Looking for the best things to do in Andorra? Wondering how many days you need, where to stay, and how to plan the perfect Andorra road trip? This 3 day Andorra itinerary covers mountain viewpoints, pretty villages, traditional food, spas, suspension bridges and Andorra la Vella... all packed into one unforgettable weekend in the Pyrenees.

Before visiting Andorra, we had a fairly simple idea of what the country would be like... mountains, ski resorts and lots of winding roads.

And while there are plenty of all three, we soon realised there’s much more to this tiny country. Over one weekend we found incredible viewpoints, Romanesque churches, mountain villages, traditional food, wellness retreats, brilliant driving roads and a surprisingly lively capital packed with shops and restaurants.

Our Andorra road trip started with a Friday evening flight to Barcelona, before driving into the Pyrenees the following morning. We then spent two full days exploring the country, followed by a final morning in Andorra la Vella.

Plan your own Andorra road trip with our interactive map of the viewpoints, villages, hotels, restaurants and highlights we visited...

Getting to Andorra from Barcelona

Andorra doesn’t have its own commercial airport, so most visitors arrive through either Spain or France. For us, Barcelona was the easiest option, with plenty of direct flights from the UK and a straightforward drive north into the Pyrenees.

We landed at around 10pm on Friday evening and drove roughly 30 minutes to Terrassa for the night. Staying there meant we were already on the right side of Barcelona for the following morning, without adding any real detour to our journey.

We left at around 9am on Saturday and headed straight for the far north of Andorra rather than checking into our hotel first. Our first stop was Mirador Solar de Tristaina, around 2.5 to 3 hours away.

Practical Info

• Driving time: Around 2.5 to 3 hours from Terrassa to northern Andorra
• Tolls: We paid approximately €10 and €14 on the faster route
• Time saved: Around 20 minutes compared with the free route
• Our plan: Use the faster toll road into Andorra, then take the free route back towards Barcelona

TrovenTrippers Tip: If you only have a weekend, we think the extra €24 was worth paying to maximise sightseeing time. If you’re in no rush, save the money and take the free route.

Day 1 ... Mountains, Ordino and a Wellness Retreat

Our first day in Andorra took us straight into the mountains, with panoramic views at Mirador Solar de Tristaina, roadside stops and a wander through the pretty village of Ordino. We ended the day at a mountain spa near Encamp before heading out for traditional Andorran food in a borda.

Mirador Solar de Tristaina

Mirador Solar de Tristaina was one of the places we were most excited to visit in Andorra, and it didn’t disappoint. Getting there is all part of the experience, with a gondola followed by an open chairlift high into the mountains... which Sneha loved, while Paul, who is scared of heights, spent most of the journey trying not to look down!

At the top, the landscape feels unreal. You can see mountain lakes below, patches of snow on the higher peaks and layer after layer of Pyrenean mountains stretching into the distance. The 360 degree views made this one of our favourite places of the entire weekend.

The mountain weather had other ideas though! Staff had warned us that a storm was approaching, and by the time we started heading back down the rain had properly arrived. We ended up being among the last people to make it back before the weather closed the gondola and left anyone still up there facing a long walk down.

Practical Info

• Cost: €23 return per person when we visited, including the gondola and chairlift
• Time needed: Around 2 to 3 hours
• Walk: Around 10 to 15 minutes uphill from the chairlift on a fairly steep, rocky mountain path
• Facilities: Restaurant and refreshments at the intermediate gondola station

TrovenTrippers Tip: Check the mountain weather before you go and take layers and waterproofs, even if it looks fine in the valley. Decent trainers or walking shoes are also a good idea for the final climb.

On the road to Ordino

By the time we reached the bottom of Tristaina, the rain had properly arrived. Luckily, a few of the smaller stops we’d pinned for the drive south were close to the road, so we could still have a quick look without committing to long walks in the rain.

Tamarro Dino

Tamarro Dino is one of Andorra’s quirky Tamarro sculptures, set in a pleasant little park. It only takes a few minutes to visit and makes a fun stop to stretch your legs if you’re already passing.

Ruta del Ferro

Ruta del Ferro forms part of Andorra’s historic iron heritage. There’s a much longer walking trail you can follow, but with the rain still falling we only made a quick stop rather than walking the full route.

Mola i Serradora de Cal Pal and Sant Martí de la Cortinada

Our final quick stop was Mola i Serradora de Cal Pal, an old mill and sawmill beside the road. Directly opposite is Sant Martí de la Cortinada, one of Andorra’s Romanesque churches.

Unfortunately, the church was covered in scaffolding when we visited, so we couldn’t really appreciate the outside properly. Once the restoration work is finished, it looks like it would make a lovely quick stop.

None of these places are worth making a major detour for, but they’re easy additions if you’re already driving south towards Ordino.

