Take a journey to the spectacular heart of Catalonia on a day trip from Barcelona to Montserrat.
Highlights
Hidden Gems
- 'La Moreneta,’ the black Madonna of Montserrat
- Montserrat Museum
- The Monastery Choir
Tour Includes
- Expert local guide
- Private car and driver for the duration of your day
- In-Depth Visit to the 'Magic Mountain'
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ITINERARY
What To Expect On Your Tour
Learn the fascinating history of Montserrat with an expert guide
Nothing conjures up the spirit of Catalonia quite like the spectacular sight of the hilltop monastery of Montserrat, nestled in the mountains north of Barcelona. A fabulous landscape of rocky crags and limestone outcrops wreathed in verdant Mediterranean vegetation, Montserrat means ‘serrated mountain’ in Catalan, and as you make your way up the picturesque peak with its distinctive saw-like formations on our tour you’ll see why!
The Benedictine monastery itself appears as if carved from the living rock of the mountainside, founded way back in 1025 to commemorate an apparition of the Virgin Mary accompanied by the strains of holy music to local shepherds as they tended to their flocks on the isolated mountainside. On our Montserrat tour you’ll learn all about this miraculous vision that inspired a monastic community to make their home here, and how the monks are still here a millennium later. We’ll get the chance to explore the grounds of the monastery on our tour, admiring the majestic architecture that spans Renaissance-era cloisters and an elaborate 19th-century facade.
Make the journey from Barcelona to Montserrat in total comfort
Our Montserrat tour is the most convenient way to visit Catalonia’s Sacred mountain. A chauffeur and private car will pick you up at your hotel in the city in the morning, whisking you and your expert private guide off to Montserrat in total comfort. You’ll have our private car and driver at your disposal for the duration of your time with us, meaning that you won’t have to worry about transportation or any practical details and can focus on enjoying your tour.
Soaring an imposing 1,236 metres into the sky, the views from the upper reaches of Montserrat are truly spectacular: on a clear day the entire, vast sweep of the Catalonia countryside is visible from here, with breathtaking panoramas sweeping all the way to the distant island of Mallorca glittering in the Mediterranean sea. As we make our way through Montserrat’s rocky terrain your guide will give you the lowdown on the so-called ‘Magic Mountain,’ and why Montserrat holds such a special place in Catalan identity.
Visit the Basilica and gaze on the precious Moreneta Madonna
The Monestir de Montserrat has for centuries been one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage destinations; on our tour of Montserrat we’ll be heading inside the glittering basilica to meet La Moreneta (literally the Little Brown One), a wooden sculpture of the Madonna and child that is one of Spain’s most revered sacred images and a very example of a ‘black Madonna’. Tradition recounts that the sculpture dates from the earliest days of Christianity and was carved in Jerusalem, although modern scholarship dates La Moreneta from some time in the Middle Ages. This fabulous example of medieval craftsmanship has become an icon of the entire region, and the Virgin of Montserrat is venerated as the patron saint of Catalonia.
Montserrat is a renowned centre of sacred music, and on our tour you might be lucky enough to hear the monastery’s choir singing the Salve Regina and Virolai – the traditional anthem of Montserrat; visiting the monastery accompanied by the harmonious strains of the choir, it’s easy to understand why this place is venerated as one of Catalonia’s most holy places.
On our tour of the monastery of Montserrat there is also the option to take the funicular up and visit the complex’s museum (€8 per person), home to a surprisingly impressive collection of modern art and Catalan works. Encounter masterpieces by Miró, Dalí, Picasso, Chagall and many others, as well as works from the brushes of early modern masters like Caravaggio and Tiepolo.
Optional: Finish your day with a wine tour of Penedès
If you’d like to extend your time with us into a full day tour, then we’d be delighted to arrange for a tour of the Penedes wine producing region after lunch. The world-renowned Penedes region is the most important area for the production of Cava on earth, with more than 300 vineyards in operation across the zone.
We’ll travel deep into the countryside of this spectacular region, visiting a number of different wineries producing top-class cava, from traditional family-run ventures where methods have remained unchanged for generations to state-of-the-art modern wineries adopting cutting-edge technology. Our team will be happy to craft the perfect Cava wine tour in Penedes to suit your interests! Get in touch with us today to find out more.
Create Your Custom Journey
Our dedicated team is here to help you design the perfect trip. We’re happy to assist every step of the way.
