Montserrat Tour from Barcelona: Day Trip Of Abbey & Mountain View

Montserrat tour with lunch

Marvel at the beauty of Monastery and it's monastery on this private tour which we have carefully crafted to showcase all the magic of this iconic Catalonian landmark.

Your journey begins in comfort and luxury with one of our friendly English-speaking drivers who ensures a smooth and scenic ride to the mountainside sanctuary. On arrival at the monastery, you are met by an official guide who will give you an expert, all-inclusive tour of Montserrat, full of all the details about its rich history and spiritual significance. You visit the basilica and have skip-the-line access to see the revered Black Madonna, a symbol of faith that has brought pilgrims worldwide for centuries.

You continue your tour with a visit to the Montserrat museum, which most other tours to Montserrat don't include. Its incredible collection of art and religious artefacts is well worth seeing and includes works by Caravaggio, Picasso, and Dalí, among others.

For lunch, we take you to a fantastic traditional Catalan restaurant surrounded by olive groves at the foot of Montserrat for a delicious three-course meal with wine.

Our definitive Montserrat tour promises an ideal day of culture, spirituality, and great food and wine—perfect for an unforgettable day in one of Catalonia's most treasured destinations.

Highlights

An all-inclusive tour of Montserrat with one of the monastery's expert official guides
Skip the line visits to the Basilica and Black Madonna
A guided tour of Montserrat's impressive museum, with artworks by Caravaggio, Picasso, Dali and Miro among others
Time to enjoy and capture Montserrat's iconic peaks and the stunning scenery
A delicious three-course Catalan lunch with wine at a restaurant surrounded by olive groves at the foot of Montserrat
Transport by luxury car or minivan with an English-speaking driver with pick up at your hotel or apartment

Discover more

What to look forward to on your private Montserrat tour

Find out some more about Montserrat and its history before you take our private wine tour from Barcelona

Montserrat Mountain

Montserrat means "serrated mountain" because when seen from a distance, its outline resembles the teeth of a saw. The mountain dominates the landscape around it and covers a large area, and there is evidence that people lived in Montserrat 12,000 years ago. The best way to explore the mountain is with a guide who can tell you about its history. We work with an expert mountaineer guide who is also a qualified guide for the monastery. If you spend a night at Montserrat, we can include a guided hike of the mountain for you in the morning.

This definitive Montserrat tour promises a seamless blend of culture, spirituality, and indulgence—perfect for those seeking an unforgettable day in one of Catalonia's most treasured destinations.

Santa Cova Chapel and the Legend of Montserrat

The funicular also runs below the monastery, down to the Santa Cova Chapel. The history of Montserrat begins with the story of the Santa Cova or Holy Cave. The legend states that in the year 880, a group of boys herding sheep at the foot of Montserrat saw a bright light and heard heavenly music coming from halfway up the mountain. Over the following weeks, they persuaded others to come, and on each Saturday, the spectacle repeated. The Bishop of Barcelona sent a group up the mountain to investigate, and they discovered a cave with the carved wooden statue of the Black Madonna inside it. In trying to bring her down the mountain, the group found that the further they went, the heavier the statue became, and it was impossible to proceed any further.

This was interpreted as a message from God saying that the Virgin's place was on the mountain, so they built a shrine and chapel for the statue at Santa Cova. The Black Madonna was eventually moved to the new monastery in the 11th century, and a copy was carved for Santa Cova.

Take the Cable Car to Montserrat

To get to Montserrat, we can either drive you to the monastery itself or drop you off at the cable car that ascends the mountain. Taking the cable car up gives you fantastic views of the mountain and gets you up close to its unique geology. Halfway up, you pass the Santa Cova and its chapel on your left. If you are lucky, you may see Spanish mountain goats, a large animal with impressively big horns.The Hermitages of Montserrat

The hermitages of Montserrat

Hidden all over Montserrat are 15 hermitages and chapels, which were used from early Christian times up to the early 19th century, when the hermits were evicted or killed during the Peninsula War.

The life of a hermit was not easy, and they had to follow stringent rules. The day started at 1:45 am when each hermit rang a bell to call in the new day. They were not allowed to communicate with anyone or leave their hermitages for more than 15 minutes daily. The rest of the time was spent in prayer and work, and a mule delivered food from the monastery twice a week. The tradition was reintroduced in the 1960s by Fathers Estanislau and Basisli, but now there are no longer any hermits on Montserrat mountain. It's possible to visit all 15 hermitages on one of our walking tours of Montserrat.

The St. Joan Funicular Railway

The easiest way to the top of Montserrat is by the St Joan funicular, or rack railway. The funicular takes you from the monastery up to the Pla de les Taràntules, where you have great views of the monastery and most of Catalonia. If you'd like to explore further, there is a 35-minute hike from the Pla de les Taràntules to the peak of St. Jerome, or you can take a route to some of the hermitages built on Montserrat.

How to book your private Montserrat tour from Barcelona

Booking your private Montserrat tour from Barcelona with us is easy. Simply contact us by filling out the contact form on this page, and we’ll get back to you promptly. You can also reach us via WhatsApp or call to speak with one of our friendly team members. If you’d like more information or would like us to tailor your tour, we’re happy to arrange a call at a time that suits you.