A Solo Traveller's Montserrat Barcelona Guide

Few places evoke feelings of awe and absolute bliss, so when I visited Catalonia's stunning rocky mountain range, I knew that I had to write this Montserrat Barcelona guide — from the perspective of a solo female traveller.

This guide includes my personal experience of the "serrated mountain", what I did there, how to get to Montserrat from Barcelona, and much more. Find out why you too should go there and why anyone (whether you are spiritual or not) will leave Montserrat feeling transformed.

Montserrat Barcelona Guide: An Introduction

If you are planning an upcoming trip to the sunny capital of Catalunya, Barcelona, then you've likely thought about including Montserrat in your itinerary.

While there are many activities to do in Barcelona and if this is your first time travelling there, you may need more time to include Montserrat in your plans.

However, I strongly encourage you to squeeze it in! But what is Montserrat anyway and why is this place of such vast importance for the people of Catalunya? 

Montserrat or the "serrated mountain" or "saw mountain" is a magnificent rocky mountain range in Northeastern Spain, Catalonia known for its unique, jagged appearance and cultural significance.

Namely, Montserrat is an icon of Catalonia, and a spiritual place visited by around two million people per year.

Climbing the stairs

Some visitors come to the serrated mountain to bask in the beauty of the Spanish countryside — others embark on a pilgrimage to express appreciation to the Santa Maria de Montserrat, a legendary Benedictine monastery, and the Virgin of Montserrat (or La Moreneta), one of Europe's black madonnas. 

What is Montserrat in Barcelona Known For?

If you visit the Montserrat monastery at 13:00, you will also have the chance to listen to the performance of the renowned Basilica choir boys that have recorded more than 100 albums of Gregorian chants and various other religious choral music genres.

These performances can be heard for free in the Basilica every day, except July and Christmas holidays.

Here is an interesting fact about Montserrat in Barcelona. Firstly, it is said that Montserrat is a place of mystery and "visions".

As the story goes, in 880, a group of children witnessed a beam of light plummet from the sky in the mountains of Montserrat. Simultaneously, the children heard the song of angels - the angelic music brought pure joy to their hearts.

At first, the parents weren't buying into these tales. However, when the parents began to witness the same phenomena, a local vicar was rushed to the scene.

It was all set. Religious elders explored the place where the visions are said to have occurred — this was a cave on the mountain.

La Morena

Lo and behold, an image of the madonna was discovered. From there on, the cave was considered a holy sanctuary for pilgrims around the world. 

How Do I Get From Barcelona to Montserrat?

Taking a day trip to Montserrat from Barcelona in Spain is a piece of cake. The monastery is located approximately 60 kilometres from the city of Barcelona.

You are presented with a few transportation options, which include:

• Driving there with a car

• Hopping on a train

• Taking a guided tour and travelling with a bus

If you like to plan out your own trips and have full flexibility, you may want to rent a car and drive to either Monistrol de Montserrat or Aeri de Montserrat. 

Alternatively, buy a train ticket from Barcelona's Plaça Espanya to Aeri de Montserrat. Grab the R5 line which takes you to the town just below the monastery. The trip will take around an hour. Tickets for a round-trip will cost €11.50. After this, you will need to buy a round-trip ticket to get to the monastery up Montserrat via a cable car. This ticket costs €12.

Another thing you can do is to go by train from Barcelona's Plaça Espanya to Monistrol de Montserrat, and this will cost €11.50. Next, you will need to book the cogwheel train or Cremallera to reach the monastery. Tickets for a round-trip add up to €12.

If you value convenience and you want to leave the organization to the professionals, go with a guided tour from Barcelona city to Montserrat. All of the tickets are included. All that's left is to relax and marvel at the spectacular views while enjoying your tour guide's storytelling skills.

My Experience at Montserrat as a Solo Female Traveller

I wanted to write this Montserrat Barcelona guide from the point of view of a solo female traveller because I haven't come across many articles that focus on the same thing. So, here's how my day at Montserrat went down. 

Firstly, I booked a guided half-day tour to Montserrat from Barcelona via the Viator website. The tour included tapas and gourmet wines that I enjoyed with my group after sightseeing. If you are looking for a good guided tour, I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

The tour guide was knowledgeable and super funny — he entertained the entire crew with interesting anecdotes and personal viewpoints about what he believed happened behind the scenes of the legends. Here's a brief overview of what my day looked like.

The trip to Montserrat started from the North train station in Barcelona, early in the morning (if I can recall well, it was around seven in the morning).

After checking in on the first floor (the agency will send you detailed instructions), I went to the parking area where the bus was already waiting.

Right off the bat, I met some cool people, including a young British guy, a couple from Texas, and the local tourist guide Pol. We exchanged contact numbers (just in case), went through the itinerary for the day, and set off to Montserrat.

The journey to Montserrat from Barcelona was interesting in itself. Pol entertained us with stories and a historical overview of Barcelona, Catalunya's capital.

As we approached the mountain, I could catch a glimpse of the rugged appearance that makes Montserrat so special. I was baffled! Nevertheless, the view from the top is what really left me without words. Check out the photo I took below.

Montserrat

The group continued to follow Pol as he dived deeper into the history of the monastery and the black madonna. He also mentioned that there were supposed "alien sightings" in the area, which made me feel excited and even more interested in the mountain range.

While the person who apparently witnessed the extraterrestrial life force may have just been under the influence of popular drugs, I like to keep an open mind.

Anyway, after the tour of the monastery, Pol presented us with a few options.

We could go check out the museums (there is a lot of impressive artwork), take a hike to the peak of Montserrat, climb the stairs and enter a "forest-like" side of the mountain, or shop for local cheeses and other produce. I decided to go up the stairs.

Well, it was a real workout! Considering that I wasn't dressed for the occasion (wearing boots with heels), I was proud of myself for successfully climbing up.

Time flew by, and before I knew it, the group gathered again.

It was time to visit a nearby winery and head to tapas and wine tasting. How exciting! If you don't already know, I am a major foodie and a wine connoisseur. So, you can imagine how enlivened I felt! The winery we visited was Oller del Mas. 

Beautiful Wine Yard

The Viator tour I went on is perfect for a solo traveller. Since you go with a small group (we were eight), it is easier to meet people.

I also liked that we ended the Montserrat tour with a visit to the winery, as it was the perfect chance to wind down and get to know the group members while tasting delicious wine and tapas.

Spanish tapas

The price is around 100 euros, and it is not the cheapest option available. However, the value you get is well worth it, and I would choose this tour again.

Is Montserrat Worth Visiting from Barcelona?

Yes, absolutely. Just type in “Montserrat in Barcelona” into a search engine, and see for yourself. Hopefully, I will return again.

I hope this Montserrat Barcelona guide convinced you to see the serrated mountain for yourself. Let me know how you liked it.