Visiting Montserrat: everything you need to know
Montserrat is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic places in all of Catalonia. For this reason, many people traveling to Barcelona include the ascent to Montserrat among their plans to visit the monastery, specifically the abbey, and pay their respects to La Moreneta, the statue of the patron saint of Catalonia.
But this mountain range, full of curious geological formations, does not live by religious and spiritual tourism alone; in 1987 it was named Montserrat Natural Park with the intention of protecting this special environment as much as possible. Climbing Montserrat is also synonymous with mountain routes for all levels, dizzying natural viewpoints, and even rock climbing.
During my stay in Barcelona with children, it wasn’t so easy for me to figure out how to visit Montserrat, what to see and do at the top, and even something as simple as knowing how much Montserrat costs. In case you have the same doubts, here is plenty of information to clarify things and clear up any questions.
What to see in Montserrat
The most famous part of Montserrat is its sanctuary which, literally, seems to be hanging on the rock. This sanctuary is a complex that includes the monastery of the Benedictine order where monks still live, the abbey of Montserrat where the Moreneta is located, Santa Maria Square, the Montserrat museum, the new Audiovisual Space, the choir school…
Here I am only going to tell you about the parts that can be visited, since access to the Benedictine monastery is closed, as monks still live there. I will also tell you what to see in Montserrat beyond the monastery area:
Santa María Square
This large central square of Montserrat is the gateway to the basilica. A giant esplanade guarded, on one side, by five huge arches with five sculptures of saints and, on the other side, by the remains of a beautiful renovated 15th-century Gothic cloister.
In the center of the square, a facade with a side tower rises, built after the Spanish Civil War by Francesc Folguera i Grassi and decorated by the sculptor Joan Rebull, which has become a monumental entrance to the Montserrat basilica, whose main entrance is guarded inside.
Check out this excursion to Montserrat by rack railway from Barcelona’s North station with a Spanish-speaking guide included. You won’t have to worry about anything else.
Montserrat Basilica
In the center of the square, a facade with a side tower rises, built after the Spanish Civil War by Francesc Folguera i Grassi and decorated by the sculptor Joan Rebull, which has become a monumental entrance to the Montserrat basilica, whose main entrance is guarded inside.
Before entering, you will be welcomed by a beautiful atrium that frames the neo-Plateresque facade where the figures of the twelve apostles with Jesus in the middle stand out. The impressive black and white marble floor with a mosaic inspired by the pavement of the Capitol in Rome will catch your eye. There are different interpretations of this mosaic that attracts everyone’s attention and has a high spiritual charge.
Inside the Montserrat basilica you cannot take photos, but it’s better that way so I leave you with the surprise factor. Just remember to look closely above the altar to see the Virgin and the faithful passing before her.
Entrance to the Basilica of Montserrat is free for residents in Spain; if you live abroad, you must pay a tourist fee. Depending on the season and the time you go, you might find a bit of a queue to get in. The opening hours are from 7 am to 8 pm.
Do you know what the Virolai is?
If you want your visit to Montserrat to be special, I recommend organizing yourself to listen to the Virolai, a poetic hymn dedicated to the Virgin composed in the 19th century by Jacinto Verdeguer. The Virolai is performed by the Escolanía, the liturgical choir of Montserrat formed by young people who live there.
If you are wondering when the children of Montserrat sing, the answer is Monday to Friday at the 1 pm mass and Sundays at 12 pm. The most recommended thing to do is to reserve a spot here to enter the interior of the basilica for free to listen to them.
Virgin of the Moreneta
If you are going to visit Montserrat, it would be a crime to leave without entering to see the Virgin of Montserrat. The 12th-century polychrome wooden Romanesque carving represents the Virgin with the child in her arms and a sphere in her right hand.
