Call me fag to fear them giant heights cable car or a homebody for not leaving the safety of my city, but it took me 62 months living in Barcelona to finally do it.
Is not that the most Beautiful mountains that I have ever seen was not worth the visit, it is just that if something is going to convince me to leave the city, it must be quite special.
Here we go for your trip de Barcelona to Montserrat.
Here you will find things to see during your visit to Montserrat in Barcelona, interesting tips and tricks and how to save time with my list of the best all-inclusive tickets for Montserrat!
What is Montserrat?
This is a irregular mountain with many peaks.
The great advantage is that the distance between Barcelona and Montserrat is approximately 50 kilometros.
The name of Montserrat literally means "irregular mountain»In Catalan, reference is made to the characteristic features of the mountain and its many peaks, including San Jeronimo et Montgrós.
It is the most important mountain in Catalonia, both picturesque et Historical. Montserrat is in fact the first Spanish national park.
At 1236 meters above sea level, it is the culminating point December rafts Catalan lands. The view is incredible and you can even see the Balearic Islands in good weather.
The mountain is made up of pink rocks conglomerate sediments.
What to do in Montserrat
Montserrat Abbey + Montserrat Monastery
Most tourists take a day trip to Montserrat to reach the Abbey of Santa María de Montserrat.
You will find a Benedictine monastery and a basilica famous for the Virgen de montserrat, nicknamed the Black Virgin (La Moreneta, patron saint of Catalonia).
The Montserrat Monastery dates back to X century and I still have something 150 moines.
A great thing too: the entrance to the monastery is free.
The long line to the right of the monastery is reserved for the basilica and the statue of the black virgin, main attractions for many pilgrims.
While it's definitely worth a visit (visitors always kiss the Virgin's hand), if you're just looking to go to the monastery, don't get sucked into this huge queue! You should be able to enter directly.
During the war, the abbey was a sanctuary for academics, artists, and politicians. the Montserrat Museum it now houses works by Picasso, Dali, etc.
The entrance to the museum costs € 8,00 (students / seniors € 6,50, children from 8 to 16 € 4,00).
The basilica also houses the legendary Montserrat Children's Choir (La Escolonia), one of the oldest choirs in Europe. Pay a visit without seeing one of these mighty recitals and performance of Gregorian singing it's a sin.
Il ya two daily functions in the basilica at 13:00 p.m. and 18:45 p.m. It is advisable to arrive 30 minutes in advance for the performances.
Read on to see my list of all inclusive tickets who will take care of your transport and all the sites of Montserrat.
Trekking
Once you reach Montserrat Monastery with the cable car or funicular, you can start your hiking adventure. Just go to the tourist information kiosk, grab a map with the trail list, and immerse yourself in nature!
It is also the best place to dance randonnée Due to the wide variety of trails. With 5 different options ranging from 2,7 km to 7,5 km, you will find the walk corresponding to your level.
Funiculaire de Santa Cova te San Juan
Once you have left Barcelona for the Montserrat Monastery, you have two options to continue your ascent.
Le Santa Cova funicular takes you back up the mountain a bit and drops you on a path that leads to Santa Cova Caves - the cave where local shepherds saw the Virgin Mary.
Expect to walk about 20 minutes to reach the chapel.
Le San Juan Funicular takes you to Mountain summit. The steep climb is as beautiful as it is terrifying. the open view it offers a magnificent viewpoint along the climb. They say that on a clear day you can see all of Catalonia.
This is where you can do more beautiful walks all over the mountain.
Tickets for these funiculars can be purchased on the site, but they are also included in some of the tickets that I will mention below.
How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona?
Although the trip to Montserrat is quite simple, it has two parts:
- The trip from Barcelona to the foot of the mountain.
- The climb to the top.
For part two From the trip, Two options available to you: the cableway and funicular.
Be sure to read the cable car / funicular sections carefully; Once you have purchased the tickets for any of the options, you will not be able to redeem them.
I highly recommend youbuy a day pass including all your transportation as it will save you time and stress.
By car
By far the easiest option to visit Montserrat is to rent a car and drop it off at one of the free parking December gares Monistrol-Vila Huevo Aéreo de Montserrat.
Turn on Google Maps or your GPS and it will take you About one hour from Barcelona to Montserrat.
Tip: leave your car in the parking lots mentioned above and not in unfamiliar places; I could end up taking a long walk You don't want to tire yourself out on a windy country road before the scenic hike begins!
If you want to drive up, there is a parking lot right next to the monastery, although a little downhill. Older visitors or tourists with disabilities may find this difficult.
Make sure to arrive early on weekends, especially in high season: there are only 400 seats and you may have to go back down!
The best car rental prices in Barcelona are available on Rentalcars.com.
By train
Most tourists visit Montserrat by taking the train from Barcelona. It's super simple, just go to the famous Spain square and catch the train "Railway" R5 in the direction of Manresa.
You will get off at the station Montserrat antenna ou Monistrol de Montserrat.
You can buy tickets directly from the automatic machines at the station or at the ticket offices. This is where you can also buy tickets for the cable car / funicular that will take you to the end.
If you can't get your cable car / funicular tickets in Barcelona, don't worry! You can get them at Monistrol de Montserrat or Aeri de Montserrat.
Trains depart approximately once an hour and drink 1h10 to reach your destination. Make sure to get to Plaça Espanya early as it can be difficult to find the right pier.
You can get the train times from Montserrat here.
By cable car (aeri de Montserrat)
The way faster and the most majestic thing about reaching the top of the mountain.
Here you leave a suspended cable car slide 1 meter down the mountainside, 5 meters per second. You will have a Incredible views on the river Llobregat and valley of Llobregat.