Ordino ... one of the prettiest villages in Andorra

After the quick roadside stops, we headed into Ordino... and this was somewhere we’d definitely recommend making time for.

Ordino was recognised as one of UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages in 2023, and it isn’t difficult to see why. The centre is compact and full of traditional stone buildings, narrow lanes, small shops and museums, with mountains surrounding the village on every side.

We wandered around Església de Sant Corneli i Sant Cebrià, explored the nearby streets and passed historic buildings including Casa Rossell. More than any individual attraction though, it was simply the atmosphere we enjoyed... quiet, traditional and completely different from the busier capital we’d visit later.

Practical Info

• Time needed: Around 1 to 2 hours
• Best for: Wandering, traditional architecture and a slower side of Andorra
• Getting around: The centre is compact and easy to explore on foot

TrovenTrippers Tip: Don’t arrive with a huge checklist... park up and wander. Ordino is one of those places where the village itself is the attraction.

Where to stay in Andorra ... Les Pardines 1819 Mountain Suites & Spa

After a full day exploring northern Andorra, we were ready to slow things down.

Les Pardines 1819 Mountain Suites & Spa sits in the mountains near Encamp, with a small lake outside and peaks surrounding the property. We’d booked a suite with easy access towards the lake and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the hotel’s spa.

The sauna, steam room and jacuzzi were exactly what we needed after a day of chairlifts, mountain walks and rain. It also gave us our first taste of how big wellness is in Andorra... something we hadn’t really associated with the country before visiting.

Practical Info

• Best for: Couples looking for a peaceful mountain stay
• Facilities we used: Spa, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi
• Room: We stayed in a suite with easy access towards the grounds and lake
• Would we stay again?: Absolutely

Dinner in a traditional Andorran borda

One thing we always try to do when we travel is eat local food, so that evening we drove around ten minutes into Encamp for dinner at Borda del Tremat.

You’ll see the word borda on restaurant signs all over Andorra. Traditionally, these were stone mountain buildings used by farmers and shepherds for livestock, hay and equipment... many have since been turned into restaurants while keeping their rustic stone and wood interiors.

Before our mains, we were served bread with garlic, tomatoes, olive oil and cured meats. We were shown how to rub the garlic into the bread, follow it with tomato, drizzle over olive oil and finish with salt and pepper... something really simple, but not something we would have known to do ourselves.

For our mains we tried a traditional veal stew and rabbit grilled over the flames, along with local beer and wine. We finished with Crema Catalana... a smooth custard dessert topped with a thin layer of caramelised sugar.

Practical Info

• Restaurant: Borda del Tremat, Encamp
• What we tried: Veal stew, flame grilled rabbit and Crema Catalana
• Best for: A traditional Andorran mountain dining experience
• Would we eat here again?: Absolutely

TrovenTrippers Tip: If you’re served bread, garlic, tomato and olive oil, ask how they recommend preparing it... learning the local way was part of the experience for us.

Day 2 ... Churches, Suspension Bridges and Andorra’s Mountain Roads

Day 2 combined some of the best things to do in Andorra... from historic churches and the modern Santuari de Meritxell to Pont Tibetà, Mirador Roc del Quer and some of our favourite mountain roads. We finished the day in Andorra la Vella, swapping mountain scenery for a city centre hotel and traditional local food.

Santuari de Meritxell ... one of our biggest Andorra surprises

Santuari de Meritxell turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of our weekend.

Dedicated to Our Lady of Meritxell, the patron saint of Andorra, the sanctuary combines the country’s religious history with striking modern architecture. The original building was largely destroyed by fire in 1972, with the new sanctuary later designed by architect Ricardo Bofill.

Inside, we especially liked the miniature models of churches from around Andorra and the small Biblical Library containing Bibles from across the world. Sneha even spotted one from Hyderabad in India... not something we expected to find in a sanctuary high in the Andorran mountains!

Our timing could have been slightly better though. We arrived on Sunday morning just as Mass was beginning, so while we wandered around looking at everything like tourists, local worshippers were arriving for the service.

Practical Info

• Cost: Free when we visited
• Parking: Free parking directly outside
• Time needed: Around 1 to 1.5 hours
• Guided tours: Available if you want more detail on the history and architecture
• Opening times: Check before visiting as hours and religious services vary

TrovenTrippers Tip: If you mainly want to explore the sanctuary, check Mass times before visiting... arriving just as the service begins probably isn’t ideal!

Sant Joan de Caselles

After the modern architecture of Meritxell, Sant Joan de Caselles felt like stepping straight back into medieval Andorra.

The small Romanesque church dates from around the 11th or 12th century and is beautifully simple from the outside. Inside, the stone walls and historic artwork make it feel as though very little has changed for centuries, with ornate gold decoration around the altar contrasting against the tiny stone interior.

