Visit Montserrat and its abbey from Barcelona

At 1h Barcelona stands a jewel of Catalonia: Montserrat and its abbey, a high place of pilgrimage. To visit Montserrat and its splendors, here are all our tips for a successful visit.

When you think of Barcelona, several things come to mind: the Sagrada Familia, the Parc Güell or the Rambla. But a few kilometers from the city stands Montserrat, a mountain of 1200m, known for its various summits, its abbey and breathtaking views. Visiting Montserrat is certainly an activity to do if you come to Barcelona for the second or third time or if spend a week in the Catalan capital.

Visit Montserrat: the legend

Montserrat’s fame comes from a legend about its famous statue of the Black Madonna, the Moreneta. It was discovered in 800 AD by a group of children who, according to legend, had repeatedly noticed strange lights coming from heaven. The latter managed to convince the Bishop of Manresa to go there and it was once on site that they discovered the statue and that Montserrat acquired a religious and mythical status.

But history does not stop there since under Franco’s dictatorship, the Monastery has become a place of resistance. This is also the place where the first Bible in Catalan was published.

Visit Montserrat: activities to be undertaken and things to be seen

Perched on the edge of the mountain, the Abbey of Montserrat is an architectural jewel. Founded in 1025, the Monastery now houses nearly 80 monks. The visit to the Basilica is free and open from 7:30 to 8:00. There is also a museum that has 5 collections and more than 1,300 pieces. It is also in the Basilica that one can discover the statue of the Black Madonna, the patron saint of Catalonia. This statue deserves because in the summer, it is taken by tourists and pilgrims.

For hiking lovers, there are many walks for those who want to explore the mountain and enjoy the incredible views of Montserrat and its surroundings. One of the best known is the climb of the peak of Sant Jeroni, a 12-kilometre excursion to the highest point in Montserrat. To take full advantage of Montserrat's walks, come early in the morning before 10am: the mornings are cooler and you can walk without exhausting yourself.

Go to Montserrat from Barcelona: the car

To go to Montserrat by car, nothing simpler: just take the A2 from the city and continue until the exit of Martorell. Then take Route National N to the Montserrat junction. To park, you should know that there is a guarded parking next to the Monastery, at 6,50€ per day and 10,50€ per three days. There is another free parking lot Cremallera de Monistrol Vila , but the latter closes just after the last train passed to Cremail.

Go to Montserrat from Barcelona: the bus

The bus company Julia offers a journey between Barcelona and Montserrat but be careful: there is only one go and one return in the day. As a general rule, the departure is at 9:15 a.m. at Sants bus station and the return is at 6:00 p.m., but it is best to check on the official website Julia Bus before you leave. The journey takes an average of 1h25 and the single ticket costs €5.10.

Go to Montserrat from Barcelona: train

If you don’t have a vehicle, the train remains the easiest way to visit Montserrat. For this, go to the Espanya train station, easily accessible from the city centre of Barcelona, and find the R5 line at Manresa. Small advice: go ahead, Espanya train station is very large and the R5 line is hard to find. The first train to Manresa leaves at 8:36 am and the last train to Barcelona leaves at 6:41 pm.

When you buy your tickets at Espanya Station to visit Montserrat, be careful to buy the right ticket. Indeed, there are two ways to go to the Monastery: the Cable or the Funicular to Crémaillère. When you buy your tickets, you can choose your means of transport: if you want to take the cable car, take the ticket that stops in Montserrat Aeri and if you want to take the Funicular, take the ticket that stops in Monistrol. A return ticket for an adult is at 22€ and for a child at 16,80€.

Excursion to Montserrat from Barcelona

If you want to avoid all the hustles of the organization (transports, parking, visits...), you can also book online (see the button below) a one-day trip to Montserrat from Barcelona. This tour includes your ticket and return by train from Barcelona, an audiovisual guide during your visit to the Abbey and the Montserrat site, the entrance to the Montserrat Museum and a liqueur tasting to finish the day on a sweet note.

Main photo credit: Flickr – Jorge Franganillo