What to Expect & Best Tours from Barcelona (+Review)
Looking for the best Montserrat tour from Barcelona and are overwhelmed with so many options? In this guide, we share our research of the best Montserrat tours, as well as the tour we chose, our experience and tips for to help you choose the perfect Montserrat tour for you. Find out!
Montserrat is one of the most popular day trips from Barcelona. You can choose to visit on your own or with an organized tour. But how to decide if a guided excursion is worth it and which Montserrat tour to choose? This article will help you do just that.
While you can easily visit Montserrat on your own, after lots of research, we decided to visit Montserrat with an organized day tour from Barcelona.
In this article, you can read all about why we opted for a Montserrat tour, our experience with the tour we chose, and what to expect from a Montserrat tour.
In addition to our Montserrat tour review, you can also find some practical information that should help you decide whether to visit Montserrat with a tour or on your own. And, if you are set on a tour, which Montserrat excursion to choose and why.
Good to know: In this article, we focus solely on Montserrat tours. If you are looking for more general information about visiting Montserrat, its significance, history, or practical tips for your visit, please check our complete guide for visiting Montserrat Monastery. It also includes a list of the best things to do in Montserrat and also information on all the best ways to get there from Barcelona.
Montserrat Monastery
Why Visit Montserrat with a Tour
First, let me tell you that we hardly ever book tours to places that are easy enough to visit on your own. However, on our recent trip to Barcelona, we did two guided tours: Gaudi tour and a day excursion to Montserrat.
Why? Several reasons. First, we wanted to visit all these places with a local and learn more about them. Second, we didn’t have the time or desire to deal with the practical aspects of figuring out how to avoid the crowds (Barcelona is as busy as it gets anywhere in Europe)… And finally, we just wanted to have a relaxing vacation and let someone else do the planning for us.
Basically, we wanted to get the most of our visit in a short time. In both cases, it was a great choice.
Visiting Montserrat with a tour, allowed us to truly appreciate what this place is about and learn some interesting facts that we would have never known otherwise.
In addition, our local guide who comes here every day, gave us some insider tips that allowed us to see the best of Montserrat in a short time. We didn’t have to waste time trying to figure out how to get everywhere, where exactly to be, where to buy the tickets, how to avoid the queues, or where to get the best pictures… We didn’t have to plan anything or worry about the practicalities of visiting Montserrat… Just enjoy the day.
Furthermore, we opted for a Montserrat tour that also included a visit to a winery. So we got to see some of the stunning scenery of the surrounding area on our way there. In addition to the winery visit, we also had an excellent lunch with local wine.
The option that we booked also included wine tasting. All these local experiences made our day trip to Montserrat even more special.
Further below, you can read about the tour we chose and our personal experience. But first – take a look at our hand-picked selection of the best Montserrat tours that will help you decide which tour is right for you.
Sunset overlooking Montserrat mountains as seen from a local winery that we visited as part of our Montserrat tour
Best Montserrat Tours from Barcelona
There are so many excursions to Montserrat that it can be really hard to choose which one to take. We traveled to Montserrat in low(-ish) season and most tours weren’t available so that limited our choices. However, even in the low season, it was still overwhelming. If you are visiting Montserrat in the high season, possibilities are almost endless…
While doing research for our own trip, I made a list of the best organized Montserrat day tours, based on itinerary, price, and customer reviews.
I narrowed it down to just several options that should make it easier for you to find the tour that suits you best. Take a look at the selection we made!
Best Montserrat tours from Barcelona:
- Guided Tour with Early Access (5hrs). This is the cheapest and the shortest tour to Montserrat. It’s ideal for those who don’t have much time and want to visit the monastery.
- Tour with a Hike (5.5 hrs). This is a great Montserrat tour for those who also want to experience the beautiful area on foot and do some hiking. There are several stunning hikes in Montserrat and this highly-rated tour does one of them. Alternatively – if you want to do even more hiking – take a look at this private tour that gives you a choice from 3 different hikes for all levels.
- Tour with Farmhouse Lunch (7.5 hrs). This is a very popular and one of the highest-rated luxury small-group tour that includes an excellent 3-course lunch and drinks.
- Full-Day Tour with Lunch and Wine Tasting (5-9 hrs). This is the tour we did (you can read about our experience further below). It’s an excellent and very relaxed Montserrat tour for those who love wine and have an entire day (9hrs). It’s also available in two shorter versions – just the monastery visit (5hrs), or tapas tour (7hrs).
- Sagrada Familia & Montserrat (10 hrs). This is a great small-group tour for those who are short on time and want to see the Sagrada Familia and Montserrat Monastery in one day.
St. Michael’s Path, Montserrat
Our Montserrat Tour Review
We booked this highly-rated day tour from Barcelona to Montserrat and a local winery. The tour was organized by Castlexperience Wine Tours. Below, you can read about our experience.
