Montserrat Mountain & Royal Basilica Full Day

Board a coach from our office in Barcelona to the magical mountain of Montserrat. Famous for its peculiar morphology, its name comes from the Catalan words Mont (mountain) and Serrat (serrated). World-famous for its rocky geography, Montserrat beautiful scenery was declared National Park in 1987 to protect its natural and cultural wealth.

Follow your local guide through the site and learn about the history and architectural style of the Monastery. A community of 80 monks currently lives and follow the rule of Saint Benedict in Montserrat. Fall in love with the Gothic and Renaissance details of the basilica and sanctuary. Learn about the legend of the miraculous apparition of the Madonna and Child in the cave of Santa Cova. To this day, their woodcarving is kept in the Church of the monastery, which you will be able to visit later. The figure is popularly known as La Moreneta (The Black Madonna) as a result of a varnish reaction.

When you arrive in Montserrat, we will take you on a guided tour around the Monastery and you will enjoy a walking tour to the viewpoint of the Saint Michael Cross. At 1.00pm you will listen to la Escolania (subject to their schedule), one of the oldest Boys’ Choir in Europe, and after that you will enjoy a private guided tour in the Sacristy. At the end of the guided tour, you can skip the line and visit the Black Madonna.

After the guided tour, you will have free time. You can shop for locally produced treats, have lunch, visit the audio-visual exhibition, visit the museum (entrance not included) or taste the finest liquors made in the region. Besides the main area, there are a great number of small churches and trails you can hike to.

Highlights:

• Montserrat Museum: wide variety of archeological artworks from medieval times to avant-garde style. Entrance fee not included on the tour. ₋
• Funicular of Sant Joan and funicular of Santa Cova: use the Sant Joan funicular to enjoy the panoramic views or reach the cave of La Santa Cova to see the original place of the apparition.
• Hiking routes: although there are plenty of trails to follow, we recommend you to reach the cross of Sant Miquel (approximately 15 minutes from the monastery) as it offers one of the best views of the area.