Visiting Montserrat: Planning a day trip from Barcelona in 2026
Montserrat high atop the mountain. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
Updated: September 4, 2026
Montserrat is a perfect short day trip after a few days taking in the sights in Barcelona. It’s an easy trip from Barcelona by mass transit, car, or tour. The views are breathtaking, and you can see many parts of the Spanish countryside.
What is Montserrat?
Montserrat is a beautiful mountain range in Catalonia, Spain. The word Montserrat means “saw mountain,” and that’s exactly what the unique terrain looks like.
Tucked into the top of the mountain range is Santa Maria de Montserrat, a Benedictine monastery. One of the monastery's main attractions is the Virgin of Montserrat, a rare Black Madonna.
For many people, a day trip to Montserrat is a religious experience; for others, it is a day of serious hiking; and for others, it’s a chance to see a beautiful church and take in fantastic views.
Add in the scenic cable car ride to the monastery, and you’ve got a great day.
The cable car to Montserrat.
How do I get to Montserrat?
You have a number of ways to get to Montserrat - train, bus, rental car, or a tour. On a recent trip, we chose the train and it was easy.
Train and cable car to Montserrat
| Feature | Aeri (Cable Car) | Cremallera (Rack Railway) |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Thrill seekers and photographers | Comfort and those afraid of heights |
| Travel time | 5 minutes | 15 minutes |
| The view | Vertical, dramatic suspension | Panoramic, winding mountain views |
| Boarding | Steep stairs to the platform | Level boarding, wheelchair accessible |
The train leaves Plaça Espanya in Barcelona, which is a very short Metro ride from most of the tourist areas.
From Plaça Espanya you’ll take the R5 line to Aeri de Montserrat. The train leaves once every hour. We purchased tickets from the vending machine but it’s probably better to purchase them online ahead of time. You can purchase a combination ticket for the R5 train and cable car, which costs about €23.
It takes an hour to arrive at the base of Montserrat; from there, you’ll take the cable car to the monastery.
If cable cars aren’t your thing, there is a rack railroad that climbs the side of the mountain. All the ticketing options above apply, just pick the rack railroad instead. It will be the stop after the cable car on the R5 line.
The most economical way to experience all the fee attractions at Montserrat (except the boys’ choir) is to buy the combination ticket. It includes entry to the basilica, timed viewing of the Black Madonna, the Museum of Montserrat, the audio-visual exhibit, and the open air museum.
Visiting Montserrat by car
If you are comfortable driving in Spain, it takes about an hour to reach the base of Montserrat. From there you’ll need to take the cable car to the top.
Tot Montserrat ticket
For $82, you can purchase access to many Montserrat attractions. We didn’t purchase it because we already had Metro cards and didn’t plan on using the funiculars to go higher up the mountain. We also weren’t planning on visiting the museum.
Here’s what’s included in the Tot Montserrat ticket:
Round-trip train ticket from Barcelona-Plaça Espanya to Montserrat.
Round-trip ticket on the cable car or rack railroad.
Use of the Sant Joan and Santa Cova funiculars.
Entrance to the audiovisual exhibit "Montserrat behind closed doors".
Admission to the Montserrat Museum
Timed Black Madonna ticket
A meal in the self-service/coffee shop at Montserrat.
| ToT Montserrat | Barcelona metro, train to and from Montserrat, cable car or rack railway, funiculars, Basilica, Black Madonna, Museum, buffet lunch | From USD $82 Book here |
| TransMontserrat | Barcelona metro, train to and from Montserrat, rack railway, funiculars | From USD $54 Book here |
| Combination ticket | Timed entry for the Black Madonna, Basilica, Montserrat Museum, and Audiovisual Space. No transportation. | From USD $23 Book here |
Pro tip - If you are visiting on a busy day, consider taking the Rack Railway (Cremallera) on your return trip down to the Monistrol de Montserrat station instead of the cable car. You’ll then board the R5 train one stop earlier than the cable car crowd. This will almost guarantee a seat for the hour-long ride back to Barcelona.
Take a guided tour to Montserrat from Barcelona
If you’d rather let a professional handle all the travel logistics, there are plenty of guided tour options from Barcelona.
Here’s a look at a very highly rated Montserrat small-group half-day trip:
Round transfer from the center of Barcelona to the Monastery via an air-conditioned private vehicle.
Early-access admission to beat the crowds.
45 minutes small group guided tour
2 hours to explore at your own pace.
Book the guided tour here
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Inside the basilica. The Black Madonna is barely visable in the bright spot above the altar.
Black Madonna Montserrat
The Black Madonna was believed to have been carved in Jerusalem and is now on display high atop the altar in the basilica. In 1881, Pope Leo XIII proclaimed Our Lady of Montserrat the patroness of Catalonia. Aside from the monastery's natural beauty, visiting the Black Madonna is the main reason many people visit Montserrat.
You’ll now need a timed ticket to view the Black Madonna up close.
There was a long line to go up the stairs to visit the statue, so we chose to view it from a distance inside the basilica.
The boy's choir of Montserrat
The Montserrat Boys Choir is one of Europe's oldest choirs. Documentation of the choir dates back to the 14th century. It’s composed of 50 boys aged 9 to 14 years old from the surrounding area.
The choir sings the Salve and Virolai at 1 pm Monday through Friday, and on Sundays it sings during the 11 am conventual Mass, which is a separate event from the weekday performance.
It doesn't sing on Saturdays, which is when we happened to visit, so we'll have to come back to hear it.