Transport & Guides
Advertised as a small-group tour, I was expecting to travel in a minibus, but our transportation from Barcelona to Montserrat was actually with a big bus that transported three small groups together..jpg)
Once in Montserrat, all the groups split up. From then on, there were just 12 people in our group, with a dedicated guide just for us. Transport to the winery was also done on a big bus, just as our return to Barcelona. On the bus, all the three guides took turns in telling us stories about the region, places we visited, and some funny local anecdotes that made the long ride shorter.
Our guide Mr. X, as he called himself, was a local Catalonian who clearly knew his job well. He was knowledgeable, helpful, and entertaining, but without being too much. He was also quite honest about the places that we visited and told us what was worth our time or what could better be skipped.
Thanks to his tips, we quickly found the best photo spots in Montserrat and visited the church of the Abbey without having to spend our time standing in a long line. He also guided us to a local shop and a farmers’ market where we could taste some local specialties…
In Monserrat, we also learned the history of the place and its significance to the Catalan people.
We learned more from our guide in a few minutes than I read in any travel guide before. This alone was worth visiting Montserrat with a tour.
Beautiful scenery of Montserrat mountains as seen from the train going up to the MonasteryEntrance to Montserrat Abbey
Our Montserrat Wine Tour Itinerary
Below, you can find a detailed itinerary of how our Montserrat day trip looked like.
Montserrat Monastery
Our Montserrat tour started at Plaça de Catalunya in Barcelona. After about 1hr drive on the bus, we reached Monistrol de Montserrat where we took a train up to Montserrat mountain.
Once on the mountain, our guide took us to visit Montserrat Monastery and its impressive church. We didn’t queue for the Our Lady of Montserrat, aka the Black Madonna, but simply visited the church from where we could see the holy statue from a bigger distance.
Good to know: From what I read on other blogs and saw in Montserrat, many people do not realize that you do not have to stand in line in order to visit the church of Montserrat.
People see others queuing and simply join in, without knowing why…
That long queue is just for those who want to see the Black Madonna from close-by and to touch the sphere that she’s holding. Unless you are very religious and come to Montserrat on a pilgrimage, it’s really not worth wasting several hours on this…
Montserrat MonasteryMontserrat Church InteriorMontserrat Monastery Church
After a visit to Montserrat Monastery, we had almost an hour of free time. Some people chose to go and listen to the Montserrat Boys Choir (they sing daily at 1 PM and at 6.45 PM, and also at noon on Sundays). Some others opted for a short visit to Montserrat Museum.
We decided to visit a local shop where we could taste some local Montserrat Liquor and pastry. This degustation was included with our tour, but you could also get the same for 5 EUR if you visited individually. It’s a unique opportunity to try some drinks that are produced here and would be hard to find anywhere else.
Aterwards, we walked to St. Michael’s Cross for the best views of Montserrat Monastery. It was so worth it! The views from there are amazing!
We also quickly visited a local market where we got some local Mató cheese with honey, as recommended by our guide. It was excellent and highly recommended!
St Michael’s Cross – best view of Montserrat MonasteryHoney and cakes for sale at the Montserrat Farmers MarketLocal cheese for sale at the Montserrat market
Winery Visit, Lunch, and Wine Tasting
After a short walk to a big parking area on top of Montserrat mountain (so no need to take a train down), we were picked up by a bus that brought us to a local winery. We visited Oller del Mas winery about 30 minutes drive from Montserrat.
The ride was so scenic that I really regretted that we didn’t come here by car (so that we could stop and take pictures behind every corner).
On the other hand, I realized that most people who visit Montserrat by train from Barcelona, never even see this area at all… And driving by car to the top of Montserrat mountain is really not advisable unless you are visiting in the middle of the winter when there are very few tourists…
So all in all, I’m glad we saw these stunning landscapes, even though it meant that I couldn’t take proper pictures of them to share with you…
Scenic road near Montserrat on the way to the winery
Upon arrival at the winery, we were guided to a big dining room where we had a 3-course lunch. Our Montserrat tour had two options – lunch, wine, and wine tasting OR tapas and wine.
The tour with lunch was longer and a bit more expensive, but since we dedicated the whole day to visiting Montserrat anyway, we went with that one…
Our lunch was excellent and there was plenty of wine to accompany the food (and soft drinks for the children).
We were told that the cook has a Michelin star and so needless to say, the food was really good.
Lunch at Oller del Mas wineryLunch at Oller del Mas wineryLocal liquor degustation after lunch
After a long relaxing lunch, we took a short walk through the beautiful grounds of the winery. We saw where the wine barrels are stored, met some local donkeys, and witnessed a beautiful sunset over the vineyards with Montserrat mountains in the distance (the sun goes down quite early in autumn).
