Why should you visit Montserrat?
Visit Montserrat from Barcelona is a must to do. Montserrat is a place where pilgrims and visitors come to hike and admire the Virgin Mary. The sanctuary was built in the 12th century and offer spectacular landscapes. Montserrat abbaye, coated in the mountain curves, is splendid from the San Miquel viewpoint.
Visiting Montserrat is FREE. The only thing you have to pay is the commute to go there.
Visit Montserrat : where is it located?
Montserrat is an abbaye located 60 kilometers far from Barcelona. The mountains house a monastery called San Miquel, with a golden Virgin Mary. Many catalan pilgrims are coming there, as well as hikers, for the spectacular landscapes.
Cable car and funicular location to visit Montserrat
On the map below, you can see (in blue) where the cable car is located. You have to take it to reach Montserrat village and start your trip. With a distance of 1350 meters and an average speed of 5m/s, it takes just 5 minutes to climb the mountain. In addition, soaring through inclines of up to 45% and offering unbeatable panoramic views.
The view from the cabin is simply a pure pleasure.
Visit Montserrat : Top « things to do » locations
To have an idea of where are the spots to visit in Montserrat I put below the map of the village. You can take it at the tourism office. I strongly recommend you to go there and take all the documents you need when you arrive at the village.
You can see on it the different hikes departures, and their duration, as well as the location of the restaurants, hotels, funiculars and viewpoints.
The Cafeteria is located at the extreme right of the map, after the bridge. You should also go there to enjoy a nice view of the abbaye ;).
Visit Montserrat Abbaye
Once arrived at the village, I recommend to spend some time admiring the different views, architectures and visit the museum before starting your trek. Inside the basilic, you can see the famous Virgin Mary but… you will have to wait ! Count about 1 hour doing the queue before admiring the popular sculpture.
San Miquel Viewpoint
You cannot miss the San Miquel Viewpoint (in orange on the map), located at 15mn by feet far from the village. It is the most beautiful Montserrat point of view.
San Miquel Hike
If you are in for a 2 hours hike, the one I did with Row is called Cami de Sant Miquel (check the video at the beginning of the article), is not difficult and leads you to the Mirador, an amazing viewpoint as well. You just have to continue to walk after passing the San Miquel Viewpoint.
Montserrat abbaye is small, one day is not enough for all the things you have to discover and they’ll make you come back for more !
How to go to visit Montserrat from Barcelona?
Taking a cab to Montserrat
Going to Montserrat by cab takes one hour, and will cost you approximately 60€. It can be a good choice if you are 4 people and can share the bill. Good to know, the train will also bring you there in an hour, but will cost 23€ per people. The taxi is a comfortable option and allows you to spend good time with your friends, while you are not sure to sit all together in the train.
Going to Montserrat by bus
The cheaper option to visit Montserrat is to take a bus. The bus costs only 5€ but careful : there is only one bus per day. It leaves Barcelona from the bus station located in Calle Viriat at 9:15 and arrives at Montserrat in an hour and a half.
The bus belongs to the company Julia. For more details about it, check their website. Pay attention to the season you are traveling because the schedule can vary.
The bus leaves you at Montserrat cable car and funicular stops. To climb to the village, you will still have to take one of these options.
Going to Montserrat by train
Commuting to Montserrat by train from Barcelona is super easy. Here is what you have to do :
- Go to España metro station
- Find the train station
- Buy your ticket to Montserrat
- Onboard the train at the chosen time
Joining the station by metro
Below, you can check Barcelona metro map. The train to Montserrat is leaving from España metro station. I thought it was close to the metro, but I confirm it is INSIDE the metro station.
To go to España metro station, you can take the pink (L8), green (L3) or red (L1) lines.
Find the train station
Once inside the metro station, follow the orange sign to find the train station. I took a picture of it very quickly so the quality is very bad, but at least you have an idea :p.
You will have to walk about 5 minutes to reach the train station. There, you will find red machines to buy your tickets.
Buy your commute ticket to visit Montserrat
Many train tickets options are available. You can find the details of them at the end of this article in the section « Budget to visit Montserrat ». We chose the train + cable car option that cost us 23.50€. This option is nice because trains are leaving every hours from Barcelona, and similarly you have different time options to leave Montserrat at the end of the day.
Onboard the train at the chosen time
The train and funicular/cable car schedule change according to the season:
- Summer : from March to October
- Winter : from November to February
Basically, you have a train leaving Barcelona and going to Montserrat every hour, during winter and summer times. For more details about the train schedules, you can have a look here.
At the train station, you will find a Montserrat stand with the commute documentation available. I put it below to give you an idea. The Montserrat AERI is the cable car you have to take once arrived in train at Montserrat, the one taking you to the village. The other option is to take the funicular. If you choose this option you have to buy the correct ticket at the red machine, and check the related schedules.
Taking the cable car
The train leads you to Montserrat area. To go to the village, you still have to climb. Two options are offered :
- Funicular
- Cable Car (Aeri)
Your choice depends on your preference, because the cost of both options is almost the same.
What to do in Montserrat?
Montserrat Village
Montserrat Village visit is quick. The village is small and appart from the basilic and the museum, all you have to do is taking pictures are the different viewpoints. You may also need to come back there is you did not bring your lunch.
Even if it is small, the landscapes are unforgettable, so you may want to spend some time there. You should also know that it takes at least 1 hour to visit the museum, and one additional hour to entirely visit the basilic. Indeed, the most beautiful to see inside the basilic is the popular Virgin Mary, and… you will probably have to do a 1 hour queue to have the chance to see her face.