The schedule shifts around religious holidays and the choir's own calendar, and there's a long summer break, so check the official Escolania calendar for your date before you build your visit around it.
- Saturdays are dark. The choir does not perform on Saturdays.
- Daily times. Monday to Friday at 1:00 PM, and Sundays at 12:00 PM.
- Reservations required. You need a timed entry ticket in advance to enter the Basilica for the performance.
- Seasonal breaks. The choir takes a break during most of July and parts of August and January.
What is the dress code for the Montserrat Monastery?
A dress code is enforced inside the Basilica: both men and women must have their shoulders and knees covered. Avoid tank tops, strapless shirts, sandals, and flip-flops, which are also discouraged inside the religious spaces. A scarf can help for easy coverage.
Also, a light jacket can come in handy for cooler mountain weather.
Montserrat Museum
In 1811, the monastery was burned down by Napoleon’s troops, so everything at the museum is from newly acquired collections.
The Museum of Montserrat contains six very different collections. The museum has 1,300 pieces. The oldest is an Egyptian sarcophagus from the 13th century BC. You’ll notice works by famous artists like Picasso, Dalí, and Caravaggio.
Admission to the museum is €12 for adults, with reduced rates for students, seniors, and children, and it may cost a little less if you book online in advance. The entrance is right outside the basilica entrance, and audio guides are available too.
Hiking at Montserrat
Montserrat hiking paths at a glance:
The nuance. The flat, quieter path that follows the mountain's contour, good for escaping the crowds near the monastery.
Pro tip. It ends at a viewpoint lined with ceramic monuments, one of the best effort to view payoffs on the mountain.
The nuance. A paved path down to the Holy Cave. The walk down is easy, but the return is a steady uphill climb.
2026 note. Even with the funicular, plan on about 40 minutes of walking on inclines that can be hard on the knees.
The nuance. The summit hike, a 3.5 to 4 hour outing with more than 800 stone steps near the top.
Pro tip. Take the Sant Joan funicular to the trailhead to skip the long climb up from the monastery.
Montserrat has numerous hiking trails. You’ll see people with serious hiking gear, so you know the trails are great.
Sant Jeroni is the highest point on Montserrat, with 360-degree views across Catalonia and, on a clear day, all the way to the Pyrenees.
There are two common ways up, and they are very different.
From the top of the Sant Joan funicular, it's roughly 3.5 km (about 2.2 miles) each way with only around 260 meters (850 feet) of climbing, which most people find moderate.
From the monastery, the direct route is roughly 3.9 km (about 2.4 miles) each way with around 516 meters (1,690 feet) of climbing, which is much more demanding.
Longer circular versions of the hike run closer to 6.4 miles (about 10.3 km) with more elevation still. The climb, not the distance, is what tells you how hard it will be, so pick your route with that in mind.
The approximately 2-mile-long Santa Cova Trail leads to the Santa Cova (Holy Grotto), where the Black Madonna was traditionally discovered. It’s one of the most meaningful walks on the mountain.
Large sculptures along the trail depict the “mysteries of the Rosary”. The sculptures help guide hikers from the monastery to the Holy Grotto. Noted artists, including Antoni Gaudí, created the sculptures.
You can also take the Santa Cova funicular if you'd like a shorter hike. As with the Sant Joan funicular, schedules change, and they close for annual maintenance, so check the official site for your travel date.
Sant Miquel’s Cross (1 1/2 miles round-trip) is another popular hike that brings you to a beautiful spot looking back on the monastery and the surrounding mountains. The cross marked one of the first panoramic lookouts pilgrims reached before modern transport existed.
This is one of the easiest hikes in Montserrat and suits most people.
If you are interested in more info on hiking Montserrat, check out this book: The Ultimate Montserrat Hiking Guide: 15 Essential Trails, from Gentle Walks to Montserrat's Wildest Corners
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Starway to Heaven sculpture overlooking the beautiful view
Stairway to Heaven
The Stairway to Heaven is a series of concrete blocks arranged in a pattern overlooking the valley below. As you can imagine the beautiful but dangerous location had Instagrammers flocking there for photos, and now there is a fence surrounding the steps. Since it’s centrally located Stairway to Heaven is absolutely worth a stop to take in the view.
Where to eat at Montserrat
We opted for the cafeteria for lunch. There was a wide variety of food, but it was pretty basic. The seating area was very large, but there was only one line for food, so it could get very long.
The other restaurant, Abat Cisneros Montserrat, is much nicer. Abat Cisneros is part of the Hotel Abat Cisneros building. The dining room served as a stable in the 16th century and has a wonderful arched ceiling. The stone dining room seats up to 120 diners, while the pink room holds another 100.
You can make reservations here.
Staying overnight at Montserrat
While most people visit Montserrat as a day trip, you can also stay overnight at Hotel Abat Cisneros Montserrat. Just like everything at Montserrat, the hotel is old, dating to 1563.
Staying at the hotel allows you to explore without large groups of tourists. Staying at the top of the mountain lets you enjoy spectacular sunsets and sunrises. The rooms have a television and wifi. Definitely plan ahead and make reservations as soon as possible.
You can make Montserrat hotel reservations here.
About the Authors
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John and Debbie O'Boyle are the team behind The Empty Nest Explorers. John is a professional photographer whose work has been published by The New York Times, NBC News, and Getty Images. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers, has been part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team, and has received two New York Emmy nominations. Debbie is a writer and photographer with 30+ years of experience, formerly with The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. Together, they create in-depth travel guides for couples and empty-nest travelers who want to make the most of every destination. |
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