Exploring Montserrat, Spain
Montserrat is an unbelievable day trip from Barcelona and one that is not-to-miss! We spent an incredible day wandering through the Basilica, visiting the black Virgin Mary, taking the Funicular to the top of St Joan, and just enjoying the peaceful beauty that is Montserrat.
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this very religious town!
Time needed in this town: A day trip to 1 night
Where to STAY
Believe it or not, a lot of people stay overnight to take in the basilica, as well as all of the hiking! Check out the two options below:
You may also stay in the monk’s quarters as well, but need written permission from then to do so. Note that the rooms only come with a twin bed and nothing else.
Where to dine
There are not a lot of good food options in Montserrat, so either pack a picnic lunch or chance it like we did. See below for what is offered:
Montserrat Buffet
Some warm dishes but mostly sandwiches, salad, fruit, and a variety of drinks
Restaurant El Mirador
Sandwiches, salad, fruit, and a variety of drinks
Restaurant Hostal Abat Cisernos
Relaxed rooms, some with mountain views, in a former 1500s monastery offering a restaurant & a bar.
Bring your own food for your own picnic
Given that options are limited, this may be the best way to do!
what to see & Do
BOYS CHOIR AT MONTSERRAT
The Escolania de Montserrat, or simply “the Escolania”, is a boys' choir of sopranos and altos, based at the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat. When the repertory requires it, they are accompanied by the Montserrat Chapel Choir, composed of old choirboys and the monks of the Ministry Chapel Choir. The Escolania of Montserrat, which belongs to the Monastery of Montserrat, is one of the oldest boys choirs in Europe. Records show that the Escolania has existed as a religious and musical institution since the 14th century. It is composed of more than 50 boys, from ages nine to fourteen, originating from various towns in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian community. During their time at the Escolania, they complete courses at the Primary, and beginning of Secondary levels, as well as corresponding musical studies. Each student must study two instruments; the piano, as well as a second orchestral instrument of their choice. Along with this, they study Musical Language, Orchestra, and participate in the choir (the distinguished focus of the school).
The school choir sings daily in the Basilica, often in front of large groups of pilgrims and visitors from around the world. The midday singing of Salve Regina has become the most attended act of the Sanctuary. They have released numerous albums, and have toured in various countries, such as Hungary, Switzerland, France, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Russia, United States, Australia, and China.
Hike SANT JOAN
Sant Joan is the highest peak of Montserrat mountain (4,055 ft. above sea level) and is located in the north face of the mountain. From the top, there is a magnificent view of Catalonia, being possible to see all the Pyrenees, the flat area of Lleida, and the mountains that goes along the coast of Catalonia.
MONTSERRAT MUSEUM
The original basis of the Museum of Montserrat was the so-called ‘Biblical Museum’ - a huge, admirable work by the monk Dom Bonaventura Ubach, who spent long periods of his life in Jerusalem and Beirut from 1906.
The oldest exhibit is an Egyptian sarcophagus from the 13th century BC, whilst the most recent is a painting by Sean Scully, dating to 2010. The sarcophagus forms part of the Archaeology of the Biblical East Collection, along with other objects from the cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, the Holy Land and Cyprus.
There is also an exhibition devoted to the Iconography of Our Lady of Montserrat, which traces the changing way in which the Virgin has been represented in art over the centuries.
Since 2006, the Museum of Montserrat has a new section: a collection of about 160 Byzantine and Slavic icons that is titled Phos Hilaron (joyful light). These icons presented on the environment of an oriental church where the light has an important role.
SANT MIQUEL’S CROSS
When you reach the first point of Sant Miquel’s chapel, a 100-meter walk from there, will bring you to the Sant Miquel’s Cross, which is spectacular viewpoint looking at the Montserrat mountains and monastery. The views from here are breathtaking.
SANTA COVA CHAPEL
The Santa Cova de Montserrat (Holy Cave of Montserrat) is the hillside cave on Montserrat where the Virgin of Montserrat was traditionally hidden during the Moorish invasions and later discovered by shepherds in 880. Its discovery made Montserrat into a pilgrimage destination, and led to the founding of the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey.
The sanctuary of the Santa Cova is accessed by a path, called the Camí de la Santa Cova, carved along the ridge of the mountain. It was built between 1691 and 1704, thanks to the patronage of Gertrudis de Camporrell, marquess of Tamarit. Between 1896 and 1916, a series of sculptures were placed along the camí, dedicated to the rosary and the 15 mysteries of the Virgin, including works by Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and other modernista artists.
THE BENEDICTINE ABBEY AND THE BASILICA
The Virgin of Montserrat is Catalonia's favorite saint, and is located in the sanctuary of the Mare de Déu de Montserrat, next to the Benedictine monastery. The statue wasn’t found until around 880, which then began the “cult” of the Moreneta virgin, which materialized in four earlier hermitages in the 9th century: Santa Maria, Sant Iscle, Sant Pere and Sant Martí.