Familiarly, she is known as La Moreneta because of her dark color, a color that was not the original as she is carved in white poplar wood. However, the passage of time, combined with the smoke from incense and candles, has caused a chromatic transformation of the varnish. Nowadays, it is protected by a transparent panel so that the breath of pilgrims and visitors does not damage it further. It is only possible to touch the spherical orb in her hand.
The Virgin of Montserrat is located in a small chapel situated above the altar inside the basilica itself, which is called the throne room (camarín).
Although it is inside the basilica and you can see it from a distance from there, access to see the Virgin of Montserrat up close is from outside the basilica, through a different door than the main one, specifically through the door on the right.
Entrance to the Moreneta is free for residents in Spain, but you should know that access is regulated to ensure there aren’t too many people inside at once, and you must book a time slot.
You can book your entry time in advance from this link on the official website or go directly to the door on the right of the basilica where they will give you a ticket with the specific time you must return to enter the throne room.
The 2024 schedules to access the throne of the Virgin of Montserrat are from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. and from 12:00 to 6:25 p.m.
The 27th of April is the Feast of Our Lady of Montserrat.
If you plan to go on that exact day, keep in mind that the place fills up with pilgrims from all over, devotees of La Moreneta, and tourists. The previous day, the 26th, solemn events are also held in honor of the patron saint of Catalonia.
If you want to attend any of them, such as the mass or the rosary, I recommend that you book in advance on the official website where there is an exclusive section for this festival. On April 27th, access to the Montserrat Museum is free.
Path of the Ave Maria
On the side of the basilica you will find an open gallery with thousands of candles of different colors attached to the rock. If you want to make an offering or prayer to the Virgin, this is the most special place to do it. But even if you are not a believer, I recommend entering the Path of the Ave Maria because it is a very special place.
You can access it through the door on the side of the main facade of the basilica, to the left if you are looking at the facade from the front. Or, if you enter the niche of the Virgin, the exit is made precisely through this path also known as Luminarias (Luminaries) which opens from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Montserrat Museum
This museum houses much of the artistic and archaeological heritage of the Montserrat monastery. The building located on the way up to Santa Maria Square hosts up to six very different collections, where the oldest piece is an Egyptian sarcophagus from the 22nd century BC.
Here you can see everything from iconography of Saint Mary of Montserrat to paintings by artists as diverse as El Greco, Monet, or Caravaggio, along with works by Catalan artists such as Dalí or Fortuny, pieces of liturgical goldwork, or Byzantine icons.
The opening hours for the Montserrat Museum are from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. every day.
Audiovisual Space
This small and modern paid museum is an interactive exhibition with three different areas dedicated to the mountain, the monastery, and the sanctuary. At the end of the visit, you can watch a short documentary showing what a day in the life of the Montserrat Monastery is like, and it will surprise you.
Take note of the Montserrat Audiovisual Space schedule which is Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., while on weekends and holidays it closes at 6:30 p.m.
The Holy Grotto
If you want to know the exact place where legend says that, in the year 880, the Virgin of Montserrat appeared to two shepherds, you have to go down to the Holy Grotto or Santa Cova. After that, this grotto became a spot for worship and pilgrimage where, at the end of the 16th century, a chapel literally attached to the rock began to be built. This place was the seed that eventually gave way to the monastery and sanctuary we know today.
To go down to visit this area, you can do so by the Santa Cova funicular which will leave you right where the Monumental Rosary begins: a trail full of outdoor religious sculptures. These works and the layout of the path leading to the Santa Cova bear the signature of such relevant names as Antoni Gaud or Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
In any case, the funicular leaves you halfway to the final destination, the Santa Cova, but many people use it to save themselves a section of the 120-meter total vertical drop of the path. If you want to walk from the top, it will take about an hour in total for the round trip.
I recommend checking the Santa Cova funicular schedules in 2024 because it closes for several days a year, such as parts of January, February, November, and December when it is only open on weekends. From March 1 to October 31, 2024, it does operate daily. It starts at 10 in the morning with a frequency of 20 minutes. But be careful, as depending on the season, the last trip is at 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM. Check all the schedule details here.