A Quick Visit to the Tourism Office
The first thing to do in Montserrat is… going to the tourism office. There you can find all the documentation and details about the different things to do, even if checking my article is probably teaching you a lot about the place :p.
The guide can help you choosing the best trek option for you, according to the time you have and your level.
Rest a bit at Santa Maria Place
Santa Maria place offers a nice view of the architecture surrounded by the rocks. It’s stunning ! If you cross the place, you will access (at the right on the picture), to the basilic.
Explore the Basilic Santa Maria
The Basilic was built in 1562 and restored at the end of the 19th century.
If you want to see the Virgin Mary, the access is located outside the basilic, on the right side. This is where the queue starts. The queue uses to be at least 1 hour, that’s why going there is probably the first thing you want to do in the morning before more people come.
Enjoy the view at Montserrat Village viewpoint
No need to start a trek to enjoy a stunning view! From the village, you just have to cross the bridge in the direction of the cafeteria to discover a beautiful landscape.
When crossing the bridge, you will have local vendors on your left. After the bridge, you arrive to a big building : the cafeteria. The viewpoint is located just behind and is accessible by taking the stairs. Go down and discover the unforgettable 360 degree view on both Montserrat village and the mountains.
Visit the Museum
The Museum is located in front of Santa Maria Basilic. The visit last 1 hour in average and the entrance fee is 8€. If you want to visit the museum, you should also have a look at the combined tickets. I put the details of it on the section « budget » at the end of the article.
Hiking in Montserrat
Of course, you are not only coming to Montserrat to visit the abbaye. The beauty of the place also comes from the different landscape you can observe hiking. 5 itineraries are available. You can check the Montserrat Abbaye map above to know where to start them, and the following documentation to know more about each of them.
Our Hike : Camí de Sant Miquel
The one we chose to do with my friend Row is Camí de Sant Miquel. It is a 40 minutes hike accessible by a path located on the left after the tourism office.
On the way, we could stop at the Mirador San Miquel, the best viewpoint to observe Montserrat abbaye !
Where to eat in Montserrat?
Inside Montserrat village, you have several shops and many individual vendors offering local products. The cheapest option is to eat at the cafeteria. Perfectly located, you can enjoy a calm lunch admiring the landscape. There, you have a perfect view of the mountains and the village.
How much does it cost to visit Montserrat from Barcelona?
Budget to go to visit Montserrat from Barcelona
Visiting Montserrat is free! But you still have to pay for your commute. Here are the options :
- Bus (only one per day) : 5€ one way + cost of the funicular/cable car to go to the village
- Taxi : approximately 60€ one way + cost of the funicular/cable car to go to the village
- Tren + cable car (one every hour until 7 pm) : 13€ one way & 23.50€ with the return included
- Tren + cable car FOR CHILDREN : 10€ one way & 20€ with the return included
You can buy the tickets at España metro station from red machines. To find them, enter the station and follow the orange sign that indicate the way to the train station.
Good to know, you an also buy combined tickets. They include the cost of the commute plus the cost of the different visits in Montserrat village.
Budget to eat in Montserrat
You have several coffee and a cafeteria in Montserrat village. But of course, it is expensive ! I bought a salade for almost 7€. Yes, I know, I should have brought mine haha. If you want to buy a sandwich, forecast at least 10€.
Well, I recommend not to forget your lunch with you. Therefore, you can enjoy a healthy and cheap lunch lost in the mountains and admire the landscapes at the same time =D .
Budget to visit Montserrat Area
Montserrat Museum
The museum entrance costs 8€. It is located in Montserrat village, in front of the tourism office.
The Top of Montserrat
After taking the first funicular/cable cabin to go to the village, you can, if you want to, take another funicular from the Monastery to reach the Top of Montserrat. It will cost you :
Funicular from the Monastery to the top of Montserrat
Single ticket: €9.10
Return ticket: €11.50
From Montserrat village you can also visit Santa Cova Cave. To go there, you need to take a funicular as well.
Santa Cova Cave
Another funicular to Santa Cova Cave is also available at the Montserrat Monastery. Here are the prices :
Funicular ride from the Monastery to Santa Cova Cave
Single ticket: €3.50
Return ticket: €5.50
Combined tickets
If you really want to do everything in Montserrat, you should know about combined tickets. Two options exist: the Trans Montserrat Ticket and the ToT Montserrat ticket.
Trans Montserrat Ticket
The Trans Montserrat Ticket is a combined option for all commutes including :
- Train to go to Montserrat AND to come back to Barcelona
- Commute in Funicular OR Cable cabin to go to Montserrat village and return as well
- Funicular to Top of Montserrat (go and return)
- Funicular to Santa Cova Cave (go and return)
- 2 free metro rides
This is a good option if you forecast to spend the day at Montserrat and visit all the different places accessible by funicular. The Trans Montserrat Ticket costs 35€.
TOT Montserrat Ticket
The TOT Montserrat Ticket is the all exclusive option. It basically includes ALL the different commutes quoted above in the Trans Montserrat Ticket, plus :
- A free lunch at the Montserrat Cafeteria
- Entrance to the Museum
With this option, you can relax and spend a comfortable day without waiting in a queue to buy tickets. The ToT Montserrat Ticket cost 50€.
I hope this article was useful for you. Are you planning to visit Montserrat? Leave you opinion about this destination in comments below 🙂