Montserrat
A magical mountain for the believers and a true delight for the hikers
Barcelona is a wonderful city, we all know that: It is a destination worth choosing several times in life, as it offers a friendly and exciting atmosphere, a vibrant nightlife, great food and beautiful beaches. Even if you're not much into city tourism, or sightseeing is not your main goal when travelling, this Mediterranean city is incredibly fit for a summer vacation. Or a winter vacation, as it isn't cold at all!
But not everybody knows that Barcelona is also in a privileged location. And why? Well, the city is surrounded by mountain and seaside, so you can explore many different landscapes. And, for mountains, yes, the Tibidabo is the closest one, and the preferred destination for the hikers, but there is a very unique option not so far from the city: the mountain of Montserrat, probably the most characteristic mountain of the region of Catalonia, and also deeply attached to its traditions and imaginary. In Montserrat you will also find the Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat, as well as the Virgin of Montserrat, one of the few black madonnas in Europe.
In the following lines, you will be able to learn more about such a special place, one of the best day trips that you can choose to make when visiting Barcelona. This city has very special surroundings, and Montserrat is quite the proof of that.
The Mountain of Montserrat
The mountain of Montserrat is a multi-peaked range of an eminently rocky nature, which is located in the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range, one of the two mountain ranges that follow the Mediterranean seaside. Montserrat has a very particular shape, as its many peaks look somewhat rounded in some points and resemble fingers from some perspectives. The many peaks can also remind you of a saw ?in fact, that image is in the very same name of the mountain: "Montserrat" means, in Catalan, "serrated mountain" (and it is also a female name in the same language!). Its a beautiful, natural place, and if you decide to hike there, you may be lucky enough to see some of the fauna that populates the area, such as the toad, the eagle, the wild boars and wild goats, as well as owls, bats and several kinds of beautiful birds.
The unique shape of the mountain of Montserrat placed it in the Catalan imaginary, and created a strong link between the mountain and its history and traditions. The mountain has always been strongly linked to spirituality ?it is in no way casual that the abbey is there. There is even a legend that says that the image of the Virgin of Montserrat was found in the Sacred Cave. The legend says that, in year 880, some shepherds saw a light coming down from the sky, as they heard a beautiful tune. It was a Saturday. The following Saturday, the same thing happened, and it kept taking place every week, at the same moment. The bishop heard about it, and then the sacred image was found in the cave. It is said that the bishop wanted to take the vision to Manresa, the closest important town, but it became so heavy that it had to stay there -and thus a chapel was built, and later an abbey. This vision the shepherds had so many years ago has lived on until today, as the mountain of Montserrat has a reputation of being magical. The locals claim to see weird and shiny lights that pass by and disappear. The monks of the abbey have no explanation for them, and they are part of the mystery of this magical place.
But the magic doesn't end here. Many different things have been claimed about the mountain of Montserrat. Some say the Holy Grail is hidden in the core of the mountain ?Hitler himself was convinced of it, and sent Heinrich Himmler to look into it when he visited with Franco in 1940. Others say that it's a good place for UFO sighting, and a group of believers gathers there the 11th of every month since the 70s. And other legends talk about a secret connection to Agharta, the underground kingdom of the gods, or about a portal to Atlantis.
But let's now go to the facts. There are many beautiful churches and chapels in the mountain of Montserrat, some of them abandoned. The expert hikers can collect beautiful images and memories from this spiritual, beautiful and magnificent place. The mountain of Montserrat stands out in what looks as a plain, even if it's not very high (its highest peak, Sant Jeroni, is 1,236 metres high). But its finger-like rocks are vey difficult to forget. Maybe, those who spend enough time there will be lucky enough to also see some of the mysterious lights.
The Abbey of Montserrat
Close to the top of the Mountain of Montserrat you will find a Benedictine abbey from the 10th century, that is the home of over 150 monks. The abbey, called Santa Maria de Montserrat, is a real landmark for the spiritual life of Catalonia, and also a place of retreat. The building has several parts, one of them dedicated to host pilgrims and visitors. The abbey is of great architectural value, and has been remodelled many times. Its cloisters are a work of architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of the most important architects of Catalan Modernisme. You sure know another one of his buildings: the Casa Amatller, located right next to Gaudí's Casa Batlló.
In the Santa Maria de Montserrat abbey, you will also be able to see the Virgin of Montserrat, known as the "Moreneta", a black madonna that has a special place in the hearts of Catalan believers.
What to visit in Montserrat
Of course, nature is the main attraction for anybody who decides to go to Montserrat. However, the unique mountain is not just a destination for the hikers, as the views from the top are wonderful and you don't even need to climb much to get there. As you will see in the next section of this article, both hiking or using the railway from Monistrol de Montserrat will allow you to enjoy the astounding views of the area. Of course, you will enjoy nature more if you hike, but there is plenty to see up the mountain too!
- The Sanctuary of Montserrat: You can buy Montserrat online tickets to get to know the fascinating history of the abbey, as well as the architecture and the spaces of the place. These Montserrat online tickets cost 11 euros (although there are discounts for students, children, the elderly and groups; and are free for children younger than 8 years) and include an audio-guide in several languages, a map and a little book with information. You will be able to visit the Basilica, the Sacred Cave, the Via Crucis and the path of the Degotalls.
- Santa Cecília de Montserrat: A short drive away from the abbey (of course, you can also walk there), you will find... another abbey! We're referring to the beautiful Santa Cecília de Montserrat, which includes a chapel from the 11th century that was restored by Puig i Cadafalch, and where you can nowadays see art as well; currently the works of contemporary artist Sean Scully. You can buy Montserrat online tickets for this with GowithOh as well.
- The Museum of Montserrat: Yes there is also a Museum! there, you will be able to see impressionist paintings by artists as important as Monet, Degas or Sisley, and many pieces from Catalan Modernisme by Mir, Casas and Russinyol. You will also find a representation of the avant-garde of the 20th century, with names as important as Picasso, Dalí, Tàpies or Scully. The Montserrat online tickets are 8 euros, and free for children younger than 14. Besides, they include a guided visit that can be in English.
- The fair of artisanal products: If you're lucky enough, you can find an artisanal fair next to the abbey, where you will be able to buy some artisanal and yummy products, like cheesecakes and charcuterie, especially fuet and llonganissa, typical dried meat from Catalonia.
Montserrat online tickets & other useful information
If you want to visit Montserrat, you can buy your Montserrat online tickets with GowithOh! There are different combinations, as you may want to arrive right to the top of the mountain, where the monastery is, or to one of the villages that you will find before and hike from there. You can also buy Montserrat online tickets to the Monastery, the museum and other attractions that you will find there, as you saw before. But now, let's talk about getting there!
The brave ones can get there on foot, as there are several hiking routes that you can take, from Monistrol de Montserrat and from Collbató. There are three different routes from Monistrol and two from Collbató, which are all marked in different colours so you don't get lost. However, you will need to get to one of those two villages first, and for that, you will need to buy Montserrat online tickets for transportation. You will have to take one of the trains belonging to the FGC network, that is, the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya. The line needed is R5, which communicates Barcelona with the town of Manresa and starts in Plaça Espanya.
Once you arrive to Monistrol de Montserrat, you can decide to hike to the top or you can take another railway, which will also allow you to enjoy the views as it takes you right to the abbey. You can buy Montserrat online tickets for all of these with GowithOh!
Are you ready to visit Montserrat? Don't forget to tell us about your experience in the comments. Especially if they involve magic!
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4 hours
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2.562.548
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9 - 17:45 h