Oller del Mas winery near MontserratWine barrels and bottles storage at Oller del Mas wineryMontserrat mountains as seen from Oller del Mas wineryBeautiful vineyards at a local winery – part of our Montserrat tour
We then walked to another part of the winery for wine tasting… I didn’t realize this before booking, but this tour was just as much about the wine as it was about the Montserrat Monastery…
We like good wine, so this was fine for us, but if you are not that much into wine, you may want to look for another tour (see our alternative suggestions above).
Or book the light lunch/ tapas option instead.
We tried several different wines and with all the explanation, we learned so much about wine during this wine tasting that that in itself was worth it. It was a really educational visit.
Wine tastingWine tasting
Our Montserrat & Winery Tour – Conclusion
We really enjoyed our day tour to Montserrat, the lunch, and the winery visit. It was great to learn more about Montserrat from our guide and to be able to take advantage of all the insider tips he gave us.
Our group of just 12 people was great and we met nice people from Canada and the U.S. They all absolutely loved the tour and said that it was one of the best things they did in Barcelona. Not one person in our group didn’t enjoy it.
I would have liked to have a bit more time in Montserrat. Because we decided to walk to St. Michael’s Cross, our free time was very rushed. Having just half an hour extra would have made it more relaxing.
But we were the only people in our group who even wanted to walk and experience some of the surroundings. The majority was perfectly happy with the Montserrat tour, local delicacies at a store, and a market visit during free time. One couple went to listen to the Boys’ Choir…
TIP: If you want to explore the area a bit more and go hiking in Montserrat, then this tour isn’t for you. In that case, you better check these tours that include hiking.
The one disadvantage of taking a wine tour is that the wine tasting was, obviously, of no interest to the kids. Luckily, we had packed some games and e-readers and they kept themselves busy…. But in general, I wouldn’t recommend this particular Montserrat tour for families with kids.
On the other hand, we saw quite a few families doing the same tour in another group and all the kids seemed to be having a good time… So it’s up to you. But if I were to do this particular tour with kids, I would choose the tapas version of the same tour (it’s also 2 hours shorter).
For couples or singles who love good food and wine – this tour is excellent.
Cozy relaxation area at Oller del Mas winery – perfect for our kids to read a book while we were tasting wine
To summarize. If you want to visit Montserrat, but also enjoy good food and wine, then you’ll love this Montserrat wine tour.
If you prefer a shorter tour (or one without the wine tasting), there are plenty of other excursion options that will suit different interests (see the Best Montserrat Tours section above for suggestions).
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Barcelona
More tips for your trip to Spain:
- 1 Day in Barcelona
- How to See the Best of Barcelona in 2 Days
- How to See the Best of Madrid in 1 Day
- Top Tips for Barcelona: First-timer’s Guide
- Best Barcelona Gaudi Tour
- How to Visit Montserrat from Barcelona: Things to Do, Hiking & Practical Information
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Barcelona Montserrat Tours ~ Visiting Montserrat in 2023
Barcelona’s most popular day trip is a must-see…
By Duncan Rhodes
Quick Menu
The Abbey:
– Black Madonna
– Boys Choir
– Museum
Other Sights:
– Santa Cova Shrine
– St. Jerome’s Peak
Top 5 Guided Tours
Public Transport
With its stunning natural beauty and religious significance, Montserrat should be high on any curious traveller’s hit list. We review the main sights, such as the abbey, Black Madonna and boys’ choir, plus offer advice on the best tours, and on taking the train from Barcelona.
If you only have time for one day trip from Barcelona during your travels then make it Montserrat. This dramatic rockscape takes its name from the Catalan words mont for mountain and serrat meaning jagged, or serrated, and if you’ve seen the photos you’ll know why.
From a distance this pre-coastal range resembles the sharp teeth of some prehistoric monster, or the craggy back of a dormant dragon, with scores of sharply defined peaks outlined against the hazy Spanish sky. Up close the peaks appear more rounded, but if anything more magical too – the bulbous and deeply lined rocks take on an organic, almost animate quality, rearing up in improbable formations like a fantasy landscape from a Tolkien novel or Sci-Fi magazine.
From a distance this pre-coastal range resembles the sharp teeth of some prehistoric monster, or the craggy back of a dormant dragon, with scores of sharply defined peaks outlined against the hazy Spanish sky.
Montserrat is also known as ‘The Sacred Mountain’ for its deep religious significance as a holy site to the Catholic church, which is still held dear by many worshippers in Catalonia and Spain. The legend goes that around 880 AD a group of shepherds saw an eerie light emanating from the rocks of Montserrat, and following the light, they came to a small cave where they found a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary carved by Saint Luke, which had been hidden there to keep it safe from the marauding Moors.
The bishop of Barcelona ordered the relic be returned to the city, however those tasked with the job had hardly got moving when the statue fell out of the cart and became so heavy that no one could lift it. Taking this as a sign from God, it was decided to build a monastery on that very site on the mountain, and the Benedict abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat was born.
