Andorra La Vella

Andorra la Vella[1] is the capital of Andorra. Get in Get around You should be able to walk around most of Andorra la Vella. The town is really in two parts. There is the newer section at the North end of the town that is very commerical with lots of shops. The other half is the older half, down across the river and to the South and West. This also has quite a number of shops and places to eat and also the historic part. If you stay in either of these areas, you can easily cover on foot, but walking from the end of one half to the other will take a good half hour or more, so it is worth taking the local bus which is cheap. Be sure to read the timetable and routes carefully on the bus stop. See Sant Esteve's church near parliament building in the old historic section of Andorra La Vella. Taken Oct 2005 The church of Sant Esteve: dated from the 12th century. It is in the old part of the Andorra la Vella. Open: July to August: daily, 10.00-13.00 & 15.00-19.00. Free-guided tour. The rest of the year only at mass hours. Church of Sant Andreu: Romanesque church dated from the 12th century. It is in the Sant Andreu St. Open: Mon to Sat. It is obligatory to reserve at phone +376 827 117. Casa de la Vall: The seat of the Consell General (Andorran Parliament) Dating from the 16th century. With guide service. Open: Mon to Sat 09.30-13.00 & 15.00-19.00. Free-guided tour. Sundays (from May to October) from 10 to 14h. Bridge of la Margineda: This bridge dates from medieval times but is still in perfect condition. Nearby there is a metallic sculpture made by the Valencian sculptor Andreu Alfaro. It is in Santa Coloma. Rec del Solà and Rec de l’Obac: paved ways with handrails illuminated in the night. They are 2,5 km long. Starting point: Col·legi Sant Ermengol road and Tarragona avenue, respectively. The town square: this is a surprisingly peaceful place with a panoramic view of the Valley of Andorra. You can visit the spa / sauna / swimming complex known as the Caldea. It is located at the top of the town in the large glass spire structure Parliament building and old town. The parliament building is a relatively modern building and you can walk around up the hill behind it and go onto the roof where there is a type of mini park. On a nice day, there is a great view out over the valley across and looking South towards Santa Coloma. From here you can head back up the hill slightly to the right and visit the old church of St Esteve. Behind it, is an interesting little area filled with narrow streets which is clearly the original location of the settlement. Do Buy The best bargains can be got in electronic goods and jewelry. High cost items tend to be cheaper than anywhere else because of the low tax. The great thing about the electronic goods like digital cameras is that there are a huge range of shops and a huge stock range, so you really get to see all the different makes and models. Some of the larger shops seem to stock a lot of brand label clothing. Don't miss out on the Via Moda Group.... especially during sales. There are loads of ski gear shops. The best advice is to shop around. Pyrenees department store is at the southern end of Avinguda Meritxell. There are various family friendly restaurants, a large electronic goods floor, designer label floors, and a supermarket notable for interesting Andorran and Spanish specialty foods and red wines. Eat There are a number of reasonably priced restaurants, although many of them tend to be Italian food of pizza and pasta. Gourmets will naturally find good addresses with the prices to go with them. Beware!!!! You find almost nothing open after 10:30p.m. so plan ahead! El Vesuvio in nearby La Massana serves Italian and Moroccan food until 12am. Drink Drink and spirits especially are very good value in the supermarkets. Especially at the Hiper Andorra. Sleep Husa Centric Hotel -located centrally in the main shopping area. Reasonable rates. This is part of the Husa chain in Spain. Hesperia Andorra la Vella, Avinguda Doctor Mitjavila, ☎ +376 880 880, [2]. Located in the heart of the capital, this hotel offers some fantastic views of the Pyrenees. Rooms from €59.  edit Cope Embassies Belgium, Carrer Bra Riberaygua 39-4-3, ☎ +376 386-598 (consul.bel@andorra.ad, fax: +376 851-316).  edit France, Carrer Sobrevia 7-BP 155, ☎ +376 73 67 30 (ambassade-de-france@andorra.ad, fax: +376 73 67 31).  edit Portugal, ☎ +376 805305 (mail@cgand.dgaccp.pt, fax: +376 805875).  edit San Marino, Ave Princep Benlloch, 62-72, ☎ +376 860532 (ambassade@andorra.be).  edit Spain, Prat de la Creu, 34, ☎ +376 80 00 30 (embespad@correo.mae.es, fax: +376 86 85 00).  edit Switzerland, Crowne Plaza Andorra, Carrer Prat de la Creu 88-89, ☎ +376 874444 (crowneplaza@andorra.ad, fax: +376 874445).  edit Get out Andorra la Vella is not a bad location if you want to go skiing because you can get either the local bus or the "Snow" bus up to most of the ski resorts. Most hotels during the ski season should have details. The old town is worth visiting. It is up on the hill to the West and South of the main modern part of the town. It is quite old and quaint. 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