Shopping in Andorra la Vella
For many of Andorra’s millions of tourists, it’s not just the Andorra ski slopes that they look forward to checking out. The famous Andorra shopping scene is another highlight of an Andorra holiday, given how many luxury goods are available at surprisingly low prices.
Activities and shopping Andorra la Vella: What is Andorra la Vella known for?
Andorra la Vella is the capital of Andorra and has been the main city of the principality since 1278 when the co-princes, one from the French and one from the Spanish side, reached an agreement. The official currency in Andorra la Vella is the Euro, while the official language is Catalan, even though many other languages are spoken too.
One thing that Andorra la Vella is known for is that it is the highest capital city in Europe, given that it sits at an elevation of just over 1,000 metres.
Andorra la Vella is also popular because it boasts the best shopping in Andorra, with a lot of duty-free shopping available.
Duty-free shopping in Andorra la Vella: Is Andorra cheap for shopping?
Many visitors want to know if Andorra shopping is really cheap and the answer is that yes, shopping in Andorra is relatively cheaper compared to most other European countries. The reason for this is because of the Andorra tax laws, as several tax advantages exist in the principality, even if both the European Union and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reject the Andorra tax haven label. In their view, Andorra is not a tax haven despite there being various tax advantages and cheap shopping, Andorra la Vella being the hub of this of course.
The official Andorra tourism office is clear and open about the fact that shopping in Andorra is significantly cheaper than in other countries. As the official tourism website states: “The principality has a low taxation policy reflected by its prices: products on sale in our country are significantly cheaper than in neighbouring France and Spain. It should be noted that we are not a member of the European Union. Therefore, the number of products you can take across the border on your trip home is limited. This is known as a duty-free.”
Andorra shopping areas: Where is the best place to go shopping in Andorra la Vella?
The best shopping in Andorra la Vella is found around Avinguda Meritxell, the main part of what the capital city calls ‘The Shopping Mile’. It is essentially a pedestrian mall and it’s here that you’ll be able to find luxury shopping in Andorra la Vella, designer shopping in Andorra la Vella and even outlet shopping in Andorra la Vella. If Andorra shopping is cheap in general, you can imagine the bargains you’ll uncover at an Andorra la Vella shopping outlet.
Another Andorra shopping area that is separate from ‘The Shopping Mile’ is at the upper part of Escaldes-Engordany. But, the very best shops are going to be found in the country’s capital of Andorra la Vella, which is logical and no different to the shopping scene in most countries.
For those keen to explore street shopping in Andorra la Vella, this is possible too and especially in the run-up to Christmas, as the Andorra la Vella Christmas market is one of the prettiest and most charming in Europe.
Andorra la Vella shopping opening hours: What is the best time to go shopping in Andorra la Vella?
In addition to all the bargains that are available, visitors will also love the Andorra la Vella shopping opening hours. Shops in Andorra generally open until 20:00 most days, with even later hours on the weekends and during holiday periods.
Andorran shops also remain open on most holidays, only closing on January 1st, March 14th, September 8th and December 25th, which are the four main national holidays.