Andorra, where shopping is always a good idea

Andorra, its snow-covered mountain passes, its wide open spaces, the warm welcome of its inhabitants... Located at the top of the Pyrenees, between the south of France and the north of Spain, the Principality and its snowflakes are not lacking in assets for a successful holiday, starting with the countless ski slopes that run through the territory. Whether you come as a couple or a family, with friends or even alone, you can also enjoy a wide range of winter activities before enjoying the incredible Andorran relaxation offer, before finally settling down in a typical borda and enjoying excellent mountain cuisine. But that's not all! The Principality of Andorra is also an exceptional destination in Europe for shopping: at 4.5%, the value added tax (VAT) on everyday consumer goods is the lowest on the continent. Add to that a thoughtful and rational organisation of commercial zones throughout the country with very long opening hours, and you are ready to take on the good deals!

Why Andorra rather than elsewhere?

Shopping is not a new activity in Andorra, far from it. While residents are aware of the latest promotions and unmissable addresses, so are travellers who are passing through and who will be able to keep up quickly and easily with the latest deals not to be missed. In any case, whatever the time of your stay in the Principality, you can only do good business. This is due to the fact that, although Andorra has adopted the euro as its national currency since 2014 (no need to change currencies), it is not part of the European Union and is therefore not subject to the same taxation as its neighbours Spain or France. The result: an ultra-reduced VAT rate (4.5%) that makes it possible to buy a wide range of quality products from all sectors at a lower cost, and even from prestigious brands.

Aware of this significant advantage, the country has structured its commercial activity in such a way as to make it easily accessible, both geographically and over time. The stores - whether fashion, accessories, perfumery, electronics, sports, optical or other products - are grouped in a good ten commercial zones (with parking spaces) spread over the Principality's various parishes, allowing travellers to concentrate their shopping days in a few specific areas. In this respect, it is worth mentioning the new semi-pedestrian shopping route called The Shopping Mile, which stretches over a 2 km long area of shopping spaces straddling Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany, including Meritxell Avenue, Carlemany Avenue (Vivand) and the area adjacent to Fener Boulevard. The other major advantage is the vast time ranges: depending on the season and the day of the week, the shops do not close before 8pm, 9pm or even 10pm. In addition, there are only four public holidays, which are synonymous with store closures: ¹ January (New Year's Day), 14 March (Constitution Day), 8 September (Our Lady of Meritxell, patron saint of Andorra) and 25 December (Christmas). That leaves 361 days of potential shopping!

The only constraint is that of quantity: each product sold on the territory is subject to a duty-free allowance, which corresponds to the limit of quantities or units that a natural person can take with him or her outside the Principality. However, these constraints are reasonable, eliminating any sense of limitation. Moreover, Andorra has set up a Consumer Service to which you can contact at any time to find out about and assert your rights.

What can you find in Andorran shops?

One rightly wonders what the stalls of the Principality's shops and department stores are hosting. It's quite simple, you can find all the current consumer products, all the current goods, including the latest technology and electronics releases. New product launches by major international manufacturers are taking place in Europe: mobile phones (state-of-the-art smartphones and associated accessories), computers (computers, tablets, etc.), audiovisual equipment (cameras, cameras, TV screens, etc.), household appliances and other gadgets that make everyday life easier.

The luxury sector is also very well represented, whether in the field of clothing fashion and fashion accessories (there are many clothing shops in the streets of Andorra la Vella in particular), or in high-flying watchmaking (women's and men's watches) and jewellery, with the famous articles of prestigious designers. The beauty industry also has many international representatives, and it will be easy to find cosmetic products (creams, ointments, make-up kits, etc.) and other high quality perfumes.

Naturally, Andorra being a dream land for athletes of all stripes, the range of sportswear and accessories, especially ski clothing, is very wide behind the windows of shops specialising in sliding or mountain activities. In Andorran shops, in bulk, you can also find articles for children, musical instruments, and also, due to the mountain gastronomy, excellent local food products, ranging from cheese to sausages, as well as a varied range of equally delicious agricultural products.

More information on the Andorra Turisme website and on the AndorraWorld Facebook page.