Andorra: holidays, events, climate
Public holidays
Religious festivals or holidays
Date | Holiday |
January 6 | Epiphany |
… | Easter |
… | Ascension of Chri |
… | Penteco |
15th of Augu | Assumption Day |
November 1 | All Saints Day |
November 4 | St. Charles Day |
December 8 | Immaculate conception |
24th of December | Christmas eve |
25./26. December | Christmas |
Other public holidays
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
the 14th of March | Constitution Day |
May 1 | Labor Day |
September 8 | National holiday |
December 31 | New Year’s Eve |
Source: Countryaah – Andorra Holidays
Cultural events
The festival in honor of La Vierge de Meritxell takes place in early September mainly in Andorra La Vella and Escaldes-Engordany.
Climate
Andorra has a temperate mountain climate with relatively warm summers and cold, snowy winters. There is precipitation all year round, although the summer is less rainy. There are great differences in temperatures and rainfall between the valleys and the high altitudes.
Travel times
The ideas of what is meant by a particularly favorable travel climate depend on a number of factors. Pure cultural travelers certainly see the climate differently than people who want to spend a pure beach holiday, for example. The state of health or age can also play an important role. Therefore, our travel time recommendations are divided into the following two categories:
For
people who are more sun-hungry For people who like to enjoy a lot of sun and for whom higher temperatures do not cause problems, the following seasons are particularly suitable for a stay in the country: July and August.
For people who prefer a moderate climate
For people who prefer a moderate climate and lower temperatures, Andorra is well suited to stay all year round.
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that AD stands for the nation of Andorra as a two-letter acronym.
Andorra: Sightseeing
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Vall del Madriu-Perafita-Claror
The area of the Vall del Madriu-Perafita-Claror is about 40 km², which corresponds to about 10% of the total area of Andorra.
The area is protected because here you can systematically trace people’s lives for around 750 years. The life of the people in earlier times was extremely difficult as the Pyrenees Mountains are very barren and rough. The people lived and still live often from pasture farming. You can see terrace fields and understand how iron was extracted.
Vall del Madriu-Perafita-Claror has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
Special buildings and cultural sites
Bosc de les Llaus lookout tower The Bosc de les Llaus lookout tower rises
right next to the church of Sant Jaume dels Cortals. After climbing it, you will be rewarded with a fabulous view over the valley of Encamp.
Bridge of La Margineda in Andorra la Vella
The Romanesque bridge of La Margineda in Andorra la Vella is by far the most impressive and also the largest bridge of the Middle Ages that the Principality of Andorra has to offer. It is 33 meters long and 9.20 meters wide.
Bridge of Sant Antoni de la Grella in La Massana
The bridge of Sant Antoni de la Grella in La Massana also dates from Roman times. Those who want to visit them should go to the chapel of St. Antoni de la Grella. The bridge stretches along the path that once connected Andorra la Vella to La Massana.
Casa Creu in Andorra la Vella
In Carlemany Street is the Casa Creu in Andorra la Vella. The rather modern house from the 1930s was designed by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Unfortunately, it is not possible to visit Casa Creu from the inside as it is privately owned.
Casa de la Vall in Andorra la Vella
The two-story Casa de la Vall in Andorra’s capital, Andorra la Vella, acts as the principality’s parliament. The “House of the Valley”, so important for Andorra, the German translation of the name, can look back on a much longer history: In 1580 it was built by the noble family of the Busquets as a patrician house with an integrated defense tower. In 1702 it was given to the Consell de la Terra sold, the predecessor of today’s General Council. The coat of arms of the noble family Busquets can be seen together with the national coat of arms of Andorra at the main gate of the Casa de la Vall. Those who visit the casa will be able to visit the courtroom, among other things. The cabinet with the seven keys, which housed important Council documents, is also located in this meeting room of the General Council.
Les Bons in Encamp
If you are in the small Andorran village of Encamp, you should visit Les Bons. In addition to the church of Sant Romà, structural ruins from the 13th century, two more modern pigeon houses and a defense tower from the 13th century, this architectural ensemble, which extends at the highest point in Encamps, also includes a moated castle the irrigation system carved in stone was put in place.
