Is Montserrat Worth Visiting

The short answer is a resounding yes! Montserrat is definitely a place that’s worth visiting when you’re visiting Barcelona. However, like anything else, there are pro’s and con’s. In this post, I’ll tell you why I think Montserrat is worth visiting, as well as what the con’s of visiting Montserrat are, and how to access Montserrat.

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About Montserrat

Montserrat is a multi-peaked mountain range located in the Catalonia Region of Spain. It is home to Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary.

Enjoying the views and excited to be visiting Montserrat

How To Get To Montserrat From Barcelona

There are many ways to get to Montseratte from Barcelona. Depending how you prefer to travel, you will have a choice between driving, taking the train, or by booking a half day tour.

Half Day Tour From Barcelona To Montserrat

The easiest way to visit Montserrat from Barcelona, especially for solo travellers, is by booking a tour. A tour will provide a safe way to see this increditble monestary and provide a stress free visit.

You will have various tour options, including the Montserrat Experience, Monstserrat & Choir, Montserrat & Hike, and the list goes on.

Visiting Montserrat By Car

While the bus and train systems make getting around in Barcelona quite easy, many people prefer to have the luxury of getting around on their own and prefer to rent a car.

The drive from Barcellona is an easy 55 minute drive (60.4 km ). Once arriving at Montserrat, you will have a few different options for parking. There is a parking lot halfway up to the Monestary, however, you will have to walk up partway. There is also parking available beside the Monestary.

If you opt to take the gondola up, there is parking located right beside the entrance to the gondola.

Just One Tip: The cable cars run every 15 minutes, and the wait can be long. The best time to arrive is first thing in the morning.

Map showing how to get to Montserrat from Barcelona by car.

Montserrat By Train

Visiting Montserrat by train is a great option for visitors wanting to explore on their own but don’t want to rent a vehicle.

The train to Montserrat can be accessed at the Espana train station, Line R5 headed towards Manresa. Tickets to Montserrat, as well as the cable car, can be purchased from the ticket attendant at Line R5.

Once reaching Montserrat, there will be two options for stops both of which are at the base of the mountain. You will access the Monestary by either cable car or cremallera funicular. You will have to decide prior to purchasing tickets as they are not interchangable.

The easiest way up to Montserrat is the gondola, however, it does cost and it can be a long wait

Cable Car Ticket Prices

Adult Prices: Return: $20.00/person

Over 60: Return: $16.59/person

Children (4-13) Return: $10.00/person

Is Montserrat Worth Visiting: What You Can Expect To See

Monestary On Montserrat

Visitors flock to Montserrat to see the beauty of the historic Monestary. Trust me when I say that this alone is worth the visit, however, what I didn’t expect was the beauty surrounding Montserrat. Perched 1,236 meters (4,055 feet) above sea level, visitors are provided unobstructed views of the surroundings.

There is no fee for entering the Monestary, however, foreign visitors will have to pay a fee for a behind-the-scene look. I opted to not go behind the scenes, and I can tell you that the basic look I took was well worth it.

When visiting Montserrat bring change to purchase a candle to light in memory of your deceased loved ones

Just One Tip: Bring change with you to purchase a candle to light in honour of your deceased loved ones.

Boys Choir At Montserrat

Montserrat is home to one of the oldest boys’ choir in Europe. The existance of the boys’ choir has been documented to be as far back as the 14th century.

Visitors will have the opportunity to hear the boys perform Monday through Friday at 1:00 p.m.

Monks And Mass

I admit that seeing a Monk was my primary reason for visiting Montserrat. I had never seen one before and I wasn’t dissappointed. I was able to get a picture, however, out of respect, I will not be posting it publicly.

For a guaranteed opportunity to see a Munk, you can schedule your visit to coincide with one of the daily masses, which tke place at the following times:

11:00 a.m. – First mass daily
1:00 p.m. – Second mass daily
7:30 p.m. – Mass sung by Monks and Boys Choir

Admiring the beautiful architecture of the cathedral on Montserrat

Mother Mary is displayed surrounded by ornate gold in the cathedral on Montserrat

Museu de Montserrat

Histroy buffs and art lovers will want to visit the Museu de Montserrat.