Funicular de Sant Joan
If you want to have a bird’s-eye view of the Montserrat monastery, then take the Sant Joan funicular to ascend to 1,000 meters above sea level. Once at the top, a viewpoint awaits from where you can see the entire monumental site and much more.
In addition, many hiking trails start from there to continue exploring this part of the mountain massif. One of them, for example, is the climb to Sant Jeroni which will take you about an hour to ascend. You also have the option of forgetting the funicular and returning on foot, going down the San Miguel path in about 45 minutes (if you hadn’t visited the Cross viewpoint yet, it’s a good combination).
You can also visit the Geopark and Natural Park Interpretation Center located at the summit to learn more about the environment where you are and those characteristic rock ‘needles’. Oh, and take a look at those rock walls because you’ll easily find a climber perched on them.
EThe Sant Joan funicular only closes between January 8 and 26, 2024. The first trip is at 10 in the morning with a frequency of 12 minutes and, depending on the dates, the last trip is between 5 PM and 6:30 PM. Check the Sant Joan funicular schedules in detail.
- You have the funicular prices a little further down, in the section ‘How much does it cost to visit Montserrat’?
St. Michael's Cross Viewpoint
One of the things to do in Montserrat that I recommend without a doubt is going up to the St. Michael’s Cross viewpoint. No matter how little time you have for your visit, make room to visit this privileged balcony from which you have a beautiful panoramic view of the Montserrat monastery complex guarded by the mountain. In about 20 minutes at a normal pace, you will be there.
Although on an uphill slope, the path is very easy and can even be done with a baby stroller (I can confirm this, although if you have a carrier it’s better). From the rack railway station, it will take you about twenty minutes to get to the viewpoint, depending of course on how many times you stop to take photos of the views or the sculptures, such as San Francisco, that you will find along the way.
If after enjoying the views, you decide to continue, just a little further up you will find the St. Michael’s hermitage. And if you have been left wanting to keep walking, continue going up for about 25 more minutes to reach the upper station of the Sant Joan funicular (you can take it to return to the monastery where you started).
Are you prepared for whatever might happen to you?
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What to do in Montserrat
Besides visiting the places you have just read about, here are other options of things to do in Montserrat:
As I mentioned at the beginning, the monastery is located in the Montserrat Natural Park so hiking is one of the best things to do in Montserrat. There are many and with different levels of difficulty. I recommend that, as soon as you go up, you stop by the Information Office where they can give you a map and tell you more about some of the main trails in the surroundings.
If you like hiking, I recommend taking a look at this trekking excursion in Montserrat which makes it very easy for you because it includes the transfer from Barcelona, the accompaniment of a guide, the Sant Joan funicular tickets, the visit to the abbey and some other surprises.
You can also go to see a very special work, the sculpture tribute to Ramón Llull known as the Stairway of Understanding. They are eight enormous blocks that simulate the steps of a gigantic staircase that reaches almost nine meters in height. Another of the incentives to get there is the spectacular views since it is located next to the Apostles’ Viewpoint.
If you’re looking for a different plan, here are two very different ideas. On one hand, this horseback ride through Montserrat and, on the other, combining the classic visit to the basilica and the Montserrat site with a wine tasting at a winery in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia on this guided excursion.
Another proposal that I really wanted to do is to combine the visit to Montserrat with Cardona. This way, in addition to the monastery, you will get to know this medieval village that they say is one of the most beautiful, you will crown its beautiful castle and even see the surprising salt mountain of Cardona. Take a look here at this excursion which looks like it’s well worth it.
How to go up to Montserrat
Here you have all the options to answer your question on how to get to Montserrat. Note that it will always depend on your point of origin. Keep in mind that you can reach Montserrat in your car, but parking spaces are very limited and, once at the top, you might have to turn back.
