There are seven communities in the Principality of Andorra. They are called parishes, or "parroquies" in Catalan. The last one was formed relatively recently, and it is Escaldes-Engordany. The towns in Andorra's regions are quite small, but they are not villages; they have numerous sights, museums, and natural attractions worth visiting. Even though these small towns may consist of only a few dozen houses, they bear distinctive Pyrenean names. The regional names in Andorra are often similar in Catalan and Spanish, making them easy to recognize.
From the central regions of Andorra, a little closer to the east, stands out Parrocchia Encamp. Here, close to the French border, is Pas de la Casa, a major ski resort. Encamp itself is a cute and cozy town halfway between Andorra la Vella and Soldeu, formed by the historic merger of five small provincial villages. The town is located at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level.
Southern regions of Andorra:
Parrocchia Andorra la Vella, "Old Andorra," or Andorra la Vieja, is the capital of Andorra, and at the same time one of the parrocia. The city is located in the Pyrenees Mountains at an altitude of 1079 meters at the confluence of two rivers, Valira d'Ordino and Valira d'Encamp, forming the Valira River. Andorra la Vella is the highest altitude capital in Europe.
Parrocchia San Julia de Loria. It is home to the only university in the country. The town of Sant Julia de Loria is the capital of the county, located on the banks of the river Valira and rises 908 meters above sea level, near the ski elevators and consists of several hotels, restaurants, and stores, being 4 km from the Spanish border.
Parrocchia Escaldes-Engordany is located in the southeast of the country. The eponymous town of Escaldes is actually merged with the capital Andorra la Vella. The main attraction is an entertainment complex of spa resorts called Caldea, which uses healing water from the Escaldes hot spring. Incidentally, Escaldes translates to "hot springs."
Northern regions of Andorra:
Parrocchia La Massana is located in the northwest of the country. The community is home to Andorra's highest point, Coma Pedrosa Peak.
Parrocchia Ordino is the northernmost county in the Principality of Andorra. There are seven villages that may be of interest to tourists. They are Segudet, Sornas, Ansalonga, La Cortinada, Llorts, El Serrat. The capital of Parrocchia is the city with the same name, Ordino. It is a real pearl of Andorra. Romanesque churches, old mansions, and stone sidewalks framed by majestic mountains have made it the most romantic place in Andorra.
Parrocchia Canillo is one of the best ski centers here. Canillo's administrative center is connected to the Soldeu - El Tarter pistes by a new elevator, whose route passes through El Forn and on to Pic de la Portella (2460 meters). Canillo is located 5 kilometers from the ski station of Soldeu. The main attraction of Canillo is the ice palace - Palau de Gel.
