Day trip to Montserrat
Tired of Barcelona and want to take a day trip? Montserrat is a must if you’re planning an excursion. Why? It is one of Catalonia’s most important symbols, it has an impressive 10 kilometre massif with a natural park plus its rock formations are some of the strangest in the world. Take this chance to learn everything you need to know about this magical mountain. A day trip to Montserrat is the perfect excuse to get away from the city.
Santa Maria de Montserrat
This monastery is the mecca of most of the people who visit the mountain of Montserrat. Built in 880, this building is home to another Catalan symbol, a statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus known commonly as “La Moreneta” (you could translate it as “the little dark lady”) due to the colour of her skin, which has darkened during the years.
This statue is not the only great thing you’ll see in the monastery. Its architecture is something to look out for with its incredible neo-romanesque cloister and its refectory redone at the beginning of the XXth century by modernist architect Josep Puig I Cadafalch. You can also visit the museum, full of paintings by el Greco, Picasso or Dalí and even treasures from ancient Egypt.
In the monastery there is also one of the best choir schools. The “escolantets de Montserrat” live there, learn and sing in the oldest choir schools in Europe.
Montserrat Mountain
The mountain of Montserrat is reason enough to visit the place. The massif is formed by curious rock formations composed of pink conglomerate that create peaks like Sant Jeroni, Montgrós and Miranda de les Agulles.
You can get to these peaks hiking, as there are many routes that take you across the national park where you’ll find many pine trees and small chapels along the way to the top.
There also many famous climbing spots, such as the Cavall Bernat, which is the most popular spot for climbers.
Tickets and timetables
Montserrat Museum:
Adults: 7€
Students, OAP’S and groups: 6€
Children (from 8 to 16 ): 4€
Open all year round from 10h to 17:45h
Monastery:
Between 7.30 and 20 h
Note that to see the statue of “la Moreneta” the timetable is from 8 to 10.30 h and from 12 to 18.30 h
How to get to Montserrat
From Barcelona you’ll need to get to the Plaça Espanya FGC train station and catch the R5 in direction to Manresa and stop at Olesa de Montserrat.
From there you can catch another train to the monastery, get the cable car from where you can get incredible views or walk up.
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