Montserrat is a mountain, a unique Natural Park, and a massive rock over 4000 feet high, visible for miles, with unique shapes and rounded peaks that jut into the sky; there are paths, stairs, caves, chapels and hermitages scattered over the mountain, extraordinary landscapes and wonderful views.
Montserrat is a Benedictine monastery nearly 1000 years old, perched halfway up the mountain, and sheltered by its peaks. There is a basilica with the Chapel of Our Lady of Montserrat known as La Moreneta, the patron saint of Catalonia, and a presence strongly felt and revered. The community of monks also runs a boys' school devoted to the study of music.
Montserrat is culture: a library of nearly 300,000 volumes; the oldest boys' choir in Europe; a basilica full of paintings, gold lamps and decorated chapels, a museum with paintings by El Greco, Picasso and Dalí among many others and treasures from ancient Egypt.
TOUR DETAILS
Picturesque Drive: along the Llobregat River to the foot of the spectacular Montserrat mountain (its name means serrated, a reference to its jutting peaks), a natural park, and then up to the Sanctuary 725m (2380 feet) above sea level. Your guide will entertain you with tales, history, and legends of the mountain, the monastery, and the shrine. The return journey will be an alternative route accompanied by recordings of a variety of traditional Catalan music.
Montserrat Monastery: upon arrival to Montserrat, your guide will give you a tour to the main places of interest: monastery, basilica, a museum with a marvelous collection of paintings, Stations of the Cross, as well as bars, restaurants, shops and home products market.
Montserrat Basilica: the tour guide will provide the comment outside the basilica and show you Our Lady’s Chapel with the 12th Century figure of Our Lady of Montserrat.
At the end of the tour, you will have some free time to explore the area at your own pace.