One of Europe’s Black Madonnas, the statue is commonly referred to as La Moreneta meaning ‘the little dark-skinned one’ and thanks to a number of miracles attributed to it, Montserrat Abbey has become one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Spain, second only to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (where St. James is buried, and the final destination of the Camino de Santiago).
Visitors today can either take the train from Barcelona to the town of Montserrat, where a second train (known as the cremallera), or cable car, will whisk them up the mountain to where the abbey lies, or they can opt for one of many guided tours run by private companies.
As well as the chance to visit the sacred monastery with its Black Madonna, visitors can also visit the Santa Cova where the statue was originally found (via the Funicular de la Santa Cova cable car), or head to the very top peak (via the Funicular Sant Joan).
This beautiful abbey is nestled under the jagged mountain peaks
Visiting Montserrat needn’t be limited to the abbey and its surroundings, as the whole area is a vast nature reserve with plenty of other attractions, including possibilities for hiking, mountain biking, climbing and horse riding. Read on for more info on all of the above!
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey
Despite the founding legend, and the existence of chapels here since the late 9th century, a monastery wasn’t founded at Montserrat until 1025 AD. Due to the number of miracles attributed to the Black Virgin, the monastery became a popular pilgrimage site and had to be expanded upon in the late 16th century. Despite being destroyed by Napoleonic troops in the 18th century, it was entirely rebuilt soon afterwards.
A magnificent atrium leads to the monastery’s basilica
You can’t enter the majority of the monastery, as it’s still home to a functioning religious order, however visitors can enter the church (basilica) where the Black Madonna sits behind the altar, as well as a museum full of priceless works of art:
The Basilica and the Black Madonna
The main attraction at this monasterial complex is undoubtedly the Gothic and Renaissance style Basilica. This dark and solemn church, lit by splendid stained glass and candles, holds the sacred La Moreneta statue and you’ll see a long queue of pilgrims lining up to pay homage to the Black Virgin which sits above the altar (contrary to the legend, historians say that the statue was not carved by Saint Luke in 50 AD, but later in the 13th century, in which case it actually came after the monastery).
The statuette of the Black Madonna (Photo from Wikipedia)
L’Escolania Choir
The Black Madonna is not the only reason for visiting the Basilica, as one of the world’s oldest and most famous choirs – the Escolania Boys Choir perform.
The fifty strong choral group are instructed by the resident monks and perform “Salve Regina” at 1pm on Mondays to Fridays and at noon on Sundays (on Saturdays and for summer and Christmas holidays they don’t sing).
L’Escolania Boys’ Choir prepares to take centre stage
Montserrat Museum
Built into the monastery is the Montserrat Museum, designed by leading Catalan architect Josep Puig I Cadafalch in 1929. It’s well worth allowing some time for a visit as many benefactors have donated artefacts over the year, so that the impressive collection includes paintings by the likes of Caravaggio, El Greco, Sisley, Dali and Picasso, as well archaeological finds and gold and silver craftmanship. Tickets are around 6 euros.
For more info you can check the abbey website, or the official visitor site, however the English-language sections of both could do with being a little clearer.
Keep reading for how to get there by train from Barcelona, and selected day tours that include transport.
…article continues after photo.
Other Sights via Cable Car from the Abbey
After you’ve taken either the cremallera train or main cable car up to the site of the Montserrat Abbey, you’ll also be able to make two further journeys by funicular should you wish – one up to St. Jerome (aka Sant Joan, aka Santa Jeroni), the highest peak of the mountain range, and one down to the shrine of Santa Cova. Both leave every 20 minutes, and you might want to check the timetable when you first arrive to ensure you leave time to get to and back from each destination.
The Montserrat cable car en route to Sant Joan’s peak
Santa Cova Shrine
This small shrine, embedded in the mountain, commemorates the original finding of La Moreneta in what was then a small, unadorned cave. A short cable car ride takes you a little further down the mountain where you can follow a 15-20 minute trail around the range to the holy site. The winding route is notable, not just for the great views over Catalonia, but for the 15 sculptures which, representing the mystery of the rosary, were completed in 1910 by the hands of architects Antoni Gaudi, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia and the sculptors Josep Llimona and Venanci Vallmitjana.
Some are truly breathtaking. The shrine of Santa Cova itself is small and incredibly serene, which a delightful garden from where you can soak up the majesty of Montserrat in silence.
A view of Santa Cova shrine through the clouds and haze
St. Jerome’s Peak
If you’re the sort of person who can’t go half way up a mountain – you’ve got to reach the top – then take the Sant Joan Funicular that runs up to Sant Jeroni (aka St. Jerome) peak, the highest on the range at 1236 metres high. Once out of the cable car you still have several minutes hiking to do to get to the top where a panoramic views over the region unfold, which include the Pyrenees in the North and, on a clear day, the island of Majorca to the East. Hardy folk may prefer to eschew the funicular and take a two hour hike from the abbey instead!
