Must See

Andorra La Vella

The capital of Andorra is also the country's most commercial centre, focussed on its duty-free status and winter sports. The main street of Andorra la Vella is lined with shops selling cameras, tobacco goods, hi-fi equipment, spirits and perfume in which visitors (mostly day-trippers) can stock up with duty-free goods.

However, there are some sights to be enjoyed, including the Casa de la Vell, the ancient seat of the government, which is located in the centre of the city. It contains the archives of the principality, including documents which are said to date from the time of Charlemagne and Louis the Pious. The large kitchen with its old utensils gives an impression of domestic life in the 16th century.

Canillo

This area is the summer mountainous extreme sports destination, home to canyon clambering, a via ferrata (a mountain route equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges) and a climbing wall. It also has a year-round ice rink and pool. There are many guided walks and hikes here too.

Escaldes Engordany

This spa town lies adjacent to the capital and is home to many examples of Romanesque architecture. It is these two towns that are the centre of the vivid festival of Mare de Deu de Meritxell, which takes place in early September.

Escaldes- Engordany's spa is Europe's largest spa complex, covering 6,000 square metres. The complex features indoors and outside lagoons, jacuzzis, saunas, an Aztecian pool, Indo-Roman baths, bubble beds, cascades, and warm marble slates, all fed by thermal springs.

Grand Valira Valley

Between Andorra la Vella and Les Escaldes, the Valira d'Orient and Valira del Nord join to form the Gran Valira river, which flows south towards the Spanish frontier. This area is home to many of Andorra's excellent ski resorts. Soldeu is the main centre, and also the first town on the road after the French border at Port d'Envalira. It has nursery slopes and skiing for intermediates.

Together with Canillo and El Tarter, these resorts form the largest ski playground in the Pyrenees, with 192 kilometres of runs and a lift system capable of moving up to 90,000 people an hour.

There are also ski centres at Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig, on the French frontier, and at Ordino-Arcalis and Arinsal-Pal, all north of Andorra la Vella. The resort of La Rabassa is the centre of cross-country skiing in Andorra.