We woke up in France, right near the Spanish border, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and headed towards the unknown – the small, mountain-embraced Andorra. We had heard little about this tiny state, located in the middle of the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, but a breathtaking journey awaited us.
Our route took us through the Pyrenean highlands, where nature looked completely different from the coast. The altitude differences brought forth unique vegetation and wildlife, and the mountains rising along the road created a picturesque backdrop for our journey. We drove through idyllic mountain villages where time seemed to stand still, and throughout the trip, there was amazingly little traffic – as if we had the road entirely to ourselves.
Along the way, we witnessed something particularly beautiful: magnificent, free-roaming horses grazing by the road, which literally stopped us in our tracks. Their majestic presence and the ruggedly beautiful mountain scenery formed a perfect moment that we had to capture on camera. This was precisely what road trip dreams are all about, at their best!
Andorra and Spa Culture
On our way to Andorra, we browsed for information on what to see and experience in this small mountain state. We were surprised by Andorra's rich spa culture – there would have been plenty of spas and thermal baths available. Although the idea of a pampering spa moment was tempting, we had just visited Baden-Baden to enjoy the warm springs, so we decided to focus on other experiences.
The border crossing into Andorra went smoothly without any major checks, although border control was still visible. Andorra is known for its light taxation, which attracted Spaniards, in particular, to shop. With Christmas approaching, locals and tourists seemed to be hoarding things like alcohol, whose prices were significantly cheaper than in neighboring countries.
The accumulation of capital in Andorra was also visible in the cityscape. Everything was neat, and the architecture exuded prosperity. Expensive luxury cars occasionally glided along the streets, reinforcing the feeling that we had arrived in one of Europe's tax havens.
Andorra La Vella
The sun was shining brightly, but the cool mountain air ensured that the temperature couldn't be called summery. We found a parking spot near the city center and cooked lunch before setting off on foot to explore Andorra La Vella. Christmas approaching was already clearly palpable in the city: the streets were decorated with Christmas lights, and a lively shopping buzz filled the streets as people hurried to buy gifts.
We walked around leisurely, enjoying the city's atmosphere, and stopped at a local cafe to taste traditional pastries with coffee. However, the experience wasn't particularly memorable – as often is the case in Southern Europe, the pastries were a bit bland in taste.
After touring for the day, we headed back to the car and continued our journey towards the southern coast of Spain. Before leaving, however, we took advantage of Andorra's lighter taxation by filling up the car at a low price – diesel cost only €1.392/liter, which was the cheapest price of our entire trip. We were surprised that fuel elsewhere in Europe was not significantly cheaper than in Finland, as we had initially imagined.
A Night by the Castle
As we drove out of Andorra, darkness had already fallen, and we faced one of the most exciting tasks of the trip: finding the perfect wild camping spot for the night. As usual, we resorted to the Park4Night app, which led us to a unique location – at the end of a road in an unfinished residential area, high up on a mountainside.
The road wound steeply upwards, and upon arrival, we realized we had hit a real gem. Directly in front of us, on the opposite slope, stood an old castle, its lighting creating a mystical and almost magical atmosphere. It stood proudly, centuries of weight on its shoulders, as if telling stories of times gone by.
This discovery made the night special. We lay in bed for a long time, watching the castle's glow and letting our imaginations wander through its history. These moments make traveling by motorhome magical – when the perfect spot is found by chance and the environment evokes the feeling that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