El viaje thrilling et amazing just worth the entrada.
The cable car departs from Montserrat Air StationIt leaves every 15 minutes and the journey takes 5 minutes.
- Adults: € 7,50 (€ 11,50 round trip)
- 65+: € 6,00 (€ 9,00 round trip)
- Children (4-13 years old): € 4,00 (€ 6,00 round trip)
Tip: This method is not recommended for disabled visitors visiting Montserrat, nor for those who experience heights.
Note: for the train back to Barcelona, the Aeri de Montserrat station is the second stop. So you can embark with tons of tourists coming from the funicular. You can increase your chances of getting a seat by arriving 20-30 minutes early.
And funicular (the rack)
The zipper is a kind of Mini train (called "rack railway") that will take you to the monastery of Barcelona, at the foot of the mountain. Prices vary by age and season and can be found here. Expect to pay a minimum of € 6,90 for a single ticket (€ 7,50 in high season).
The journey takes 20 minutes and you will climb higher to the mountain relajado than the cable car, although it also offers magnificent views.
The zipper part of the Montserrat train station (a stop after Aeri de Montserrat) and coincides with the arrival of the trains from Barcelona on the R5.
Tip: do not leave the platform / station once it came to Monistrol. The rack starts from the same platform as your arrival (platform 4). Leaving the station could mean paying another ticket to re-enter.
Sit on the left side for the best view of the mountain and the city.
If you're looking for Disabled Access, this means of transport is made for you.
Tickets to visit the mountain of Montserrat
As mentioned, you will have much less hassle when booking your tickets for Montserrat in the comfort of your own home instead of juggling multiple ATMs or practicing Spanish at the counters.
basic
For a typical visit, there is an excellent basic all-inclusive ticket that includes:
- Roundtrip train from Barcelona
- Funicular (rack railway) round trip
- Welcome pack with backpack
- Guide to the sanctuary of Montserrat "Open air museum"
- Los Coupons
- Box of "carquinyolis" cookies made in Montserrat
- Cata de licor
À only 36,85 €This is a great option as you will hardly have to think about your day trip to Montserrat once you arrive in Spain and focus on the main attractions in Barcelona.
For more information about this offer from the Barcelona tourist office, click on the following button:
Deluxe Printing
For those looking to take their trip to Montserrat to the next level, Barcelona Turisme has an offer that includes:
- Metro ticket to / from Plaça Espanya
- Roundtrip train transportation to Montserrat from Barcelona.
- Roundtrip ticket by cable car or funicular to the Montserrat Monastery.
- Transport to the top of the mountain by the funiculars of Sant Joan and Santa Cova.
- Entrance to an audiovisual exhibition entitled “Montserrat inside doors”.
- Entrance to the Montserrat Museum.
- Lunch in a restaurant in Montserrat with typical Catalan dishes.
Yes, only 52,90 €You get the full Montserrat experience - with restaurant food for just € 20 you get excellent value for money.
For more information about the tickets offered by Barcelona Turisme, click on the following button:
Premmium (guided visit to Montserrat + Colonia Güell)
Here you can double your fun with a guided tour of Montserrat and the legendary utopian town Colonia Güell.
The first stop is Colonia Güell, a town built in the XNUMXth century and imagined by the industrialist Eusebio Guell, the man from the mythical Parc Guell in Barcelona.
This is where Guell moved his textile factory and created a village with the aim of improving the quality of life for the workers.
The architect chosen to design the church? Antoni Gaudi, architect of the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló.
In fact, it was in this town where he practiced his profession and became the genius we know. The church (now known as Gaudi's crypt) is undoubtedly his first masterpiece.
From there, you will head to Montserrat and its famous Benedictine monastery.
The price of this premium ticket is 64,80€ after 10% online discount and includes:
- Live guide throughout the visit (in Catalan, Spanish and English).
- Guided tour of Gaudí's crypt in the Colonia Güell + glass of cava.
- An informative manual with additional information about the attractions.
- Entrance to Montserrat + funicular.
- An overview of Montserrat.
- Guided tour of the Escolania de Montserrat (where the choir is practiced).
- Escolania children's choir performance.
Children under 8 years old do not pay when accompanied by a paying adult.
Tours depart from Plaça Catalunya at 8:30 am. In front of the El Corte Inglés department store (return at 17:00 p.m.).
For more information about the tour, click the button below to be transported to Barcelona Turisme:
Visiting days (departure at 8:30 am):
- From November 11, 2019 to March 29, 2020: Monday and Friday.
- From March 30 to November 8, 2020: every day except Sundays.
Tips for Montserrat
- Take 4-6 hours to visit Montserrat properly.
- The earlier you arrive, the less likely you are to queue.
- Avoid excursions on holidays due to the crowds.
- Always check the weather conditions in advance to dress accordingly.
- Check the latest train departures to Barcelona or you will have a long walk to do!
- Bring your own food to save money.
- Right after the funicular station, you will find a convenience store to buy snacks and drinks for your walk.
- Bring a good pair of shoes and leave the flip-flops at home.
- Try the Aromes de Montserrat liqueur (a 12-herb liqueur invented by the monks).
- Women must have their shoulders covered and dressed below the knee in the basilica.
- Believe it or not, there are pickpockets in the area, so be on your guard.
Get more tips in the comments
If you have any other questions about optimizing your visit to Barcelona's Montserrat mountain that we haven't answered, be sure to bother me in the comments below?
Also, did I miss something? Can I do better? Make sure to write to me below and I'll be sure to fix it.
Also, don't be afraid to join the discussion about Barcelona attractions on my new Facebook group called “For City Lovers”. Here you can ask questions, voice your complaints, chat with other travelers and more - anything goes!