Practical Info

• Cost: Free when we visited
• Time needed: Around 20 to 30 minutes
• Parking: Small parking area nearby
• Location: Just outside Canillo
• Opening times: Check before visiting... we arrived at around 1pm when some information suggested it might be closed, but it was still open

Pont Tibetà de Canillo ... one of the best things to do in Andorra

From Sant Joan de Caselles, we drove into Canillo to buy a combined ticket for Pont Tibetà and Mirador Roc del Quer.

The Tibetan Bridge is huge when you finally see it stretching across the valley. From the shuttle stop there’s a short uphill walk before you reach the bridge itself, where you can cross from one side to the other with the valley dropping away beneath you.

Sneha loved it... Paul’s relationship with heights remained much the same as it had been on the chairlift the day before. There’s also bungee jumping available from the bridge, although watching other people was more than enough for us!

Our only mistake came with the shuttle. We assumed it would automatically stop at Pont Tibetà, but it didn’t... and before we knew it we were heading all the way back down to Canillo. Half an hour later, after catching another shuttle back up, we finally made it to the bridge.

Practical Info

• Combined ticket: Around €24 per person when we visited
• Ticket includes: Pont Tibetà, Mirador Roc del Quer and shuttle bus
• Time needed: Around 1 to 1.5 hours for the bridge
• Walk: Roughly 15 to 20 minutes from the shuttle stop, including some uphill walking
• Facilities: Toilets and refreshments before the final short walk

TrovenTrippers Tip: Tell the shuttle driver you want the Pont Tibetà stop... don’t just assume the bus will stop there. Trust us!

Mirador Roc del Quer

After the bridge, we returned to Mirador Roc del Quer where we’d left the car.

There’s another short walk from the parking area towards the viewpoint, before the platform suddenly projects out from the mountainside with panoramic views across Canillo and the surrounding valleys.

Even after Tristaina the day before, this was still well worth doing. The two viewpoints feel completely different... Tristaina puts you high among the lakes and mountain peaks, while Roc del Quer gives you a dramatic view down into the valley below.

Practical Info

• Cost: Included in the combined Canillo ticket
• Time needed: Around 45 to 60 minutes
• Parking: Large car park near the viewpoint
• Facilities: Toilets and refreshments before the final walk
• Good to know: Roc del Quer itself is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site

TrovenTrippers Tip: Parking at Roc del Quer and using the shuttle to reach Pont Tibetà worked really well for us... apart from missing our stop!

One of our favourite Andorra road trip drives

With the mountain attractions finished, it was time to head towards Andorra la Vella.

If you enjoy driving, add Ordino as a waypoint rather than simply following the quickest route via Encamp. The winding mountain road was one of Paul’s favourite drives of the weekend.

Andorra’s roads were another big surprise for us. Even high in the mountains they were exceptionally well surfaced and clearly marked, making the driving enjoyable rather than stressful.

TrovenTrippers Tip: You don’t need an SUV or specialist vehicle for this kind of Andorra road trip... a normal rental car is absolutely fine.

Caldea thermal spa

As you approach the capital, you can’t really miss Caldea.

The huge thermal spa is one of Andorra’s best known wellness attractions, with its distinctive modern glass building dominating the surrounding area.

We chose not to go inside because we’d already had a really good spa experience at Les Pardines the previous day. Unfortunately, much of the exterior was also covered in scaffolding when we visited, so we couldn’t fully appreciate the architecture either.

Practical Info

• Best for: Anyone wanting a large thermal spa experience
• Time needed: Allow several hours if you plan to use the spa
• Our experience: We didn’t go inside, so we can’t personally review it

Where to stay in Andorra la Vella ... Hotel Starc

Our second hotel couldn’t have been much more different from the first.

After a peaceful mountain retreat at Les Pardines, Hotel Starc by Pierre & Vacances put us right in the centre of Andorra la Vella, with shops and restaurants immediately outside.

Our sixth floor room had a balcony overlooking the city and surrounding mountains, but the standout feature was the private jacuzzi. We didn’t actually use it that night... we saved it for the following morning, which turned out to be a pretty good way to start our final day.

Practical Info

• Location: Central Andorra la Vella
• Old town: Around 15 to 20 minutes on foot
• Hotel parking: Around €30 per night when we visited
• Nearby public parking: Roughly €27 to €28 for 24 hours
• Best feature: Balcony, mountain views and private jacuzzi
• Would we stay again?: Absolutely

TrovenTrippers Tip: Once you’ve parked in central Andorra la Vella, you probably won’t need the car again until you leave.

Traditional food to try in Andorra la Vella

There are countless restaurants to choose from in Andorra la Vella, so rather than recommending the particular restaurant we visited, we’d suggest looking out for some of the traditional dishes instead.

