A day trip to Barcelona Montserrat Spain is an amazing experienced enjoyed by most of the tourists and locals visiting Barcelona. Many people visit Montserrat as a religious pilgrimage while for other it is a magic way of enjoying breathtaking views of the mountains of Catalonia.
Not only is the Monastery of Montserrat of significant religious importance, but the natural beauty surrounding the monastery is simply breathtaking.
History of Montserrat
The history of Montserrat is interesting and started in 880, when a small group of shepherd children saw a bright light falling from the sky in the mountains of Montserrat. At the same time , the children heard angels sing, and the song filled their hearts with pure joy.
Overwhelmed by the encounter, the children fled home to a panicked reminder of their parents’ experience. Parents were suspicious, but they knew their children were trustworthy and truthful, so they went to where the children had seen their visions to see if they could see what all the chaos was about.
For the whole month following the first visitation, the parents had also witnessed the same heavenly experiences and had only one conclusion left. The visions were a sign of God.
The local vicar was brought to the scene and experienced the same encounters as the children and the parents. The visions occurred at the same location in the Montserrat cave. When the community ’s religious elders explored this cave, they found the image of the Virgin Mary. And from that moment on, the cave became a sanctuary for religious pilgrims.
How to get there
Getting to Montserrat is not easy but will require you to change more than one public transport system. If you want to visit this beautiful area without stress, we recommend booking a guided tour or a private transport.
Public Transport
From Plaça Espanya, take the R5 line to the stop Aeri de Montserrat. The journey will take approximately one hour. From Aeri de Montserrat you have to options. You can take the cable car to the top or hike up to the monastery. The hike is 5km long and takes about 1.5 hours. It is quite uphill and we only recommend it to sporty visitors and definitely not on the warm summer days.
Private Car
The most expensive option to get to Monserrat is by taxi. alternatively, if you feel confident driving in the busy Spanish roads you can also rent a car.
What to do in Montserrat
Hiking
If you like hiking, Monserrat is the perfect place for you. You can already hike up from the train station to the Monastery. Alternatively you can:
- Hike up to Sant Miquel’s cross and enjoy a stunning view of the monastery from above
- Explore Sant Jeroni, the highest peak on Montserrat that will take approximately 3 hours and will give you the opportunity to enjoy one of the best views of Catalonia.
Visit the Benedictine Abbey
In the Basilica of the Benedictine Abbey you will find The Black Virgin of Montserrat. The statue is said to be healing powers and legend says that it was once home to the Holy Grail.
Enjoy the Boys Choir
L’Esconia Montserrat, the Boys Choir, is famous for its world success. The first performance dates back to 1223. There are now 50 boys in the choir, performing here on a daily basis and around the world.
There are two performances every day at 1:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m in the Basilica of Montserrat.