Top 5 Montserrat Tours
Easily the most popular day trip from Barcelona, you won’t find any shortage of private tour operators offering you transport and guides to the sacred mountain.
Below you’ll find a selection of our favourite options:
1. Half Day Montserrat Tour (with 1 hr Easy Hike)
For an affordable and time efficient excursion, this half day tour ticks all the boxes. You leave at 8:30am from the city centre, and by 9:30am you’ll be at Montserrat where you’ll enjoy a small group (max. 18 people) guided tour of the monastery and basilica. At 10:45 you’ll take the Sant Joan funicular up to the very top of the mountain, and you can begin the roughly 1 hr hike back to the abbey, enjoying stunning views every step of the way. Once back at the monastery, you will enjoy 40 more minutes to explore the farmer’s market or museum (ticket not included), or just relax in the cafeteria. By 2pm you’ll be back in Barcelona! The cost is just €59.99 and you can reserve your places on Get Your Guide.
2. Montserrat & Wine Tasting
If you love wine as much you love culture, then this unique tour comes highly recommended. Leaving at 9:45am every day from Barcelona city centre, you will be driven in comfortable private transport to the mountain, where you will ride the cogwheel train and then enjoy a guided tour of the monastery and basilica, with the Black Madonna.
Once the tour is over, there’s an hour of free time to further explore the abbey, before your group sets off to a boutique winery in the nearby region. Here you guide will share their insight into how the local wines are made, as you tour the grounds, vineyards and wine cellars. The experience finishes with a late lunch of delicious Spanish tapas paired with a wine tasting of three of the local wines. You can book the tour on Get Your Guide, where it is called “Montserrat Tour, Monastery & Optional Wine/Lunch“. If you want the full wine tasting experience you need to select the 7 hour option for €94.95. There’s also a 9 hour option which includes a full Catalan lunch at a local restaurant, and is arguably even better value at €104.95 per person.
3.Montserrat with Farmhouse Lunch
Kicking off at the civilised time of 10:45am, if you prefer to enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel before embarking on a day’s sightseeing this is a great option. Rocking up at the monastery around 11:45 you’ll enjoy a guided tour with a bilingual guide and (subject to availability) you should be able to enjoy the transcendental performance of L’Escolania Boys Choir.
After some free time to look around, you’ll take the cable car down the mountain back to your minibus, which will whisk you to a delightful ‘masia’ (farmhouse) for a three course Catalan lunch with wine. The views from the farmhouse are fantastic and the tour is very well reviewed. You can read the reviews and book your place on Get Your Guide. Price €74.99.
4. Montserrat & Horse Riding Trip
Giddy up cowboys and girls, you’re going on an incredible horseback ride in the foothills of the Montserrat national park. You’ll take a minibus out to the ranch in the morning, where you’ll receive a short briefing before saddling up for a 1 hour ride through some absolutely stunning Catalan countryside. And if that wasn’t enough of course, your minibus transport will take you further up into the mountains to the location of the sacred Benedict abbey as well. Well priced at just €109.99, you can reserve your tickets here.
5. Hot Air Balloon Ride over Montserrat
Put the wow factor firmly into your Barcelona trip with this absolutely unforgettable balloon flight over Catalonia’s ‘Jagged Mountain’.
You’ll have to set your alarm early, because the tour departs the city centre at 6am so you can take advantage of the windless mornings and the golden light of the early hours. The tour includes photos, flight certificate, snacks and celebratory glass of Champagne, while for a little more you can upgrade your trip to include a visit to the monastery. Available to book on Get Your Guide, for €229.99 (and just €249.99 with Montserrat visit included).
Montserrat by Public Transport
Getting to Montserrat from Barcelona by public transport, whilst not quite as comfortable and convenient as booking a guided tour, is far from difficult and will save you a few euros into the bargain. And as it is only 38km away from the city, it makes for an ideal day trip. The journey takes just over an hour and is done in two legs.
You have two options. The first you take the train from Barcelona city centre and alight at Monistrol de Montserrat station, from where you takey the Cremallera train up to the abbey.
The second you take the train from Barcelona, but you alight at Montserrat Aeri station, from where you take the Cable Car up to the abbey.
In both cases the first step is to travel to Placa Espanya train station (which is on both the green and the red line of Barcelona’s metro system) and then make your way to the overground R5 Line. Before you reach the platforms, by the ticket machines, you’ll find two booths. One selling tickets to Montserrat via standard train plus Cremallera train, and one via standard train plus the Cable Car.
The Cremallera train takes 15 minutes to get to the monastery from the bottom of the mountain and takes a winding route, the Cable Car goes direct upwards, taking just 5 minutes. Both have great views so it’s much of a muchness really. The one thing you will need to put a bit of thought into is to the different bonus options. Currently a return, using either the Cremallera or the Funicular, costs around 21 euros, but for a few euros extra you can get a ticket which enables you to use both the Funicular de la Santa Cova and the Funicular de Sant Joan when you get there (they are more expensive if you buy them separately).
