ANDORRA
Andorra was naturally my first choice as although it’s such a beautiful country, it’s not very well heard of, and its magic is yet to be witnessed by many. Andorra, the sixth smallest nation in Europe, is nestled between France and Spain and lies at the heart of the Pyrenees range. It’s famously known as a tax haven and is a paradise for ski lovers.
Interestingly, tourism accounts for almost 80% of the GDP, whereas banking is the 2nd most crucial sector given its tax haven status. Considering its beautiful landscape and duty-free shopping, the number of tourists could easily beat the number of its citizens on any given day.
Speaking of its citizens, almost 2/3rd of its population lacks Andorran nationality and does not enjoy the right to vote (Sounds crazy, right?!). Andorra has a population of close to 86,000 and enjoys a very high life expectancy. Catalan is the national language, although, given the influence of its neighbouring countries, most of its citizens also speak Spanish, French, and English.
Below are some interesting facts about Andorra:
- Andorra doesn’t have a standing army of its own. The responsibility of defence lies with its protectorate, Spain and France. However, all abled men are expected to be available for a fight when called upon. Each household is mandatorily equipped with a weapon. (Brave men, indeed!)
- Considering the above, it’s not difficult to guess that Andorra is one of the most peaceful countries and has not been in a war for almost 1000 years.
- Despite banking being its second most important sector, Andorra does not have a central bank. Additionally, Andorra does not have its own currency, and even though it’s not a part of the EU, Andorra uses Euro as its currency.
Andorra La Vella, the capital of Andorra, is the highest capital in Europe in terms of elevation.
- It also boasts of the most extensive spa in the whole of Europe (what other reason do you need to visit Andorra now?)
- Andorra attracts millions of tourists every year. One of the primary reasons is that it offers stunning ski resorts and over 180 miles of piste slopes.
After hearing the amazing facts above, hope Andorra is already on your bucket list! If yes, here’s how you can get to Andorra and what’s something you must do while you’re there.
Andorra doesn’t have an airport, but it’s only a few hours of a drive away from Toulouse (France) and Barcelona (Spain). No doubt it’s a weekend getaway and a shopping paradise for so many French and Spanish people.
Now while you’re there , these are the top things that you should do while in Andorra:
- Ski or Hike – Andorra’s landscape is all about its mountain! There are English-friendly ski institutes as well, which can help you learn how to ski. If you’re not a ski person, don’t worry! You can still consider hiking. There are several hiking trails across the country.
- Almost 10.0% of Andorra falls under UNESCO heritage sites, so you can imagine the amount of pristine nature available to explore.
- As mentioned earlier, it’s got the most extensive spa in the whole of Europe called Caldea (if not you, it definitely excites me!)
- Last but not least, duty-free shopping! Alcohol, amongst so many other things, is much cheaper here! (Probably why Andorra has the 7th largest per capita alcohol consumption, right?)
hope you do visit Andorra. Please drop me an email for your experiences (seekus@theseekersquill.com), I would love to learn from you. On this note, cheers and see you in the following article!