Rec del Solà and Rec de l’Obac in Andorra la Vella The
Rec del Solà and Rec de l’Obac in the capital Andorra La Vella are paved paths with railings that are illuminated at night. In total, they are 2.5 kilometers long. The paths start either on Collegi Sant Ermengol Street or Avenida Tarragona.
Churches and chapels
Església de Sant Esteve in Andorra la Vella
The Església de Sant Esteve in Andorra la Vella rises in the picturesque old town of the Andorran capital on Plaça Príncep Benlloch. The Christian sacred structure was built as early as the 11th century, with the Romanesque design being used.
Church of Ordino
This recently restored Romanesque church of Ordino shows fascinating depictions of patron saints and the Virgin del Remei from the 17th century.
Church of Sant Climent de Pal in Pal
The best example of the historical architecture of the village of Pal is the church of Sant Climent de Pal, the oldest components of which date back to the end of the 11th century. It is characterized by a large bell tower, which was designed in the Romanesque style and equipped with double windows.
Church of Sant Romà de les Bons in Encamp
The Romanesque church of Saint Romà de les Bons in Encamp, dating back to the 12th century, was dedicated to St. Romanus. Reproductions of Romanesque paintings and frescoes can be seen in the interior of the church.
Oratory of the Virgin at Le Bons
The small oratory of the Virgin can be reached by leaving Les Bons and following the ancient Royal Route of Canillo for about ten minutes. Then you reach a truly peaceful place with a clay sculpture of the Virgin. This was created by Ramón Argilés.
Meritxell Sanctuary
The new Meritxell sanctuary appears as a modern temple. It was inaugurated in 1976 and its design goes back to the Catalan architect Ricard Bofil
Santa Coloma in Andorra la Vella
The pre-Romanesque church of Santa Coloma in Andorra la Vella dates from the 10th century, although the Lombard bell tower was added in the 12th century and is one of the most interesting architectural features of Andorra.
Santa Eulàlia d’Encamp in Encamp
The parish church of Santa Eulàlia d’Encamp in Encamp has the second highest Andorra with its 23 meter high bell tower. The tallest is the tower of the Church of Sant Serni in Canillo at 27 meters.
Sant Jaume dels Cortals
The church of Sant Jaume dels Cortals, re-inaugurated in 1999 after long restaurant work, is surrounded by a forest. The Bosc de les Llaus observation tower rises right by the church. After climbing it, you will be rewarded with a fabulous view over the valley of Encamp.
Sant Miquel d’Engolasters in Escaldes-Engordany
The Romanesque church of Sant Miquel d’Engolasters in Escaldes-Engordany dates back to the 12th century. The architectural simplicity of the church as well as its strange, asymmetrical relationship between the 17 meter high bell tower and the nave is impressive.
Sant Serni in Canillo
Sant Serni in Canillo was originally laid out as a Romanesque church, but rebuilt in a new shape in the 17th century. The special features of the Christian sacred structure include the imposing Gothic representation of Christ in the interior of the church and of course the 27 meter high bell tower, the highest in the entire Principality of Andorra.
Museums
Government Exhibition Hall in Andorra la Vella
The Government Exhibition Hall in Andorra la Vella is the cultural center of the Andorran capital. It is not only used as a museum in which the works of international artists from a wide variety of artistic directions are exhibited, but also as the main theater in the city.
Iconographic Museum in Ordino
The Iconographic Museum in Ordino shows Christian imagery from the most important Ukrainian and Russian schools of the years between the 16th and 19th centuries. This includes numerous fascinating wooden depictions of Christ.
Miniature
Museum in Ordino The miniature museum is housed in the Edifici Maragda in Ordino. It shows an impressive collection of miniature paintings and provides information about the problems that miniature painters repeatedly face in their work.
Pal mill and sawmill in Ordino
The mill and sawmill of Pal, which dates back to the 16th century, is one of the best examples when it comes to reviving the former bustling liveliness of the valley. The Pal mill and sawmill had actually been in operation well into the 1960s .
Casa Cristo Museum in Encamp The
Casa Cristo Museum in Encamp is an ethnographic museum that documents the way of life of a simple Andorran family as it was normal in the 19th century.