Other ticket options include free entrance to the museum and a buffet lunch at the site’s restaurant. All in all it’s definitely worth spending a few minutes discussing your options with the booth attendants who will be able to explain what’s what. Be prepared to spend between 21 euros minimum and 40 euros all inclusive.
Finally one important thing to bear in mind is that, depending on whether you opted for the Cremallera or the Cable Car, you will need to alight at either the Monistrol de Montserrat or Montserrat Aeri train stations respectively. It’s all marked clearly but just stay awake! The final destination of your train (but not you!) is Manresa, so look for that when you are boarding at Barcelona’s Placa Espanya station.
About the Author
Duncan established Barcelona Life in 2009, whilst freelancing for the likes of Conde Nast, The Guardian, Easyjet Magazine, CNN Traveller and many more. From interviews with Ferran Adria to revealing the secrets of the city’s poetry brothels, he knows the city inside out… and shares all his best tips right here.
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Field trip to Montserrat in a mini-group in Barcelona
(158 reviews)
On a comfortable transport you will climb up the mountain and admire the amazingly shaped rocks. Montserrat Monastery is not only a place of pilgrimage for Catholics around the world and the religious center of Catalonia, but also a unique architectural structure. It houses the national shrine of Catalonia, and the vaults of the monastery perfectly reflect the sound of the “golden voices” – the choir “L’Escolania”.
Novovira
Mini group, bus and walking
5 hours
Group size up to 10 people
Phone ticket
Free cancellation 48 hours in advance
Russian language
Everything in this place breathes ancient history.
The bizarre outlines of Mount Montserrat were formed millions of years ago from the ancient sea, which was once on the site of Catalonia. The statue of Our Lady with Jesus, found in one of the caves of the mountain in the 9th century AD, became the reason for the formation of a Benedictine monastery around it.
What awaits you:
– Unforgettable views of from Montserrat.
– A touch of antiquity : Montserrat Monastery is an open museum under the sky, with unique architecture, valuable exhibits and national relics.
– “Golden Voices” Catalonia – Boys’ Choir “L’Escolania”.
You will see:
– Mount Montserrat with all its bizarre rocks, each of which has its own name and history.
– The majestic monastery of Montserrat , after which Christopher Columbus named the whole island, which is currently a British colony.
– Black Virgin of Montserrat , patroness of Catalonia, touching which heals diseases.
The cathedral even has a special room where returning pilgrims bring symbols of fulfilled wishes.
Details:
– Comfortable shoes are recommended.
– L’Escolania Choir may withdraw its performance without prior notice.
— In the event of the closure of the motorway to Montserrat, the lift on the cable car is paid separately.
– For those who have not made an advance payment on the site, please visit our office in Barcelona 48 hours before the tour. Otherwise, the booking will be cancelled.
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Novovira
52 excursions
NOVOVIRA travel agency was founded in Spain in 1996. We have preferential working conditions with all Spanish tour operators, special contracts for hotels, transport, car rental, ticket sales and other travel service products, which allows us to create an exclusive product at affordable prices. We will be glad to see you on our routes. And we hope that from the huge range of our proposals, each of you will find something to your liking.
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€40
per person
Child ticket (up to 2 years old)
€0
per person
With any payment method, you must book a place using the booking form below and receive confirmation by mail and (or) SMS.
– Transport,
– Guide
– Personal expenses
Mon, Thu: 10:00
– Montserrat mountain,
– Montserrat Monastery
When paying for the tour online, the booking period is 9 hours.
Booking with cash payment is possible no later than 48 hours before the start. Book now, places may fill up!
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- at the organizer’s office in Barcelona 48 hours before and before the start. Office address will be available after registration;
For any method of payment, you must book a seat through the registration form below and receive confirmation by mail and (or) SMS. Without registration through the site, you may not have enough places.
Russian
At the end of the Ramblas, near the Columbus monument
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Photos of travelers
Reviews of travelers
Elena L.
Excellent tour. The guide Alexander told a lot about the history of the place. Thanks
1 day ago
900 02 Yulianna .
Thanks to Alexander for the fascinating story and useful advice. Pleasant road, strong impressions. We definitely recommend visiting!
8 days ago
Marina P.
Me and two other tourists were very lucky – there were too many applications for the tour, and the organizers had to add another car, a Citroen. Very comfortable, and the driver – Lyuba (I apologize if I mixed up the name) – was also our guide. We got a private tour for 55 euros, and they sell online for at least 250 euros. We arrived very quickly, with stops to take spectacular pictures. Lyuba took into account all our wishes, adjusted very flexibly.
16 days ago
Svetlana N.
I liked everything. But still time to go to the site to the cross
about 1 month ago
Pavel I.
The excursion is magnificent. Guide Alexander is a very pleasant, friendly person, happy to share interesting information.