How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona
From Barcelona, you can reach Montserrat in two ways:
–By train from Plaza de España taking the R5 line towards Manresa. Thus, in one hour of travel, you will reach Monistrol where you can get off either at the Aeri de Montserrat stop if you want to take the cable car or at the Monistrol de Montserrat stop if you prefer to go up on the rack railway.
–By bus from Sants station with the Julia company which runs this route daily. It operates all year round, takes an hour and a half, drops you off right at the top in the monastery grounds and costs only €5.10. But the big drawback is that it only makes one outward and one return journey. This 2023, it leaves Barcelona at 9:15 in the morning and returns from Montserrat at 5:00 in the afternoon (6:00 PM from June 1 to September 30).
- If you don’t want to overcomplicate things, prefer to have everything done for you and also be accompanied by a guide who will tell you many anecdotes and historical facts, a good idea is to take this excursion to Montserrat from Barcelona.
How to get to Montserrat from Monistrol
–Rack railway. This was my chosen option. The journey on the panoramic trains lasts about 15 minutes and is very beautiful. You should bear in mind that the historic Montserrat Rack Railway in 2024 operates every day from 8:35 in the morning. But depending on the season it ends earlier or later and has more or fewer frequencies. Check the detailed schedules here.
It departs from Monistrol de Montserrat station, which you can reach by train from Barcelona city center or in your own car (there is a large free car park). You can buy tickets right there or in advance on the official website.
-Aeri Cable Car. In just a 5-minute journey from the lower station, next to the Llobregat river, you will reach the monastery if you board the iconic yellow cabin of the Montserrat Aeri, which has been in operation since 1930. It operates daily throughout the year (except for a few weeks in January) every 15 minutes from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM in spring and summer (until 5:15 PM in autumn and winter).
I recommend confirming the exact schedules and booking your ticket in advance on the official website. You can reach the cable car station by train from Barcelona or in your own car and leave it in the indoor car park.
- The prices for the Rack Railway and the Montserrat Aeri in 2024 can be found below in the section ‘How much it costs to go up to Montserrat’.
-On foot. If you like walking, ascending to the monastery on foot will surely be an unforgettable experience. There are several routes to reach Montserrat on foot; the shortest and one of the best known is the one that starts from Monistrol, ascends via the Camí del Ángel to the Mirador de los Apóstoles and then descends via the Camí 3/4.
In total, this circular route to Montserrat will take you about three and a half hours to cover the more than 13 kilometers. Although it is simple, you must keep in mind that the slope is steep, so you should take it easy.
How much it costs to visit Montserrat
This was a doubt I had before going up. Although I mentioned it before, I want to make it clear that visiting Montserrat is free but only for residents of Spain. They will not have to pay anything to enter the sanctuary grounds, which includes the atrium, basilica, and the Virgin’s chamber, nor of course to go trekking in the area.
However, since May 2023, a tourist tax has been introduced that requires all non-residents of Spain to pay to visit Montserrat. If you are staying at one of the Montserrat hotels, it is not necessary to pay that tax.
If you are not a resident in Spain, you can check the prices, which range from €7 to €23 depending on the chosen package, and buy tickets to visit Montserrat here.
The areas that do require payment for all tourists, whether they are residents in Spain or not, are the Montserrat Museum and the Audiovisual Space.
In 2024, the Montserrat Museum has a price of €8 per adult, €6.50 for students and retirees, €4 for children from 8 to 16 years old. If you only want to see the temporary exhibitions, it is €3.50. On April 27th, the feast of the Virgin of Montserrat, you can enter for free.
The Audiovisual Space costs €5.50 per adult and €3 for children.
It will also cost you money to take the funiculars that depart from the top, either the Sant Joan or the Santa Cova one. Ascending to the most privileged viewpoint in Montserrat on the Sant Joan funicular in 2023 will cost you 16.50 euros per adult round trip (8.25 euros for children aged 4 to 13) or 10.70 euros if you only make a single journey (5.35 euros for children aged 4 to 13).
