While gallivanting across Europe on my own solo Christmas market tour, I decided I desperately needed some R & R in the form of warm weather and sunshine. So, I booked a Ryan Air flight from Sweden to Spain.
The Perfect Day-Trip Plan
I landed in Barcelona and had reserved a rental car at the Barcelona airport. I'd already been to Barcelona and I wanted to see more of the Catalonian region, plus, I'm also on a mission to cross countries off my list, so the tiny microstate of Andorra seemed like the perfect idea for a daytrip.
I had done some preliminary research before I arrived and found that since there are no airports in Andorra, there are really two main ways to get to there: by car and by bus. They both took about the same amount of time, but the bus schedules are quite limited and so I thought it would be a better idea to have a car so I could be more flexible in how long I wanted to stay and where I wanted to stop along the way. I checked the weather forecast in advance and it looked like I would have clear snow-free roads along my entire route, too, which seemed a stroke of good fortune for this time of year in the Pyrenees.
Generally, you're not given an option to specifically choose your make/model of your rental car, so when AAA offered me the choice for a few dollars more to select a MINI, I took advantage of it. I had driven in a MINI many times as a passenger since years ago, a good friend of mine had one in Florida. But I had never actually driven one and I had always been curious how they handled.
Upon signing the papers at the rental car desk and getting the car and keys, I checked for damage (including taking pictures and video and having the car attendant come back out to mark his paper), setup my handless phone magnetic device on the vents, told Google to take me to Andorra, and off I went.
Trekking from Barcelona Airport to Andorra
The drive was a little congested as I neared the city of Barcelona, but everything after that was smooth sailing. The scenery was absolutely spectacular and I wished I was a passenger at this moment so I could fully capture its beauty with my camera. The highlands near Barcelona are lush and green, reminiscent of a tropical environment, and the sawtooth mountains (which resembled the Tetons) carved into the sky like massive triangular daggers. The weather was perfect, too. While I'm sure it might have felt chilly to the Catalonians, it was SO warm to me at a balmy 65 degrees! Keep in mind, I had just come from Scandinavia so it was indeed short sleeve weather (if I had only brought short sleeves, haha).
There were about three hundred tunnels on the 2.5 hour drive from Barcelona airport to Andorra as I crossed through the Pyrenees. Yes, I'm totally exaggerating, but it certainly felt like about that many! Some of them required toll payments to pass through and others did not. I didn't keep track of how much the drive cost me in tolls, but honestly, it was worth it. (NOTE: Euros or credit cards were accepted at all tolls.)
It was a relaxing drive through beautiful country and I was so glad I had my own wheels instead of being stuck on a cramped bus. Since I had my own car, I was able to stop a few times and take photos and videos, and even met a few donkeys along the way!
Andorra's Capital City
I arrived in Andorra about 1300. You don't get your passport stamped at the border, you just drive across and voila! you've just crossed another country off your list. I stopped in the capital city, Andorra la Vella, found a paid parking lot to leave the car, and then took off on foot to explore.
One of the top things to see in the capital is the bridge with the huge Andorra la Vella sign in the background and the Salvador Dali clock (Noblesa del temps). They know it's a top spot because they even have a selfie stand setup for you to take your own pictures here! Brilliant actually. I've heard that they have these little metal stands in top spots throughout the country as well, which I think is a really cool idea and more places should incorporate that!
Unfortunately, on the day I visited, the Christmas market was closed. But I was still able to walk through it and see how they had the stands and booths set up. It looked like it would have been quite magical during opening hours, which apparently are mainly on the weekends, especially in early December.
Andorra is basically a huge duty-free shop and many people come here to buy things like cigarettes and alcohol. Just be forewarned that according to what I've read, they actually will search cars at the border if they suspect you're trying to "smuggle" in too much of these goods. Do your research beforehand and find out exactly how much "shopping" you're allowed to do in Andorra so you don't get stung with fines.
Nature Abounds in Andorra
Andorra is known for its nature, its ski resorts, its hiking trails, and its mountain adventures. I didn't get to take advantage of any of those things on this daytrip because frankly there just wasn't enough time. If you'd like to do these kinds of things on your trip to Andorra, just make sure you plan more than a day to visit! There's much more to this country than just the capital city. I knew that, of course, but all I had was a day, so I saw as much as I could and made the best of the time I had.
Returning Towards Barcelona
I was staying in the town of Girona near Barcelona that night, so I had to drive back the 2.5 hours back towards the coast.
To be honest, the drive back was a little more challenging than the drive in. The reason? Well, it was dark and I wasn't familiar (obviously) with either the car and the roads. It was challenging driving in the dark on winding mountain roads in a car that you're unsure how it will handle on curves in the road. Now, don't get me wrong. I grew up and currently live in a very mountainous place, so I'm familiar with driving in this type of terrain. But I'm also aware that regardless of how skilled and sharp of a driver you are, two-lane winding mountain roads (with lots of traffic and semis) can be dangerous for even the best motorist. Needless to say, I was very happy when more than 3 hours later, I finally pulled into the town of Girona, parked my car (in what I thought was a free public lot, haha), and collapsed on my delightful queen-size bed at my AirBnb.
My Advice for an Andorra Trip
So, would I recommend going to Andorra for a daytrip?
Absolutely. I thought it was a great way to spend my time and I thoroughly enjoyed both the drive and the beautiful country.
Would I rent a car again, or do I think a bus would be better?
Honestly, if you're already in the city of Barcelona, it might be easier just to take the bus. And cheaper, if I'm being candid. The car was about 50 Euro to rent from the airport (and I got a good deal because of the time of year) and the gas was about 60 Euro. Since I didn't keep track of how much I paid in all those tolls, I Googled to see if anyone else had. These peeps at Journey More Often estimated that it cost them about 100 US Dollars in tolls. Wow, that's insane! And I guess I easily could have paid that much considering I didn't keep track. Check out their article here.
In contrast, bus tickets I believe are about 36 euro each way. You'll want to Google to get current prices, of course, but that'll at least give you a ballpark figure.
However, if you are at the airport, want to stay outside of Barcelona for a night, and want your own brand of adventure, then definitely rent that car (if you can afford the cost, of course!). The drive is seriously so easy and straightforward. There are fuel stations all along the way (in Andorra, it was actually a full-service shop, so the attendant filled up my tank while I went in the station to pay!), and you will have more flexibility to come and go as you please. Also, this will allow you to spend more time in Andorra because you have your own wheels to get around the country. I've heard the hiking trails, the camping spots, and the mountain adventures here are top notch! I'd love to go back in later summer or early fall and see how beautiful this country is at this time of year--and do some mountain exploring while I'm at it.
If I do, I'm definitely biting the bullet again and just renting that car.
This time, I might opt against driving at night, though! There's just too much beautiful mountain scenery and off-the-beaten-paths you'll miss out on if you cruise these winding roads under a canopy of stars.