Museum of Sacred Art in Encamp
In the small Museum of Sacred Art in Encamp at Placeta de Santa Eulàlia, Christian art objects and liturgy exhibits can be seen, with the majority of the exhibits coming from the chapels of the parish.
Museum of Pins in Ansalonga Ordino
About 75,000 exhibits can be seen in the Museum of Pins in Ansalonga Ordino. The museum, which divides the needles into 110 different categories, has thus also earned an entry in the famous Guinness Book of Records.
Casa Areny Plandolit museum house in Ordino
This old 19th century summer house is now the Casa Areny Plandolit museum house. Located in Ordino, the visitor is confronted with the Andorra of earlier centuries and experiences insights into the living conditions of the Areny-Plandolit family.
Casa Rull museum house in Sispony La Massana
The Casa Rull museum house in Sispony La Massana refers to the historical and cultural importance of Andorran houses as a representation of one’s own identity.
National Automobile Museum in Encamp
As the National Automobile Museum in Encamp, the house is dedicated to the history of vehicle construction and travels from historical models à la steam engine to the middle of the 1970s.
Natural history center in Ordino
The natural history center in Ordino was housed in the Casa Rossel de La Cortinana and is part of the museum’s natural heritage department. You can see an exhibition there, with the help of which visitors can get to know the geographic features of the Principality of Andorra.
“Roques al Carrer” Open Geology Museum in Andorra la Vella
What is the “Roques al Carrer” Open Geology Museum in Andorra la Vella? For visitors interested in geology, the facades of the Andorran capital are used here for geological explanations. Overall, the museum consists of the rock garden, the geological path and the path of granite architecture.
Perfume Museum in Escaldes-Engordany
In the multimedia perfume museum in Escaldes-Engordany, visitors immerse themselves in the world of scents and smells in a variety of ways.
Postal Museum in Ordino
The Postal Museum in Ordino documents the interactions that have taken place between the progress of telecommunication developments and the living conditions of the people of Andorra.
Rossel smithy in La Massana
The Rossel smithy in La Massana is an iron information center that deals with the period between the 17th and 19th centuries, when the Andorra Valley was still dominated by a large iron industry has been. The Rossel forge, built between 1842 and 1846, is one of the best examples of this period.
Study center for the Romanesque Andorra in La Massana
The study center for the Romanesque Andorra in La Massana has set itself the task of dealing with the history of the Romanesque in Andorra and communicating it to interested visitors to the country.
Tobacco Museum in Sant Julià de Lòria
The tobacco museum in Sant Julià de Lòria, housed in the old Reig factory, provides information about the time when the people of the surrounding villages still made a living from tobacco cultivation and tobacco processing.
Two-wheel museum in Canillo
The two-wheel museum in Canillo is dedicated to the presentation of motorcycles. Among other things, examples of the most interesting types of motorcycles of the last decades are exhibited.
theatre
Government Exhibition Hall in Andorra la Vella
The Government Exhibition Hall in Andorra la Vella is the cultural center of the Andorran capital. It is not only used as a museum in which the works of international artists from a wide variety of artistic directions are exhibited, but also as the main theater in the city.
University of Andorra
With the State Universitat d’Andorra, the municipality of Sant Julià de Lòria has the only university in the Principality. The university, which has existed since 1997, is currently divided into the two faculties of computer science and nursing. The University of Andorra also includes the Center d’Estudis Virtuals Andorra, a kind of virtual university.
Nature and relaxation
Caldea
Recreation is best found in Caldea, Andora’s most important sports and recreation center. As Europe’s largest health spa, Caldea is spread across the mountains of Andorra and offers an excellent tourist infrastructure.
Roc del Metge near Andorra la Vella
Roc del Metge near Andorra la Vella is a spa that, at 70 °C, is one of the hottest spas in Europe.
Tal dels Cortals
The picturesque valley dels Cortals with its many resting places and hostels is the ideal place for hikes and relaxation. Part of the valley is the Encamp valley, which is best admired from the Bosc de les Llaus lookout tower. The church of Sant Jaume dels Cortals is located near the tower and is one of the other attractions in the area.