Alluring Andorra

Have you heard of Andorra? Some have a vague understanding, but most, like us, have a rather spotty knowledge about this tiny nation tucked in between France and Spain. Small is an adequate descriptor of this mountainous and landlocked nation. It is the 16thsmallest nation in the world by size, with about 100,000 residents. Surrounded by the Pyrenees Mountains, most of this tiny nation is mountainous, which speaks to the fact that about 80%!o(MISSING)f the GDP is due to tourism. Tall mountains give you snow, which is gold to this nation.

We do not ski and generally are not big fans of cold weather we opted to go during late spring, early summer. We went there to simply chill and do a lot of nothing after many weeks on the road. Who better to join us than Dave’s brother. All three of us are foodies, so combine this with the gentle and warm spa waters and you’ve got a pretty good start.

This leg of our trip began in Barcelona where we met up with Dave’s brother Bob who would join us on the next twelve days of travel. Transportation options are somewhat limited, so we hopped on an inexpensive bus and three hours later we arrived in the capitol city of Andorra la Vella. We would have enjoyed a train ride, but there are no trains in Andorra. We’ve been running it hard the past few weeks exploring the Northern Atlantic Islands, and our time here was to relax, move slowly, soak in some thermal pools and get massages. Mission accomplished.

We began chilling out on the bus ride as we watched beautiful farmlands pass our windows. We experienced beauty around each corner and slowly watched the topography change and the mountains appeared as we approached our destination. We enjoyed the bus ride as we visited and napped. Leave the driving to someone else, sit back, and let the countryside go by.

Our friend Andy who lives in Denver mentioned the Can Pere restaurant he really enjoyed when he was there. Of course we always leap on a foodie recommendation and it was well worth it….. so much that we went the next evening to try other dishes on the menu. This is not a fine dining restaurant but a one-man operation. The owner is from the UK but has lived in Andorra for a couple of decades. He has also traveled extensively to Asia and his foods represent both the UK and Asia. This chef has many talents. The wines he recommended were outstanding and paired well with our meals.

Conveniently, the hotel had a very nice spa, where all your needs can be catered to. Each day we enjoyed our spa and a massage. Spending more than four hours in a spa can significantly lower your desire to do much and we were witnesses to that.

We did wander the streets of Andora la Vella, which is a modern but small city and the site of the government. Very pleasant to stroll, but the high-end stores tell you that the normal tourist does not head here all the time. One can imagine the snow flying, the slopes crowded, and the restaurants filled with tired skiers during the colder months.

One day, we ventured out to the Electricity Museum, which might seem a bit odd on the surface, but was actually the story of how the country made the leap from a poor mountain place, right into the 20th century. Hydroelectric power allowed many jobs, along with the building of modern roads. The power could serve as a less expensive source of energy and also could be sold as well. Get the skiers and money investors to come and you’ve got a pretty wealthy nation.

Our border crossings were easy coming from Spain and heading to France.

Our time was brief, but unless you’re an avid skier, you really only need a couple of days to see most of the country….unless more spa time is required…..