Barcelona Experiences
What to see at Montserrat? Things you can´t miss
One of the most unmissable trips if you travel to Barcelona is to spend a day at the Montserrat Monastery. Only 60km from the Catalan capital, Montserrat is a must do trip for any tourist that wants to know a bit more about Barcelona and its history.
The abbey of Montserrat is situated on a rocky massif with a characteristic shape that will leave you speechless. The monastery dates from the 10thcentury and still continues as an active monastery to this day, with more than 80 monks living inside.
View of Montserrat Monastery (Barcelona)
How to get to Montserrat: Zip train, cable car or walking
The first thing is to choose how to arrive at the monastery of Montserrat, with the choices of cable car, zip train, bus or on foot. In fact, you can visit using transports more original and fun, in helicopter or in hot air balloon. At We Barcelona we like to do special things, and is there any better way to see things than from the air?
The Zip Train is one of the more traditional ways to get to Montserrat, which has been in place for more than 100 years. It begins at Monistrol de Montserrat, a station you can get to on the train from the Barcelona station at Plaza España.
It is a very charming train that works its way up the mountain side of Montserrat, whilst the funicular takes a more aerial route allowing you to see the entire mountain from up high.
Mountain Hiking around the Montserrat Natural Park (Barcelona)
One of the possibilities for getting to Montserrat is on foot. This route is ideal for more sporty tourists that want to get to see the local countryside in person.
We organise hiking itineraries around Barcelona where we walk to the mountain´s summit and finish the tour at the Abbey to listen to the choir of the Escolanía de Montserrat. A route for all the five senses to enjoy the magic of this unique place.
The surroundings of the abbey allow a massive variety of routes to take on foot whilst you take in the flora and fauna of the place. Some of the places you can find on the paths include the Chapel of Santa Cova, of Sant Joan and of Santa Cecilia, or the view points of Santa Magdalena or of Sant Joan.
The Virgin of Montserrat: You can’t leave without seeing it
When you go to Montserrat, you can´t leave without exploring inside the monastery. Here you will find one of Catalonia´s most important art works: la Virgen de la Moreneta. It´s fame crosses borders and in Catalonia it is so appreciated that the virgin of Montserrat is the patron saint of the region.
The sculpture is cut from wood and dates from the 12th century, in the Romanic style and the centre of a pilgrimage for thousands of worshippers and believers across the world.
Source: montserratvisita.com
The carving is located in the apse of the abbey, at the centre of a silver altarpiece.
The story of the virgin is that she was found by some shepherd’s children at Montserrat, where today you find the hermitage of Santa Maria de Montserrat.
If you want to know a little more about Montserrat don´t hesitate to read our article about the 10 things you must do in Montserrat. We hope you enjoy your visit!
