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Back in the 1970s, on my first visit to Andorra la Vella — the country’s capital and dominant city — I thought it felt like a big Spanish-speaking Radio Shack. And while spiffed up today, it retains the charm of a giant shopping mall. It seems there’s nothing but banks and places to buy electronics, furs and jewelry.
But times are changing. Since Andorra adopted the euro — and, later, a small sales tax — its prices are no longer drastically lower than the rest of Europe’s. Add to that the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping, and the nation knows its days as a retail mecca are numbered.
Instead, Andorra is investing more into drawing visitors as a year-round outdoor-sports destination. (The Caldea spa — an 18-floor extravaganza fed by local thermal springs — is one of Europe’s biggest, not to mention Andorra’s tallest building.)
Andorrans have long grilled their trout, beef and snails on open fires, and these days, Andorran barbecue is a tourist attraction in itself, and the snails — fed a diet of thyme to become even tastier — are enjoyed by big-spending visitors.
Pockets of Old World charm hide out even in the capital, which has an old center well worth a stroll. That’s where you’ll find the surprisingly small national parliament building, Casa de la Vall, a private residence back in the 16th century. Its claustrophobic parliament chamber has 28 seats — four representatives for each of the seven parishes. The centuries-old kitchen adjacent to the Assembly Room evokes a time when representatives would travel from (relatively) distant valleys of Andorra. They’d eat and sleep in this building as they performed their governmental duties. While a humble reminder of a simple past, Andorrans still look to this building for leadership.
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Rick Steves writes European guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public TV and radio. Contact him at rick@ricksteves.com. His column runs on alternating weeks in the Travel section.
Rick Steves writes European guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public TV and radio. Contact him at rick@ricksteves.com. His column runs on alternating weeks in the Travel section.
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Publish date : 2024-12-29 02:04:00
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