There are plenty of sights to visit right in Barcelona itself, but if you’re spending at least 3 or 4 days in the city, I’d definitely not miss out on a trip to Montserrat.

The Benedictine monastery lies about 50 km from Barcelona, set amidst an unusual rocky massif.

Most people come here for the basilica and the Black Madonna, but in my opinion, the surrounding countryside, the views and the short and full-day hiking trails are at least as interesting.

For a standard visit, plan for a day trip from Barcelona. Allow about 3 to 4 hours for the monastery itself, the museum and the immediate surroundings. If you take the Sant Joan cable car and go for a hike, you can easily spend the whole day here.

Compare trips to Montserrat from Barcelona

In most cases, I’d use Barcelona as a base for the trip. Read our tips on where to stay in Barcelona, or compare prices for all hotels straight away.

The monastery stands at an altitude of around 720 metres. Above it rises the highest peak of the Sant Jeroni mountain range, at an altitude of 1,236 metres.

The monastery, the basilica and the Black Madonna

The Montserrat Monastery is one of Catalonia’s most important places of pilgrimage. It was founded in 1025 by Abbot Oliba, but most of the present-day complex is considerably younger.

The monastery was severely damaged by Napoleon’s troops and rebuilt during the 19th and 20th centuries. The monastic quarters are not normally open to the public. Visitors mainly head for the basilica and the adjacent museum.

The greatest symbol of Montserrat is La Moreneta, a Romanesque statue of the Black Madonna dating from the late 12th century and the patron saint of Catalonia. You will see her high above the high altar. If you wish to get a closer look, you must climb up to the small chapel behind the altar and book a specific time slot.

The monastery’s current appearance dates from the 19th century, as the original monastery was destroyed by Napoleon’s troops. The oldest surviving part of the monastery is the Romanesque basilica.

Admission to the basilica and the Black Madonna

Visitors resident in any European Union country have free entry to the atrium, the basilica and the throne of the Black Madonna. This exemption does not apply to organised groups.

You do not need a booking for a standard visit to the basilica.

If you wish to go up directly to the Black Madonna, please select a free time slot in advance on the abbey’s booking website. You may be asked to show proof of identity or other proof of residence in the EU at the entrance.

People attending Mass or other religious services may also enter the basilica free of charge.

For individual visitors not resident in the EU, the following prices apply when booking online:

• 9 eur – the basilica and an audio guide
• 12 eur – the Black Madonna, the basilica and an audio guide
• 20 eur – the basilica, the museum, the audiovisual exhibition and the outdoor audio tour
• 23 eur – the same package plus a visit to the Black Madonna

Tickets purchased on the day are 1– 2 eur s more expensive than the selected option. During peak season and at weekends, please book your visit to the Black Madonna several days in advance.

• Official ticket sales

Opening hours

• Basilica – daily 7.00–20.00
• Throne of the Black Madonna – daily 8.00–10.30 and 12.00–18.25

Times may vary due to church services or special events. Please check the official Montserrat website before you visit.

The Escolania Boys’ Choir

One of the most memorable experiences can be a performance by the Escolania boys’ choir. However, do not plan your trip based solely on the general weekly timetable. The choir has school holidays, concert tours and other days when it does not sing at Montserrat.

They usually sing the Salve and Virolai from Monday to Friday at 1.00 pm and on Sundays at 12.00 pm. The traditional boys’ choir does not perform on Saturdays. Booking is essential for the most popular times.

You can find the specific programme for your day in the official Escolania calendar.

Montserrat Museum

Directly opposite the basilica, you can visit the Museu de Montserrat. It is not just a small monastery museum.

The collection comprises over 1,300 works, including paintings by El Greco, Caravaggio, Monet, Degas, Picasso and Dalí.

If you’re not particularly interested in art and mainly want to head into the mountains, I’d happily skip the museum. However, if you’re only planning to visit the monastery and the immediate surroundings, it’s worth a visit – allow at least an hour for it.

Admission fees and museum opening hours

The museum is open daily from 10.00 to 18.45.

• 11 eur – online ticket
• 12 eur – ticket purchased on the day

A separate admission ticket also includes access to the new immersive exhibition within the medieval walls. You can find the latest information on the museum’s official website.

Montserrat Nature Park

It would be a shame to visit Montserrat just for the monastery. The surrounding mountains are criss-crossed by a network of well-marked trails, and it is from these that the best views of the monastery and the bizarre rock towers can be enjoyed.

You can choose between a short walk and a hike lasting several hours:

• Camí dels Degotalls – an easy route with almost no elevation gain, 3.2 km and about 50 minutes
• Sant Miquel – a short scenic route, ideal even if you only have a few hours to spend on Montserrat
• Sant Jeroni – the most popular mountain hike to the highest point of the range; using the Sant Joan cable car, the route is 7 km long and takes around 2.5 hours

For Sant Jeroni and other mountain trails, wear sturdy footwear. The paths are signposted but typically lead over rocks, steps and steeper slopes. In summer, don’t underestimate the need for water and sun protection.

