Shopping
Shopping in Arinsal. Pal-Arinsal & Andorra la Vella.
Two friendly village supermarkets, a handful of ski shops, and Europe's best-priced duty-free shopping a short bus ride away.
Arinsal village has everything you need for a self-catering week — two main supermarkets, ski and snowboard shops, and a few clothing and souvenir stores at the gondola base. It's compact, walkable, and you won't need to go far for the basics.
For proper duty-free shopping — electronics, perfume, alcohol, cigarettes — head down the valley to Andorra la Vella. The country's low-tax status makes those big-ticket purchases noticeably cheaper than back home, even after the 4.5% sales tax introduced in 2007.
In resort
Shopping in Arinsal village.
Two supermarkets in the centre of Arinsal cover the holiday essentials — fresh food, drinks and the usual bits and pieces if you're self-catering. The village also has a decent run of ski and snowboard shops if you've forgotten gear or fancy upgrading mid-trip, plus a couple of clothing retailers for the after-skiing kit.
Down at the gondola base you'll find sports and souvenir shops aimed squarely at visitors. La Massana — a few minutes' drive down the valley — is the nearest town for banks, larger supermarkets and a wider range of practical shopping.
Down in the capital
Shopping in Andorra la Vella.
The capital is where Andorra's duty-free reputation really shows — a huge array of shops selling electronics, jewellery, perfume, alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco at duty-free prices, alongside fashion brands and sports gear. The Illa Carlemany centre is the easiest one-stop visit: four floors of shops, restaurants and a cinema.
From Arinsal, the L5 bus runs down to Andorra la Vella for a few euros each way — by far the simplest way to make a half-day shopping trip without worrying about parking.
Getting there
By bus to Andorra la Vella.
Bus L5 runs the length of the valley between the resort and Andorra la Vella throughout the day. It's by far the easiest way to make a shopping trip — pay the driver in cash, no booking, no parking faff.
Fares and timetables are subject to change — check bus.ad/tarifes for the latest published prices and schedule before you travel.
Line L5
Resort ↔ Andorra la Vella
Single
€3.45
Return
€5.00 (valid 15 days)
Frequency
Roughly hourly through the day
Duration
~35 minutes
Resort stop: Next to the Arinsal gondola in the village centre
Capital stop: Andorra la Vella city centre
Operating hours: Approx. 07:30 to 20:45 in both directions
Bringing it home
Duty-free allowances.
Andorra isn't in the EU, so customs rules apply when you head back over the border into France or Spain. The allowances below are the standard limits for travellers — once you exceed them, duty becomes payable.
Tobacco & cigarettes
300 cigarettes, OR 150 cigars (under 3g each), OR 75 cigars (over 3g each), OR 400g of pipe tobacco.
Alcohol
1.5 litres of spirits over 22% ABV, OR 3 litres of liqueurs/aperitifs under 22% or sparkling wine — PLUS 5 litres of table wine.
Perfume
75g of perfume PLUS 375ml of eau de cologne.
Other goods
Up to €900 per person on industrial products (or €450 per person if you're under 15).
Allowances apply per adult traveller. Customs rules can change — check your home country's official guidance before you travel if you're planning anything substantial.
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