We were also lucky with the weather and a small number of tourists compared to summer. The lunch in the mountain village was especially chic with amazing food and wine. Thank you.
9
Alla Yu.
5 months ago
Narine P.
Everything was well organized, it was very impressive, we liked everything. Special thanks to the guide-Alexander for the tour.
5 months ago
Alexander O.
beautiful place I recommend visiting
5 months ago
Victoria K.
Many thanks to Dmitry for an unforgettable tour. Excellent driving combined with the qualities of a professional guide and a wonderful person.
6 months ago
per person
Free cancellation 48 hours in advance
158 reviews
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Montserrat – guided tours in Russian
The Montserrat section presents our individual excursions related to visiting the greatest spiritual shrine of Catalonia – Montserrat Monastery.
“Whoever has not been to Montserrat Monastery has not been to Catalonia either.” So goes the old Catalan proverb, with which we are completely in solidarity.
A visit to the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat, located in the heart of the uniquely beautiful mountain range of the same name, is a must.
excursion program in Catalonia.
Barcelona-Excursion offers the following excursions with a visit to the sacred mountain and the world pilgrimage site of Montserrat:
Mountain and monastery
Montserrat
Duration – 6 hours. Cost: 1-3 people
– 280 €, 4-5 people – 320 €, 6 people – 390 €, 7 and more people – by
request. Guide only – 190 €.
D Duration – 4 hours. Cost: 1-3 people – 210 €, 4-5 people – 260 €, 6 people – 300
€, 7 or more people – on request. Guide only
– 160 €.
Montserrat and wine cellars
Duration – 8-9 hours.
Cost: 1-3 people
– 370 €, 4-5 people – 420 €, 6 people – 500 €, 7 or more people on request. Guide only – 240 €.
Montserrat and Crypt colonies
Guell
Tour duration – 9
hours. Cost: 1-3 people – 370 €, 4-5 people – 420 €, 6 people – 500 €, 7 or more people
– upon request. Guide only – 240 €.
CURRENT DISCOUNTS
I think everyone has heard this word: “Montserrat” (“Montserrat”), and most of us associate it primarily with the name of the great
opera singer Montserrat Caballe.
However, not everyone knows that the marvelous voice of a native of Barcelona was named so in honor of the Virgin Mary of Montserrat – a miraculous statue, one of
the main shrines not only of Catholicism, but of the entire Christian world, stored 50 km from Barcelona, in an old Benedictine monastery, surrounded on all sides by unusual rocks
forms.
By the way, it is still customary for girls in Catalan families to give the name “Monserrat” – in honor of the Madonna of Montserrat, who is the official patroness
Catalonia.
It is believed that a girl named by this name will live a happy and long life, and how else – after all, she is under the auspices of the Montserrat Virgin herself!
Excursion “Mountain and Montserrat Monastery” with a Russian-speaking guide
Several million people from all over the world visit Montserrat Monastery every year – so great is the fame image of the Virgin of Montserrat, the famous “Moreneta” , and the miracles she performed. In literal
translated “Monserrat” means “sawed mountain”.
According to an old legend, once bored angels, armed with elegant golden nail files, descended from heaven and began to entertain themselves.
decorate a huge, monolithic block of stone, as a result of which this unique mountainous relief appeared, for which Montserrat is famous: rocks of the most bizarre outlines seem not to be a product of
nature, but the result of a conscious creative act.
Montserrat – an object of world pilgrimage
The Benedictine monastery of Montserrat, founded in 1025, is located on a small plateau
at an altitude of more than 700 m above sea level, I would even say – on a stone shelf hanging over an abyss, because of which the feeling that you are between heaven and earth only intensifies.
Already in the 13th century, the place gained pan-European fame, and after that the fame of the monastery spread throughout the world.
Video about Montserrat on our
channel:
And this is not accidental: after all, it is here, in the Montserrat Basilica, that one of the main shrines of the Christian world is kept and the second, after the relics of St. James in Santiago de Compostella,
significance in Spain: the image of the Virgin of Montserrat, or “Moreneta” (“Dark-skinned”) – this is how the Catalans affectionately call the miraculous image of the Virgin.
La Moreneta – statue of the Madonna of Montserrat
In general, the cult of the Black Madonnas is the most interesting phenomenon in medieval Western Europe, which has not yet found a scientific explanation. With the beginning of the Crusades, statues of the Virgin with black
they appear in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and each such place was accompanied by a mass pilgrimage, unusual, supernatural phenomena were associated with each .
..
Of all the currently known black-faced Virgins, the image of the Virgin Mary of Montserrat is undoubtedly the most famous and glorious for its miracles. It is for the sake of them, miracles, that people come here – over 3 million people annually.
The journey here from Barcelona on average takes about an hour: in addition to the highway, you still have to overcome 10 km of serpentine, where at every turn new ones open, one more beautiful than the other,
kinds. No less interesting is each of the two alternative ways to climb to the monastery: cable car or kremalera.
