Attracted by the idea of a fun and adventurous day out? Then why not head to the famous Montserrat Mountain, located 50km from Barcelona in the Catalan Pre-Coastal mountain range. Montserrat is well known for being the site of the famous Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, hosting the eminent Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary, as well as its breath taking views over the neighbouring towns, lower valleys and of Barcelona itself. Typically known as the first ever national park in Spain, Montserrat boasts stunningly beautiful geological formations, known as ‘needles’, as well as a distinctly impressive Mediterranean vegetation and diverse fauna.
From Barcelona you can travel easily by train to Montserrat. You will need to catch the R5 train from Plaça España heading to Manresa, getting off at Aeri de Montserrat to take the connecting cable car, or at the next stop, Monistrol de Monserrat, to alight the connecting funicular train. The cable car provides breath-taking views of the valley, lasting a brief 5 minutes, whilst the funicular winds up the mountain at a slower pace, taking a total of 15 minutes. From the ticket office at Plaça España you can buy combined R5 and funicular, or R5 and cable car return tickets, providing you with all-inclusive day travel (around 20€). Trains run every hour from 8:36am, but check timetables for bank holidays and weekends.
You will be dropped off in the plaza in front of the monastery, where you can find 2 more funiculars. The Funicular of Sant Joan takes visitors up the mountains above the monastery, from where you can embark on several different hikes, all of different length and astonishing scenic beauty. The Funicular of Santa Cova transports visitors down to the sacred cove where the original statue of the Black Virgin was found in 890. These two funiculars are entirely optional, but add an exciting extra dimension to your trip.
The information office in the plaza can provide you with a map showing the different hikes available to do around the mountain. The hike to the farthest point, Sant Jeroni, takes two hours, or closer to three hours if you want to factor in periodic viewing and rest stops. This hike gives you the most breath taking views of the surroundings, and therefore is highly recommended, although not to be done if you’re afraid of heights. If you are more pushed for time, there are various smaller trails to be done from the plaza, ranging from 15 minutes to the sacred Cross of Sant Miguel, to an hour; taking you around the mountain face exploring the diverse flora and fauna this stunning landscape has to offer.
If, as well as the astonishing nature, you are interested in the more cultural aspect, then head to either one of the museums on offer: the Museu de Montserrat or the interactive Espai Audio Visual. The Museu de Montserrat boasts a large collection of artwork, hosting six different permanent collections as well as two temporary exhibitions. The artwork exhibited ranges from pieces from the Ancient Egyptian times, to the likes of Picasso and Dali and more modern artwork from the 21st century. Private citizens donate most of the art exhibited to the monastery, and so the monks see it as their duty to display the art given as a promotion of culture. The Espai Audio Visual museum teaches visitors about the workings of the day-to-day life at Montserrat Monastery through audio and visual aids, covering the Mountain, Presence, Monastery, Sanctuary and Culture, each section giving extensive coverage of that particular area of life at Montserrat.
As well as the monastery, basilica and the two museums, Montserrat offers a selection of shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as a range of market stalls selling local produce. If one day is not enough, you can stay at one of the two hotels located on the mountain for a more extended stay, exploring in depth what this stunning Mountain has to offer.
Photo credits, Instagram:
@julestaylo
@sophiellenwatts