• Map of the main hiking trails on Montserrat
• Official route descriptions

Montserrat cable cars

Two cable car lines run from the monastery.

The ‘Santa Cova’ cable car is short and runs down from the monastery to the GR5.1 walking trail; it is not used very often.

In contrast, the “Sant Joan” cable car will be very useful, taking you high up into the mountains, where you can enjoy a number of signposted hiking trails.

Both cable cars are usually out of service every year during the second half of January.

You can find detailed information on the official websiteturistren.cat/montserrat-rack-railway-and-funiculars.

• Sant Joan
  • 11 eur – single ticket
  • 17 eur – return ticket
  • Frequency – every 8 to 12 minutes
• Santa Cova
  • 4,30 eur – single ticket
  • 6,60 eur – return ticket
  • Frequency – 15 to 20 minutes

Opening hours vary depending on the season. The first cable cars usually run at 10.00 and the last at 17.00 in winter, and at 18.00 in summer.

How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona

The most common way is to take the FGC train from Plaça Espanya and then either the Aeri cable car or the Cremallera rack railway.

Both options cost the same. The Aeri offers better views, whilst the Cremallera is more comfortable, has a larger capacity and is wheelchair-accessible.

Option	Journey time one way	Return fare	When to choose it
Train + Aeri	1 hour and 15 minutes	28,80 eur	The most beautiful views and a more memorable journey
Train + Cremallera	1.5 hours	28,80 eur	The most comfortable option, also suitable for pushchairs
Direct bus	1.5 hours	12,50 eur	The cheapest, but only runs once a day
Organised tour	5 to 9 hours for the full programme	from 40 eur	Don’t want to worry about tickets, changing trains or entrance fees
Car	1 hour	fuel and parking	You can connect Montserrat with other places in Catalonia

When purchasing a single FGC ticket for the first time, a charge may be added to the price 1 eur for a reusable T-mobilitat card.

Which option should I choose?

On my first visit, I’d take the Aeri cable car up. The journey takes just 5 minutes, but the views are far more interesting than those from the rack railway.

If you’re afraid of heights, travelling with a pushchair, in a wheelchair or during a busy weekend, choose the Cremaller. It has a much greater capacity and changing from the train is very straightforward.

If you want to try both options, take the Aeri up and the Cremallera down. In that case, don’t buy the standard return combined ticket; instead, buy separate tickets for each leg of the journey.

Train + Aeri cable car

This is the most scenic route. From the yellow cable car cabin, you’ll have the best views of the valley and the mountain range during the steep ascent.

1. At Plaça Espanya station, follow the signs for FGC trains and take the R5 line towards Manresa
2. Get off at Aeri de Montserrat station
3. Walk straight to the lower Aeri station and take the cable car up to the monastery

Trains from Barcelona usually run once an hour and the journey to Aeri takes about an hour. The cable cars run roughly every 15 minutes and the ride itself takes 5 minutes.

Make sure you get off at the right stop. Aeri de Montserrat is one stop before Monistrol de Montserrat. If you miss it, you’ll end up at the rack railway.

• FGC train, 4 zones – 6,90 eur one way or 13,80 eur for 2 journeys
• Aeri – 10 eur one-way or 15 eur return
• Total – 16,90 eur one-way or 28,80 eur return

You can buy a combined train and Aeri ticket from a ticket machine or at the FGC ticket office at Plaça Espanya.

When purchasing, please choose the Aeri option carefully, as the ticket for the Cremallera is not interchangeable.

You can buy a ticket for the Aeri alone via GetYourGuide for the same price as from the operator. An online ticket will save you from queuing at the ticket office, but does not guarantee priority when boarding the gondola.

On sunny weekends, queues may be longer, as each gondola can only hold 32 people.

Train + Cremallera rack railway

The Cremallera is the simplest and most reliable option. The entire journey from Barcelona to the monastery takes about 1.5 hours.

1. Take the FGC R5 train from Plaça Espanya towards Manresa
2. Get off at Monistrol de Montserrat station
3. Change to the green rack railway, which goes directly to the monastery

Trains from Barcelona usually run once an hour. The Cremallera timetable is designed to connect with these services. The journey to the monastery itself takes 15 to 20 minutes.

You can buy a combined ticket from the FGC ticket machines at Plaça Espanya or online via the Turistren website.

• 15,90 eur – a single ticket from Barcelona
• 28,80 eur – return ticket from Barcelona

The Cremallera and its stations are wheelchair-accessible. Compared to the Aeri, it also carries significantly more passengers, so I recommend it for families with children and for travelling at weekends or during the peak season.

Train + on foot

If you wish to walk up to the monastery, take the R5 train to Monistrol de Montserrat station, from where an approximately 8 km long, steep hiking trail leads up to the monastery.