Open Daily: Hours Monday to Sunday

Adults: $11.85/person
Students, Retired, Groups (at least 20 people): $9.62/person
Children (8 – 16): $5.18/person

Free entrance on April 27th, feast day of the Virgin of Montserrat.

Michael’s Cross

Michael’s Cross, also referred to as Creu de Sant Miguel, can be found at the highest peakl of Montserrat. In order to reach it, you will have to take another gondola. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also hike up to the cross. However, beware, it’s not an easy hike.

Restaurants And Coffee Shops

There aren’t many places to eat when visiting Montserrat, however there are many restaurants surrounding it. Montserrat itself has a cafeteria style restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat or a hot coffee on a cold day. It is very crowded and I recommend bringing a lunch if you’re planning on spending the day.

You will only find one cafeteria at Montserrat. I recommend bringin a lunch if you plan on spending the day

Hiking

Adventurous visitors can enjoy a strenuous hike from the base to the summit of Montserrat. This hike is quite difficult and it’s not for the faint of heart. Proper footwear, lots of water, and extra protein are highly recommended.

Adventurous visitors to Montserrat can hike up to the church and Monestary, however the hike is steep and strenuous

Overnight At Montserrat

For visitors seeking an overnight adventure when visiting Montserrat, it is possible to stay right at the Monestary itself. The Monestary offers three types of accommodations:

Hotel Abat Cisneros: These accommodations are in the heart of the Monestary and offer stunning views. There are 82 rooms that offer bath or shower, television, telephone and heating.
Abt Oliba Hostel: This is a hostel that covers two floors and can accommodate 4 – 10 people, in either a private or shared room. This hostel offers free wifi, bicycle parking, a communal kitchen, a kitchenette in the family rooms and a common dining room. The Oliba Hostal offers an ideal stay for solo’s, families, or groups.
Abat Marcet Apartments: This apartment is equipped with modern facilities and can accommodate 1 – 4 people. The apartments have bathroom, kitchen, heating, telephone and television.

Pro’s Of Visiting Montserrat

As you can see, there are many pro’s to visiting Montserrat, some of which are the views, the monestary, and the opportunity to view a different way of life and to tap into your spiritual side.

Viewing the Monestary and the valley from the summit of Montserrat

Con’s Of Visiting Montserrat

Despite the fact that I fell in love with Montserrat, there was a couple of downsides. The wait for the gondola up was an extremely long wait…like over an hour wait. I imagine the wait could be avoided if visiting on a guided tour.

I also found the gondola rides to the top to be quite expensive, however, for physically impaired visitors the gondola is the only option.

The gondola is the only way for people with disabilities to access Montserrat

The gondola ride up to the Montserrat Monestary makes a visit to Montserrat worth it

Beautiful Montserrat and the Monestary from up above

Insider Tips For Visiting Montserrat

Like other tourist attractions there are certain things you should know before you go:

The gondola doesn’t operate during the months of January and February
Arrive first thing in the morning to beat the crowds and reduce the gondola wait time
The Boys’ Choir sings Monday to Friday 1:00 p.m.
Bring a jacket as you are at higher elevation which can make the whether seem cooler
Wear comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking
Bring drinks and a lunch to save money
Hikers plan on taking 1.5 to 2. hours depending on your fitness level (one way). Hiking poles are recommended
Dress conservatively as you are visiting a monestary

Are you in need of the expertise of an experienced travel agent?

Kelly is a licensed travel agent and avid solo travelled located in Canada. She is passionate about ensuring her client’s have the best vacation possible.

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Is Montserrat Worth Visiting: In Conclusion

Despite some downfalls to visiting Montserrat, Montserrat is definetely worth visiting and it’s a once in a lifetime experience. I recommend that you do your research to determine what the best way for you to visit is. Once you arrive, you won’t regret it after seeing the surrounding beauty.

HAPPY TRAVELS 🙂

SAVE FOR THE PERFECT DAY IN MONTSERRAT

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