We tried caragols... snails... along with botifarra style sausage and a mountain rice dish with mushrooms. We enjoyed the meal, although unfortunately we both felt unwell afterwards.

We have no way of knowing whether the food was responsible, so it wouldn’t be fair to name the restaurant or make that claim. The dishes themselves are still worth trying elsewhere if you want to explore the Catalan and Pyrenean influences in Andorran food.

Practical Info

• Look out for: Caragols, botifarra and mountain rice dishes
• Our advice: Choose a well reviewed traditional restaurant and use the local dishes as your guide

Day 3 ... Andorra la Vella Old Town and Shopping

Our final morning in Andorra was a much slower one, with no mountain roads, gondolas or suspension bridges. Instead, we explored Andorra la Vella on foot... mixing old town sights with shopping, bakeries and a final wander through the capital before driving back towards Barcelona.

Exploring Andorra la Vella

We started the morning by finally making use of the private jacuzzi in our Hotel Starc room, before checking out, leaving our bags at reception and heading straight into the shopping streets. Sneha found a perfume she’d been looking for at a really good price, while Paul found an Andorra football shirt in one of the first shops we passed... and naturally wore it for the rest of the day.

From the shops, we walked towards the old town, stopping first at Salvador Dalí’s melting clock sculpture, La Noblesse du Temps, beside the river. A little further on is Església de Sant Esteve, where our favourite view was actually from the pathway down the left hand side of the church... turn around and you get a brilliant view back towards the building with the mountains behind.

We then continued uphill to Casa de la Vall, Andorra’s historic parliament building. The museum was closed for renovation when we visited, but the walk was still worth it for the sculptures and views across the city... a great place to see just how tightly Andorra la Vella is squeezed into the valley between the surrounding mountains.

From there, we wandered back towards the main shopping streets and had a final look around Pyrenees Andorra, where our hotel had given us a 10% discount voucher. We finished the morning exactly as we’d hoped... no more attractions to tick off, just browsing the streets, stopping at small bakeries for local pastries and looking up every now and then to remember we were still right in the middle of the Pyrenees.

Practical Info

• Time needed: Around 3 to 4 hours for a relaxed wander through the shopping streets and old town
• Getting around: Everything we visited was easily walkable from Hotel Starc
• La Noblesse du Temps: Free... allow around 10 to 15 minutes
• Sant Esteve: Free when we visited... allow around 20 minutes
• Casa de la Vall: Outdoor areas are free... allow around 30 minutes, or longer if the museum is open
• Shopping: Perfume, cosmetics, fashion, electronics, sportswear and outdoor clothing are all widely available
• Pyrenees Andorra: Ask your hotel whether they offer a discount voucher... ours gave us 10% off

TrovenTrippers Tip: Don’t assume everything will automatically be cheaper because Andorra has lower taxes. If you’re planning a bigger purchase, check the UK price first so you know whether you’re actually getting a good deal.

Is Andorra worth visiting for a weekend?

Before this trip, we expected Andorra to be mainly about the mountains.

The mountains were spectacular, but what surprised us was how complete the destination felt.

One minute you’re high in the Pyrenees looking across mountain lakes and patches of snow... a few hours later you’re wandering through a traditional stone village, relaxing in a spa or eating rabbit in an old borda.

The next day might take you from a Romanesque church to a huge suspension bridge, along winding mountain roads and into a modern capital filled with shops and restaurants.

We also loved how easy Andorra was to road trip. The roads were exceptionally well maintained, distances between attractions were short and a normal rental car was more than enough for everything we did.

And perhaps the biggest surprise was how accessible the mountain scenery is. We enjoy walking, but we’re not serious hikers... and some of the best views of the weekend were reached by gondola, chairlift, scenic drive or relatively short walks.

For us, two full days plus a final morning was a great amount of time for a first Andorra trip. We saw a lot without feeling like the entire weekend was one long race between attractions.

We arrived expecting the mountains to be the whole story.

We left talking just as much about the food, wellness, villages, driving, shopping and the contrast between city life and the Pyrenees.

And we’d absolutely go back.

Why Andorra worked for us

Mountain scenery?

Tristaina and Roc del Quer gave us completely different views of the Pyrenees.

A great road trip?

Short distances, brilliant roads and some properly enjoyable mountain driving.

History and culture?

Romanesque churches, Ordino, Meritxell and the old town of Andorra la Vella.

Local food?

Rabbit, veal stew, caragols, botifarra, mountain rice and Crema Catalana.

Wellness?

Mountain hotel spas, private jacuzzis and huge thermal complexes like Caldea.

Shopping?

Perfume, fashion, sportswear, electronics... and apparently an essential Andorra football shirt.

Serious hiking required?

Not unless you want it.

And that last point is one of the biggest reasons we’d recommend Andorra for a long weekend... you get the drama of the Pyrenees without having to spend the whole trip hiking through them.