The central valley
Andorra la Vella is the capital and the hub for buses from Barcelona and Toulouse. Its old town, the Casa de la Vall and the long shopping street of Avinguda Meritxell are the heart of the country. It runs straight into Escaldes-Engordany, home to Caldea spa, the Thyssen museum and the trailhead for the UNESCO listed Madriu valley. Together they make the easiest base for a first visit.
The east: ski country
Follow the main road up past Encamp and Canillo to Soldeu and Grandvalira, the biggest ski area in the Pyrenees. In winter this is Andorra's busiest corner, with ski schools, gondolas and après bars; in summer the same slopes turn into hiking and mountain bike country, and the road climbs on over the Envalira pass to Pas de la Casa and France.
The north: quiet valleys
The northern branch of the Y holds Ordino, a stone village with small museums, Romanesque chapels and the high Tristaina lakes, and La Massana and Arinsal, gateway to the Pal Arinsal ski area and to Comapedrosa, the country's highest peak. Both feel calmer and more traditional than the capital.
How to link them
Distances are short: no two parishes are much more than half an hour apart by road in good conditions, and national buses link them all. Many visitors base themselves in one place for the whole stay. Three to four days covers the highlights in summer; a ski week is the classic winter trip. The free trip planner helps you choose a base and set a realistic pace.