5. Andorra

Bon dia!
Hola!
Bonjour!

Welcome to Andorra, a small (181 sq mi) but beautiful country nestled in the Pyrenees mountains between Spain & France. Here, we wait for someone to greet us before knowing what language to put in our translation app. Andorra is 48% Andorran, (speaking Catalan), 25% Spanish, 11% Portugese, and 4% French. Catalan is an offshoot of Spanish, so Craig is doing fairly well with communication.

We are staying in Andorra La Vella, which, at 3350 ft, is the highest capital city in Europe. It is a typical historical European city with narrow roads, cobblestone streets, quaint shops and hotels, and a plethora of street cafes, bars & restaurants, but stands out by a view of the surrounding mountains at every turn.

We strolled through the town and climbed up a short steep vertical path to the Rec del Sola trail that circles the city offering views from above. A pleasant day in a charming city.

Located nearby is Grandvalira ski resort, covering 215 km of ski area with 138 slopes. We would have liked to have checked it out, but our schedule and lack of car have to be considered. Maybe next time. :)Read more