In 2024, taking the Santa Cova funicular has a price of €6.30 round trip per adult (€3.15 for children) or €4.10 per adult (€2.05 per child) for a single journey.
In both cases, children under 4 years old ride for free. There are discounts for large families, as well as for those over 65. Check the detailed prices for both funiculars. You can also take a combined ticket to use both funiculars for €19.40 round trip for adults and €9.70 for children.
Cost of going up to Montserrat
Unless you decide to arrive on foot, you will indeed have to pay to go up to Montserrat.
If you do it in your own car or in a rental car, you will have to pay the parking price at Montserrat which, mind you, has very few spaces. If you do it in your own vehicle, you must pay a public fee to use the parking which in 2024 is 7 euros for standard cars, 3.50 euros for motorcycles, and 20 euros for vans and motorhomes.
If you are wondering how much it costs to get to Montserrat from Monistrol, here are the prices for two options:
In the event that you prefer to arrive from Monistrol on the rack railway, the price in 2024 is €14 per adult round trip, €7 per child between 4 and 13 years old. If you only want a one-way trip, the rate drops to €8.40 and €4.20 respectively. There are discounts for large families and those over 65 years old.
Another option from Monistrol is to go up in the cable car Aeri de Montserrat which, in 2024, costs €13.50 round trip for adults and €6.75 for children from 4 to 13 years old. If you only do a one-way trip it is €8.95 for adults and €4.70 for children. Children under 4 years old ride for free. Large families and those over 65 have reduced rates. Although the Aeri is open almost all year round, I recommend checking the schedules on the official website beforehand because in January it closes for a few weeks for example.
Where to stay in Montserrat
Did you know you can sleep within the Montserrat grounds? You have up to four different options to choose from:
The red facade is the Abat Cisneros Hotel
–Hotel Abat Cisneros Montserrat This 3-star hotel is practically next to the basilica. It has a restaurant, good views of the Llobregat valley, and even a children’s area. It is interesting that the price includes the rack railway ticket from Monistrol.
–Abat Marcet Apartments. Those looking for more space and the convenience of a kitchen can stay in the old cells where pilgrims used to stay, now converted into studios and apartments with up to two bedrooms. They are located on the path to the basilica and also include the rack railway.
–Abat Oliva Hostel. Here you have a lot of options, from a bed in shared areas to double and family rooms for up to 10 people. There is a communal lounge and kitchen, but some rooms also have a private kitchen. They offer breakfast, but here the price does not include the rack railway to go up to Montserrat.
–Camping. Not everyone knows that it is possible to camp in Montserrat at a small, very simple campsite called Area Deportiva y Acampada Montserrat. You will find it on the Camino de San Miguel, on the right, before reaching the cross viewpoint. It is used a lot by climbers, for example, and is a different and economical option for spending the night in the heart of nature. You can get more details by calling 93 77 77 77.
Where to eat in Montserrat
To save money, I recommend you prepare some sandwiches or a picnic which will taste heavenly in the shade at any Montserrat viewpoint or in the area designated for it.
But if, like what happened to me, you don’t have enough time, or you simply prefer to eat at a restaurant, don’t worry because there are various options for eating in Montserrat. In my case, we chose the buffet located in the Mirador de los Apóstoles building. The price of the buffet in 2023 was €19 per adult and €11.50 per child from the age of 4. Although it also includes drinks, and the rice, for example, was very good, personally I found it a bit expensive for the quality of the food.
In the same building you have the Montserrat restaurant à la carte and, inside the hotel Abat Cisneros another namesake restaurant located in the former vaulted stables of the 16th-century monastery.
In addition, there is a cafeteria and a bar that also offers dining options, as well as a small ice cream parlor/pastry shop. And if a snack is enough to continue the visit, a good idea is to buy some cheese at the local food stalls found on the main promenade.
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