounts going on while we were there. It was too hard to stop myself from buying something!

After 4 days of amazing views, weather and activities, it was finally time to say bye to this uncharted country. For all those looking for off-beat places to visit in Europe, Andorra should definitely be one of them! You can take my word for it.

P.S: Since traveling from Barcelona is the best option to visit Andorra, you can also plan your trip in a way that you have a few hours or days to explore Barcelona on the same trip.

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