Andorra la Vella Introduction

Andorra la Vella is the administrative capital and financial centre of the Principality of Andorra.

Andorra is located at the axial heart of the Pyrenees. It covers an area of 468 km² and is the largest of the small states of Europe, its population count is around 76,000 inhabitants. Catalan is the official language, even though most of the citizens can also speak Spanish and French, and most of them, English as well. With its broad offer of shopping, business, sports and culture, Andorra has everything to make your stay among us unforgettable.

The country is divided into seven parishes, governed by communes, a medieval institution in origin, Andorra la Vella being one of them.

Located in the central part of the country, Andorra la Vella comprises the villages of Andorra la Vella (capital), Santa Coloma and La Margineda. It stands at an average altitude of 1,050 metres and has approximately 22,000 inhabitants.

Andorra la Vella, the capital of the Pyrenees is a special place, special for its history, its natural beauty and its many facilities and attractions: shops and businesses, sports and cultural centres. This is your invitation to enjoy a truly unforgettable stay in our country.

Andorra la Vella is the capital of Pyrenean commerce. The main thoroughfares and adjacent streets in the capital form a veritable vast open-air shopping centre. Here, visitors can find the most exclusive articles, the latest products to hit the world market and the most surprising specialities, all at unbeatable prices. The shops and stores of Andorra la Vella can offer you a truly amazing and practically infinite range of goods.

Andorra la Vella is the ideal destination for all those seeking to organise a business meeting or convention in the most superb setting. Whatever your needs, the capital can provide the finest facilities. For example, the Congress Centre, located at the heart of Andorra la Vella, contains several fully-equipped meeting rooms of different sizes as, for example, a 900-seater auditorium. Moreover, around the site there is a complete range of excellent complementary facilities: hotels, bars and restaurants, leisure centres… in short, everything you need.

Andorra la Vella is also a capital destination when it comes to services. There are magnificent shops in the centre and the excellent winter sports facilities just minutes’ away, not to mention the huge range of leisure, sporting and cultural facilities and the vibrant night life. There are also more than 6,000 hotel beds at establishments that rightly pride themselves on their excellent service, and some 100 quality restaurants serving a varied range of the finest fare. Diners can choose from a rich diversity of possibilities, from simple but tasty traditional Andorran dishes to international cuisine and themed restaurants, not forgetting the latest, most creative gastronomic delights.

Sports lovers will find an inexhaustible range of activities in and around Andorra la Vella. The capital is perfectly located, just minutes from the country’s main winter sports resorts. Also, the local facilities (which include an Olympic pool) are superb, the natural surroundings are perfect for adventure sports, and the altitude is ideal for enjoying such activities to the full. All this goes to make the capital of the Principality a leading, vastly popular destination both for professional athletes and all visitors for whom sport is an essential part of their leisure activities. Andorra la Vella, capital of the Pyrenees, is full of nature. This is true, not only because of the magnificent Central Park or the Anella Verda (the Green Ring) that encircles the capital, at once delimiting and embellishing the urban fabric, but because of its exceptional natural setting, amid the Pyrenean mountains.

Thanks to this wealth of natural beauty—outstanding examples include two valleys: wild and bucolic Vall d’Enclar and the Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley, catalogued as World Heritage by UNESCO, the urban centre and the natural setting merge as one in a magnificent fusion guaranteed to delight visitors, whether they want to discover the local flora, to go climbing, to pick mushrooms and wild fruit or just to enjoy a stroll with the family through the most beautiful, life-enhancing landscapes imaginable.

The city’s history is a long one. The earliest evidence of human settlement on the plains of Andorra la Vella dates back to the second millennium BC. However, it was not until the 4th century AD that more substantial settlement was founded, in this case a fortification: el Roc d’Enclar. It was at this site, which gradually grew to become a main centre of population in Andorra, where, in the early-8th century, one of the first churches in the country was built.

The first written that mentions of Andorra la Vella dates back to the 9th century, in documents relating to the consecration of La Seu d’Urgell Cathedral. From that time on, however, both parish and town began to play a key role in the development of the Principality. It was here that the Consell de la Terra, the early governing body that was the precursor of the Consell General (parliament) met, in the Casa de la Vall. This relevance is formally recognised today in the Andorran Constitution, which designates Andorra la Vella as the state capital.

Whether your particular interests lie in historical heritage, in traditions or in more modern and innovative cultural manifestations, you are sure to find what you are looking for in Andorra la Vella. From prehistoric engravings, medieval painting and architecture (particularly Romanesque art, outstandingly the church of Santa Coloma) and traditional folklore to contemporary music, theatre and art (here, the key events include the Festival of Music and Dance and the unique International Female Clown Festival, held here every two years), you can choose from amongst an immense range of cultural attractions during your visit to our parish.