And every time at the entrance you experience similar feelings: delight, excitement, lightness, a feeling of the closeness of a miracle and complete confidence that there is
something that is not subject to our understanding and is high “above” – above everyday life, everyday bustle, petty squabbles, deceit, duplicity, theft … “Portal to heaven” – that’s what we call Montserrat among ourselves.
People go, go, fly here from everywhere. Catholics, Orthodox, Buddhists and Hare Krishnas – more than once we have seen
Montserrat of the Tibetan Pilgrim Monks…
And it is no coincidence that every mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria de Montserrat begins with the same words repeated in the five main languages of the world: we know that you have come here from different countries,
belong to different faiths and profess different religions, but, regardless of this, there are common and main human values that unite us all: God, light, love.
This is what makes people strong.
I’ll add from myself: the Mother of God, in the end, was born, fulfilled her great mission and was taken to heaven long before the patriarchs of the Christian
churches fought in the 11th century among themselves for spheres of influence, and the Great Schism happened.
Long before these events, there was also the Virgin of Montserrat, “La Moreneta”, and today her popularity all over the world is the best proof that there are eternal universal values, and wars, violence, evil and borders that separate people –
from the evil one.
On Montserrat you feel it especially strongly.
Montserrat – excursion with a Russian-speaking guide
What notable people have never been seen by the monastery walls in its long history! Counts of Barcelona, Aragonese kings, Spanish and European monarchs – they all committed
pilgrimage to the monastery of Montserrat, entrusting himself under the patronage of the Black Madonna.
The Spanish king Charles the First, who was concurrently the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire – the most powerful ruler of his time in the world – visited Montserrat nine
once. His famous grandparents, the Catholic kings Ferdinand and Isabella, have repeatedly been here.
It was here, at the image of the Virgin of Montserrat, that the young Basque Iñigo Lopez de Loyola, crippled in the war, made a vow until the end of his days to serve the Mother of God and Jesus Christ: the future founder and
the first General of the most powerful religious order in the world – the Order of the Jesuits.
Montserrat served as a source of inspiration for the work of Goethe and Schiller, Michelangelo and Leonardo and
Vinci; Richard Wagner immortalized the Montserrat mountain retreat in his famous opera Parsifal…
Montserrat – beautiful mountain scenery
“Comrade Goethe” very rightly put it: “Everyone will find peace only in his own Montserrat.” By the way, you really understand the meaning of this phrase right here. Each of the millions of people
who come here every year, their own, special Montserrat, and this holy place gives everyone help and strength that can change their whole future life.
Montserrat is an amazing place where time flies by. After all, there is so much to do! Visit the Montserrat Madonna to make a cherished wish; listen to the oldest choir in Europe
boys “Escolania”; visit the most interesting church,
take a walk on one of the many and incredibly scenic hiking trails or, if this option is not suitable, take a ride on one of the funiculars.
..
And there are also shops, there is a cafe and even a restaurant, there is a market where local producers of cheeses, honey, figs and cottage cheese will be happy to please you with a high-quality natural product – and that’s it.
it is here in the mountain retreat of Montserrat.
Duration of the basic excursion “Mountain and Montserrat Monastery” –
6 hours. Cost: 1-3 people – 280 €, 4-5 people – 320 €, 6 people – 390
€ , 7 and more people – on request. Book a tour
An abbreviated version of the Montserrat tour is also possible: duration – 4 hours. Cost: 1-3 people – 210
€, 4-5 people – 260 €, 6 people – 300 €, 7 or more people – on request . Book a tour
Guide only (without car) – 180 €. Book a tour
In addition, the following options for excursions with a visit to Montserrat are possible:
Montserrat + wine cellars
Duration – 9 hours.
Price: 1-3 people – 370 €, 4-5 people – 420 €, 6 people – 500 €, 7 or more people
– upon request. Book a tour
Montserrat + Crypt of the Guell Colony
Duration – 9 hours. Cost: 1-3 people – 370 €, 4-5 people – 420 €, 6 people – 500 €, 7 or more people – on request. Book an excursion
CURRENT DISCOUNTS
Note : From 2022 (an innovation of the monastery administration), access to
Madonna – 8 euros per person and Escolania Boys Choir – 8 euros per person. The lift on the cable car or cog railway is also paid separately (ticket price – 13 euros). In addition, tickets to the Crypt of the Guell colony (12 euros) and to the winery are additionally paid.
(20 euros).
Rates are based on the start and end of all tours in Barcelona. The cost of car tours includes: guide + driver + car + all transportation costs. Price
Entrance tickets are not included in the cost of excursions.
Excursions are conducted in comfortable cars and minibuses equipped with air conditioning. It is possible to carry out
car tours on VIP transport (the cost in this case is negotiated separately).
Any tour option presented on the site, as well as a route in accordance with your individual wishes, can be ordered using our contact information or the form below.
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