For travellers of average fitness, the ascent takes around 3.5 hours, whilst the descent takes just under 3 hours.

All you need is a single-journey train ticket from Barcelona for 6,15 eur; alternatively, you can opt for a combination with the cable car or the rack railway.

• Map of the route from the Monistrol de Montserrat train station to the monastery

Is the Trans Montserrat or Tot Montserrat ticket worth it?

You can also buy tourist passes at Plaça Espanya station and online. They’re convenient, but not always cheaper than individual tickets.

Trans Montserrat – 50 eur

Includes:

• a Barcelona metro ticket
• return FGC train ticket
• a return ticket on the Aeri or Cremallera, whichever you prefer
• the Sant Joan and Santa Cova cable car, if operating
• a multimedia exhibition
• direct access to the basilica and the Black Madonna without the need for a separate booking

The Trans Montserrat ticket is particularly good value if you also wish to use the Sant Joan cable car.

If you’re only heading to the monastery, a standard return ticket for 28,80 eur is considerably cheaper.

Tot Montserrat – 71,50 eur

Includes everything from the Trans Montserrat package, plus:

• admission to the Montserrat Museum
• lunch at the self-service buffet restaurant

The Tot Montserrat ticket only makes sense if you would have bought the museum ticket and lunch separately anyway. Otherwise, I’d stick with the cheaper Trans Montserrat ticket or individual tickets.

You can buy both packages on the official Cremallera de Montserrat website, or via GetYourGuide for the same price – that’s where I always buy my tickets, as we partner with GYG. By purchasing through GetYourGuide, you’ll be supporting us a little, whilst the price remains the same for you. Thanks!

When you buy online, you’ll receive a voucher which you’ll need to exchange for tickets at the Montserrat Welcome Point counter at Plaça Espanya station. It’s open daily from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm.

Direct bus from Barcelona

The cheapest way to get to the monastery is by a direct bus operated by Autocars Julià. However, there’s only one service a day, so it offers very little flexibility.

• Barcelona Estación de Sants – departs at 9.15 am from Carrer de Viriat, next to Sants station
• Montserrat – departs at 17:00 from October to May
• Montserrat – departs at 18:00 from June to September
• Fare – 6,25 eur one-way

The bus is a good option for those who are mainly interested in visiting the monastery and taking a short walk. For longer hikes, the fixed return time is impractical.

Always check the timetable on theautocaresjulia.com website before travelling

Organised trip

An organised tour is more expensive than the train, but it can be well worth it when visiting Montserrat. You won’t have to look for the FGC station beneath Plaça Espanya, choose the right ticket or worry about catching the last train back.

The cheapest half-day trips start at around 40 eur, whilst full-day programmes often combine Montserrat with a visit to a winery, a cava tasting or lunch.

Before booking, be sure to check the following:

• whether the price includes entry to the basilica or to see the Black Madonna
• how much free time you’ll have without a guide
• whether you’ll travel all the way to the monastery by bus, or part of the way by the Cremallera
• exactly where in Barcelona the trip departs from

Choose a half-day or full-day trip to Montserrat

By car and parking

The journey from the centre of Barcelona takes about an hour, depending on traffic.

I wouldn’t hire a car just for Montserrat itself, but if you’re travelling around Catalonia for several days, it’s a convenient option.

You can park at three locations:

• right next to the monastery – a paid car park with limited capacity, which can fill up at weekends
• at the lower Aeri station – free parking; you then take the funicular to the monastery
• at Monistrol Vila station – a large free car park; continue to the monastery by Cremallera

If travelling by car during the peak season, I wouldn’t drive all the way up to the monastery. I’d park for free at Monistrol Vila and take the rack railway for the final stretch. The car park has a capacity of around 900 cars.

If you’d like to combine a visit to Montserrat with a road trip around Catalonia, compare car hire prices at Barcelona Airport.

Accommodation in Montserrat

You can easily visit Montserrat as a day trip. Staying overnight right by the monastery is mainly worthwhile if you want to experience the site early in the morning or in the evening when there are fewer visitors, or if you’re planning longer hikes.

Within the complex itself, you can choose from three different types of accommodation:

• Hotel Abat Cisneros Montserrat – a traditional hotel in a historic building right next to the basilica
• Alberg Abat Oliba – more affordable hostel rooms and apartments, suitable for families or groups
• Apartamentos Montserrat Abat Marcet – simple studios and flats with a kitchenette

A cheaper alternative down in the valley is Guilleumes Montserrat in Monistrol. The guesthouse is situated near the railway station, from where a rack railway runs up to the monastery.

Prices vary significantly depending on the time of year.

The Hotel Abat Cisneros usually starts at around 110 eur per night for two people; apartments and accommodation in Monistrol can be cheaper, particularly when travelling in a group.

If you don’t want to go on several hikes, I’d stick to accommodation in Barcelona. There’s a much wider choice, and the train to Montserrat leaves directly from the city centre.

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