The monastery wasn’t known until around 1011. when a monk from the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll came to the mountain to take charge of the monastery of Santa Cecília de Montserrat, thus leaving the monastery under the orders of Abbot Oliba of Ripoll. Santa Cecília did not accept this new situation, so Oliba decided to found the monastery of Santa Maria in the place where there was an old hermitage of the same name (1025). As of 1082, Santa Maria gained an abbot of her own and ceased to depend on the abbot of Ripoll. This hermitage had become the most important of all those that existed in the mountain thanks to the statue of the Virgin.
The Spanish Civil War saw the violent suppression of the Abbey of Montserrat. Of the 278 priests and 583 religious men and women killed in Catalonia by Republican forces, 22 were monks of the Abbey of Montserrat.
Though Franco never accepted Hitler's invitation to join WWII on the Axis side, Nazi leaders were regular visitors to Spain. During a visit to Spain in 1940, Heinrich Himmler, the head of the Schutzstaffel, took the opportunity to visit the monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat. From then, onward, the abbey was often seen as a symbol of Catalan nationalism.
On April 27, 1947, a Mass was held to celebrate the Enthronement of the Virgin of Montserrat, and attended by over 100,000 people. At the Mass, prayers were publicly said in the Catalan language, defying the government's language policies.
Amid other activities, the Abbey of Montserrat played a remarkable part in continuing to publish in Catalan. They created and promoted, among others, some children's publications and some cultural and religious journals. In 1958, the Abbey founded the Estela Press to promote religious books in Catalan. In 1971, the PAM Press (Publications of the Montserrat's Abbey) became official. The abbey was also active in providing shelter to intellectuals and clandestine political activists from a wide political spectrum.
In December 1970, 300 Spanish artists and academics held a sit-in at the abbey to protest against the death sentences meted out to 16 Basque ETA terrorists in Burgos. In response, the police sealed off the monastery. The protesters were eventually removed from the monastery grounds, but their actions helped convince the Francoist government to commute the death sentences.
The Basilica
Initial construction of the basilica of Montserrat began in the 16th century, and its complete reconstruction began in the year 1811, after being destroyed in the Peninsular War.
In 1881, Pope Leo XIII granted it the status of minor basilica. The façade was realized in 1901, then again after the Spanish Civil War, when a new one was built between 1942 and 1968.
Stairway to Heaven
Built in 1976, The Stairway to Heaven is a stack of nine large concrete blocks arranged in a helical pattern, that represent the following beings, from the top to the highest stone: Stones, then flame, then plants, beasts, men, heaven, followed by angels, and God (at the highest spot).
The Stairway to Heaven is located just east of the Mirador Restaurant. The reason for the fence - people were climbing on the sculpture.
Wandering
As always, wandering is often the best way to experience most everything - when and if you have time. Check out some of our additional finds, above!
How to Get To there
Train & Cable Car
From Plaça Espanya in Barcelona, take the R5 line to Aeri de Montserrat. The journey by train takes approximately one hour and costs €5.75 one way (€11.50 for a round trip ticket). Here is a link to ticket price PDF.
From Aeri de Montserrat, take the cable car to the top. This costs €8.60 one way, €13 for a return ticket. The cable car typically runs every 15 minutes but can run as frequently as every 5 minutes depending on number of passengers.
Riding the train and cable car round trip costs €23. Combined tickets can be purchased at the Plaça Espanya station in Barcelona. Get updated prices and check the cable car timetable here.
Trans Montserrat Ticket
This is a combination ticket that includes round trip transportation from Barcelona, a round trip ride on either the cable car or the rack railway, two round trip funicular rides on Montserrat, and two metro rides. Prices start at €43.80. Tickets can be purchased on the Barcelona Tourism website.
ToT
The ToT Ticket is a combination ticket that includes your round trip transportation from Barcelona, lunch, and free admission into the Montserrat Monastery Museum. Ride the train from Barcelona and take your pick between riding the cable car or the rack railway to the monastery. While at Montserrat, you get unlimited rides on the Sant Joan funicular, admission into the Montserrat Museum, and one meal at the self-service restaurant. To return to Barcelona, take the cable car or the rack railway, and then ride the train back to Barcelona.
Tickets can be purchased from the Barcelona Tourism website. Ticket prices start at €64.30 per person with children under 4 being free. The last time we checked, the GetYourGuide tickets were slightly more expensive but they offer a more favorable, and easier, cancellation and refund process.
Once you purchase the ticket online, from either source, you will receive a voucher that will need to be exchanged for the actual Tot Montserrat Card. This can be done at the Tourist Information Office located in Plaça Catalunya.
We were initially going to just do the trek ourselves, but ended up booking this tour to get us roundtrip transportation instead. Looking back, it isn’t as hard as it seems to book all the transport you need, which gives you more time on your own to explore! If you choose to do the tour instead, click on the link above.
A History Summary
888 AD - An initial monastery was constructed.
1025 - The monastery was then founded through the expansion of the hermitage of Santa Maria.
12th century - The Black Madonna was found, which has made the monastery a destination of pilgrimages today. It is attributed with miraculous deeds, which is what led to the strong growth of the monastery.
1493 - Columbus named an island in the Caribbean Montserrat.
16th century - The basilica of the monastery was built, which is where the Black Madonna now lives.
1811 - The monastery was largely destroyed by Napoleonic troops. The Benedictine monastery was rebuilt.
Today - There are only 43 Benedictine Monks living at the Monastery.