With only a few days in Barcelona we weren’t sure if we should make the trip to Montserrat, but we were certainly glad we did!
Montserrat is an interesting-looking mountain range located about 50km northwest of Barcelona. It is one of the most popular day trips from the city and one of the most important religious sites in Spain. Visitors come here for the mountain top monastery and basilica, as well as some great scenic hikes around the mountain.
How To Get There
The best way to get to Montserrat from Barcelona is by train and then either mountain railway (Cremellera de Montserrat) or cable car (Aeri de Montserrat).
Since we were staying next to Plaça Espanya it was very convenient for us to catch the train to Montserrat. The train departs from the Espanya station every hour, starting at 8:36am. If you are not staying near Placa Espanya, take the metro to the Espanya station and then follow the signs for FGC and the R5 line, direction Manresa.
You will eventually find a sales desk to buy your tickets. Before buying your tickets you will need to decide whether you would like to take the cable car or rack railway up to Montserrat, since it will determine which combination ticket you will need to purchase and which train station to get off at. If you are afraid of heights you will probably want to opt for the rack railway.
We opted for the cable car as it seemed more exhilarating and also only takes 5 minutes versus 20 minutes with the mountain railway. There was a line when we got to the sales desk and after a few minutes waiting in line we noticed small signs saying if you want to buy tickets for the Aeri Montserrat you must use the machines to the right, NOT the ticket desk. So save yourself some time and don’t line up at the desk like we did unless you want to purchase tickets for the mountain railway.
We headed over to the machines which can fortunately be translated into English, Catalá or Spanish. The machine had so many different ticket options that it took us a bit of time to figure out which one we really wanted which was the TransMontserrat ticket. The TransMontserrat ticket is €27.50 for roundtrip on the train plus the cable car and unlimited use of the mountain funiculars. After clicking around a bunch we eventually found it and quickly headed to the platform to board the 10:36am train.
The “train” wasn’t exactly what I was expecting – it looked more like a typical metro train to me. For some reason I was expecting a more touristic, long-distance train with comfortable seats, but this was not the case. There were not many seats at all and when we boarded at 10:10am all the seats were already taken and there was standing room only. Not ideal for a 1 hour ride, especially when you are going to be hiking around all day and don’t want to tire your feet out on the train ride already.
The train became super crowded, to the point we were squeezed right up against people and people were getting frustrated. We were standing near the doors which I would not recommend. Whenever people needed to get on or off the train we were getting pushed around and shoved.
Tip: If you are going all the way to Montserrat, move down the car a bit so you don’t have to deal with all the shuffling. Don’t stand by the doors. Board the train as early as possible so you can try to get a seat.
When we eventually arrived at the Aeri de Montserrat station it was a relief. We took the Aeri up to the monastery and enjoyed the views during the 5 minute ride.
What To Do
Visit the Basilica
The Basilica is open to the public and is free to visit. The best time to visit is when the world-famous boys’ choir performs. Check http://www.montserratvisita.com/en/spirituality/escolania-boys-choir for the schedule.
Visit the Museu de Montserrat
The museum is open 10am-5:45pm, and 6:45pm during summer and weekends. The cost to enter is €7.
Hike
The mountain offers many different hikes of varying difficulty. Upon arriving, stop at the Visitor Information Centre and pick up a trail map.
We got a map at the tourist desk but still managed to get lost off the trail we were intending to follow. Signage could be a bit better. We hiked around for about 5 hours and made it all the way to the highest peak, Sant Jeroni, sitting at 1236m. The views were fantastic from the top!
We went in October and it was pretty chilly up there with the wind, so bring a scarf and maybe some gloves.
Once we made it away from the monastery and onto the trails we hardly saw anyone. We felt like we were the only ones hiking on the trails and had the mountain all to ourselves so that was quite nice.
We saw a number of rock climbers as we hiked around. The unique rock formations looked like the perfect playground for climbers.
Tip: You can buy snacks at a convenience store located past the funicular station on the left side. They sell all kinds of snacks – cheese, meat, yogurt, chips, chocolate. Perfect to bring along if you are hiking and want to picnic at the top.
We stopped on our way back down from Sant Jeroni peak and enjoyed our chorizo and cheese snacks we had brought along as well as a delicious ensaimada.
It is important to watch your time when hiking around the mountain as you don’t want to miss the last cable car down to the train station! The last trip departs the monastery around 5:45pm, but check the official timetable when you get there to ensure you don’t miss it as it changes depending on the season and day.
Stay Overnight
Most people visit Montserrat as a day trip but there are a few accommodation options if you would like to spend the night. This would allow you to hike up and catch a fabulous sunrise from the peak!
Check out the official website for accommodation information: http://www.montserratvisita.com/en/index.html
A trip to Montserrat is definitely worth the train trip out here if you want to take in some nice scenery and get away from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona!
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