First published by The Journal Gazette
Many people have never heard of Andorra, let alone are able to find it on a map. So why should people visit Europe’s sixth smallest country? To put it simply, Andorra offers the spectacular natural scenery that many seek out when they visit Europe.
On a map, this landlocked country’s border looks like a toddler’s drawing of a small circle between France and Spain.
There is no airport or train station in Andorra. I took the nearly four-hour bus ride from Toulouse, France, to Andorra la Vella, the capital of Andorra. On the ride south, I couldn’t help but stare out the window to watch as the landscape quickly changed from flat green to rolling hills and then snow-capped mountains.
We traveled on small country roads that went through quaint little towns that seemed frozen in time. Each time I looked up, I saw delicate moving clouds that filtered the sunlight, casting moving shadows on the landscape. The bus was quiet, except when it struggled to climb winding roads.
There is a border patrol checkpoint at the France-Andorra border. I got my passport stamped. Andorra is not part of the European Union.
When I arrived in the highest-altitude capital in Europe, I felt like I was standing in the middle of a bowl with the beautiful Pyrenees Mountain range as the curving sides.
The air was not as fresh as I would have liked. The annual Andorra la Vella Fair was taking place five blocks away, and I could smell the cows from the livestock competition. I followed the smell into the heart of this picturesque city.
I slowly walked beside the long line of vendors’ tables that ran beside the Gran Valira River walk. People were selling everything from weird-looking cheeses to jumbo-sized gummy bears. As I moved, I could hear the euro coins jingling in my pocket, almost like they were telling me in Morse Code to spend them. A chatty vendor sold me some chocolate cookies and provided recommendations for restaurants.
I ate at the famous Plan B rooftop bar that is located right on the river and next to the area’s shopping district. The building is triangular with a point that faces the water. I was able to grab the one-and-only popular corner table. It was late afternoon, and I was the only customer in the restaurant.
I couldn’t see the sun as it had already retreated behind the mountains, but its light was still present. The sky was white with thick gray clouds. I could hear the water below move under the Paris Bridge.
My waiter spoke English even though Catalan is the country’s official language. This is a country that is rich with multilingual residents as French, Spanish, and Portuguese are also popular languages.
I window shopped at the famous Avinguda Meritxell, the area’s main shopping district. There is no sales tax. The sticker price is what you pay. But I resisted the temptation to become a spendthrift because I would have to lug around the items.
I worked my way up to the peaceful and quiet Solá Irrigation Canal Trail. It’s a mountain trail that runs along part of the city. The initial climb can be challenging. The steep steps and in some areas lack of handrails caused me to feel uneasy. But once on the trail, I got spectacular views of the city. I could see gardens, the back of small historic houses, and a soccer field. As I walked, to my surprise, several healthy senior citizens zipped past me. It’s no wonder Andorrans have a life expectancy of 87 years – they’re active.
I went to the Casa de la Vall, Andorra’s historic two-story stone house. It was built in 1580 and was the country’s parliament building from 1702 to 2011. It takes less than 20 minutes to do the tour, and it’s worth it if you are into history.
Around the corner and through an alley is the famous Barri Antic. It’s a popular bar located in the historic area. There is outdoor seating. I sat and looked at the stone buildings and at the worn-down streets from centuries of foot traffic. For that moment, like many people before and since, I imagined no greater happiness than to be able to sit at this table in this historic alley, enjoy my drink and be glad to in the beautiful country of Andorra.