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Cultural Etiquette
Cultural Dos and Taboos
1. A handshake is the customary form of greeting. Relatives and close friends may embrace and kiss on the cheek.
2. Try to address people by their title and last name until invited to do otherwise. First names tend to be appropriate among friends and younger people. To be on the safe side, wait for your Andorran counterpart to initiate the use of first names or the use of the familiar forms of address.
3. When dining, keep your wrists on the table and adhere to Continental standards such as keeping the fork steadfastly in the left hand and the knife in the right hand.
4. Note that business is not usually discussed at social dinners, although business dinners at restaurants do occur frequently. Know the difference between a social occasion and a business lunch and expect differences in conversation accordingly.
5. If one is invited to dinner at someone's home, it is acceptable to bring a gift to the host or hostess. Try to avoid giving gifts known for their symbolism. For example, bringing a bouquet of flowers would be a nice gesture, however, bringing a bouquet of red roses might not be the best option because of their association with romantic feelings.
6. Dress is generally casual in Andorra, unless one is taking in the nightlife.
7. Skiing and other winter sports provide not only the major past-times in Andorra but also the preferable subject of conversation.
Editor's Note: This list is to be regarded in the most general terms. It is hardly a depiction of the culture of this country. CountryWatch recognizes the fact that culture is a particularly complex notion, and that while travelers to a foreign country may appreciate a concise list of norms, citizens understand their cultural habits and traditions through a complicated valence of nuance and context.
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