Three countries one day.

[Farimatafa]

We are going to Barcelona. I've been many times before so I am looking for something new to do.

We spotted a " three countries one day" tour. The bus leaves barcelona and goes to a small town in france, and then to Andorra.

Has anyone done that tour.

Or has anyone been to Andorra? Ive never been . Is it worth going?

What is the town in France? How long is your stay, and what time of year?

Andorra is mainly geared up for skiing and duty free purchases. It's ok for a wander around the main town, a drive through the valleys if you have time. You can pick up some bargains in the main street of Andorra La Vella. Nothing hugely special but it's worth a visit as part of a day trip. The scenery is lovely for sure.

If I had time, I think I'd go to a place called Latour de Carol. It's on the French side of the border and is near Andorra if you want to combine the two. From Latour you can take the Yellow Train up and around the Pyrenees. It is a stunning trip there and back. You can get a train from Barcelona to Puigcerda and a bus from there to the little yellow train.

https://www.pyrenees-cerdagne.com/en/le-train-jaune-english

You do all three countries in one day. You start at 7 in the morning and get back In Barcelona at 7.30 in The evening

The French town is called Ax le Thermes

Are they places you want to go? Or are you going because of the novelty of 3 countries in one day?

I'd just choose a place, or places that you want to visit and then go and visit them. 3 countries in one day reminds me of the myriad bus tours geared up for (mainly) Americans that claim to 'do England in a day', and they leave London at the crack of dawn, pit stop in Oxford for a quick wander, lunch in Stratford Upon Avon then afternoon stop in the Cotswolds, then back to London. The Americans love it because they see 'everything'. But it sounds like hell on earth to me (and I love all those 3 places!)

From Barcelona there will be loads of places you could get to easily by train, so I'd do that.

Or if you've been there loads of times before and want to do something different, you could just go/stay somewhere different!

I kind of wanted to tick off a country that I hadn't been to before - Andorra.

But maybe it's too much to do in one day. Spain france and andorra. It sounds a bit tiring.

I've only been skiing in Andorra, I can't remember the resort, it was lovely though.

@Farimatafa - You would literally be just 'ticking off' Andorra though! From memory it's well over 2.5hrs to get there from Barcelona (depends where you're going, of course), so of your 12 hr trip, that's half of it just sitting on a coach (before you even factor in the side trip to France).

If you want to go to Andorra, then go to Andorra.

If you just want to say you've been there as a box ticking exercise, then the tour is certainly a way to do that, but it doesn't sound like a great way to spend a day really!

If you like mountains, that would work for you. Both Andorra and Ax are ski resorts. A day trip takes all the work out of finding trains/buses to your destination and so on, so if that's important, that would help.

A pp said there are other places near Barca. That's true, like Tarragona and Lleida and across the border Coullioure is gorgeous. However, they are all cities and towns. Depends on what you like/want.

@Farimatafa assuming this tour has a duration of roughly 12 hours

leave at 7am from BCN, then travel 2 hr 45 min (201 km) to arrive in Ax-les-Thermes. Spend however long there, then

travel another 1 hr 12 min (56.3 km) to Andorra la Vella spend how long?

You'll obviously will leave around 4pm to arrive back in Barcelona for 7pm

then travel 2 hr 43 min (191 km) back to Barcelona

your 3 destinations, without stops will entail travelling approx 448 km over 6 hr 40 min

It does seem to have good reviews tbf @Farimatafa Couldn't do personally though 🙂

Box-ticking bragging exercise in novelty. If you want to see these places then go spend time there, even if for only a day. Andorra will probably get called boring by some because it's small and not glitzy or filled with Instaworthy things. However anyone should be able to spend a day in a place and enjoy what is on offer or a stroll, some food and a general nosying about.

Well different people want different things.

I quite like going to somewhere for a short time just to say I've been there.

I don't have loads of time on this trip to go places either. So a one day itinerary would suit me

You'll get about 3.5 hrs in total in the places you'd visit (coffee in one, lunch in another, quick mooch round the shops in another) - if that's your thing, then go for it.

Go for it! The mountain scenery is fab. And you get to France and Andorra. The trip won't be wasted.

It is just probably not what others would choose, but who cares about that. YOU are the one going. Enjoy.

We drove to Andorra from Perpignan years ago when the dc were little. It will be lovely we said.
3 hours of car sick kids to get there to find it was like an airport duty free shop.
3 hours of car sick kids on the way back.

i do still have the sunglasses I bought there to justify the trip though!

I have not done the trip, but if you put the destinations into google it's basically a LOT of travelling. I put in Barcelona -> Andorra -> Ax e Thermes -> Barcelona and you can see the route. If you want to sit on a coach and tick off 3 countries then that's ok, but I don't think you'll see much in terms of being out and about or able to take pics, experience it etc.

By the way, if you want 3 countries in 1 day then Italy, Slovenia and Croatia is doable with far less driving.

It's 3 hours to France and 3 hours to Andorra. Why would you want to spend it all travelling and not seeing (tw unless skiiing dont bother with andorra)

I went to Andora as a bet years ago, it's got a main street and a hill. Got absolutely drenched. The bet was to get a passport stamp, haha the immigration guy rolled his eyes and made us wait while he found the stamp. I won the bet. We had a hire car so saw some great scenery.

Years later I found out my great x3 grandparents had lived there.

If you like mountains and scenery it, might float your boat, just be ready for some interesting roads on the French side of the border.

Andorra is definitely somewhat marmite and the experience might not be improved if the tour includes much time at all at the Duty Free eyesore known as Pas De La Casa.

Ax L T is more of small spa town (has a casino) than an alpine resort - the actual ski complex (Bonascre) is up in the mountains to the south.

Can second the recommendation for Latour de Carol but appreciate that’s not on the itinerary.

Is it a day trip on a coach ? Don't forget you will see a lot while you are travelling so it's not just a case of a long journey with short stops.

Many years ago before DC, DH and I went on several coach holidays in Europe - and the journey through Switzerland was absolutely magical.

We spent a week in Andorra this summer, underrated as an outdoor destination out of ski season. We loved it but this trip is just going to take you to the capital which will leave a bad impression