In autumn there are also good reasons to plan a trip to Andorra. Take the opportunity to learn about new fashion trends, taste a stew of meat with seasonal mushrooms or discover new places. A good option is to make a little known route, through the town of Santa Coloma and its surroundings. A picturesque town that belongs to the parish of Andorra la Vella and is located on the outskirts. Keep reading and discover everything you’ll find on this itinerary.
First stop: one of the cultural novelties of the country
We will start in the relatively new Columba space, which was inaugurated last spring. The highlights you will see are the original paintings that were once located in the apse of the parish church of Santa Coloma and that were torn off in the 1930s. After a long journey, they have finally returned to Andorra and since only a few months can be visited in this space. So you will be among the first to admire them and know their history ?.
The exhibition is completed with liturgical and Romanesque pieces from other churches in the country located in this space for conservation reasons.
Next: art combined with new technologies
After visiting the museum, you cannot miss the visit to the church. Santa Coloma is one of the oldest Romanesque chapels in the country, built between the 8th and 9th centuries. It is one of the few with the round bell tower and has one of the best-preserved baroque altarpieces in the country. Currently, you can enjoy a video mapping projection in which the twelfth century wall paintings are recreated, those ripped out in 1933 and that you have seen in the Columba space. Do not miss the projection; it is unique in the Principality!
Discover the old town and have a break to lunch
When you leave the church, take a walk through the old town, to see closely the typical Andorran architecture (stone and wood), and walk through its cobbled streets. Then stop to eat something. In Andorra they are many restaurants, and you will not have to walk much to savor the typical cuisine of the country, a la carte dishes or daily menu. Take the time to recover to resume the itinerary.
Finish the route from a privileged point
Now you have to go up to the medieval complex of San Vicenç de Enclar, where we will find one of the strategic points from where the entrance to the valley was controlled. It can only be reached on foot. You will have to walk about 30 minutes, among a little vegetation, but it is worth it for the magnificent views over the town of Santa Coloma. You will find the church of Sant Vicenç de Enclar, also one of the oldest in Andorra, restored in eighties, and the ruins of a fortification that did not see its construction finished.