Home > Barcelona > Montserrat Monastery and Natural Park Hiking Tour from Barcelona
USD $71.00
Montserrat Monastery and Natural Park Hiking Tour from Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
Discover magnificent Montserrat and the Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat on this day trip from Barcelona. Visit the monastery, one of Spain’s most important pilgrimage sites, with an expert guide. See the famous 12th-century carving, Our Lady of Montserrat, also known as La Moreneta (the Dark One), and listen to the children's choir. Then, enjoy a scenic ride on the glass-bottomed St Joan funicular railway before exploring the trails in Montserrat Natural Park. Numbers limited to 15 people, ensuring a small-group experience.
Meet your expert guide at the prearranged meeting point in central Barcelona. Then, hop inside your air-conditioned transfer vehicle and relax on the journey to Montserrat, a wondrous, craggy mountain that towers over the city. As you travel, listen to your guide share fascinating stories about the region and its history.
Make your first stop at Santa Maria de Montserrat, the mountain’s Benedictine abbey and one of Spain’s most important pilgrimage sites. Explore the site with your guide, and see the 12th-century polychrome wooden carving of Our Lady of Montserrat, commonly known as La Moreneta (the Dark One).
Next, walk to the St Joan funicular railway, where panoramic bird’s-eye views of the mountain and monastery await. Board the glass-bottomed funicular and have your camera ready to capture the stunning sights. On clear days, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the whole of Catalonia.
Following your scenic ride, arrive in the magnificent Montserrat Natural Park. Set off along one of the many paths to marvel at the views and enjoy the unspoiled beauty. There are routes to suit all preferences and energy levels, from strenuous treks to gentle strolls.
After around an hour hike back to the monastery, where you’ll listen to the beautiful songs of La Escolania, one of the oldest children’s choirs in all of Europe.
When the time comes, hop back inside your air-conditioned transfer vehicle and return to Barcelona, where your tour concludes back at the original departure point.
Please note: A minimum of two people per booking is required.
This is one of my favorite tours when visiting Barcelona. Flavio was such an amazing tour guide!! The trip started with an hour ride to Montserrat where we then took a funicular to the top of the mountain to hike down the mountain of Montserrat. Along the way, my friend and I took many beautiful pictures of the scenery. I would consider this to be a light hike since you are descending down the mountain. You are not walking uphill once. I would recommend you to wear good sneakers. If you have any knee issues/injuries, this part of the tour might be difficult for you since some of the descent might be steep. There will be a part of the hike where you will get a visit a monumental cross. In order to get there, it is a 5-minute hike downhill off the main path to see it and in order to get back, you will have to hike back up which might be difficult for people who have physical limitations. Part of my tour group decided to stay behind since it would be difficult to walk back up up the hill to the cross. However, I would recommend it for anyone who is somewhat physically fit because you will get the best panoramic view of the monastery from the location of the cross. It was worth the walk. When we arrived at the monastery, my friend and I got a few quick pictures in and decided to use the rest of our free time to explore the farmers market and shops. We got artisanal oils and chocolates made by the monks which were delicious. If anyone is into buying specialty oils/snacks, you might want to grab some here. Flavio made everyone feel comfortable and welcomed. Overall, my friend and I loved this tour since it had a little bit of exploring/hiking and downtime.
Review by: Laura V, August 2018
I highly REcommend. Our guide Flavio was so nice and knowledgeable. It was an easy trip from Barcelona and 5 hours was a good amount of time to get your fill.
Review by: david.milne, July 2018
We took our two teenagers on this tour and it was a fantastic time. The group was small so we were able to stay together easily. The bus was clean and comfortable. Our guide was very engaged and knowledgeable, and the entire trip was well done.
Review by: Molly, July 2018
This was a fantastic day. Julia, our guide, was so sweet, she even gave everyone her contact info in case we needed anything during the rest of our stay in Barcelona, plus she gave us a great restaurant recommendation for dinner. Montserrat is beautiful and the little bit of viewing the Montastery mixed with the hike was perfect for my teens. The hike was good too, as we took the tram up and then hiked down. Hiking up would have been a lot as it is very steep. The views from the mountains are beautiful. We all loved it!
Review by: Rene L, June 2018
This was the highlight of my short time in Barcelona. It was great to get away from the city and enjoy some of Spain's natural beauty! We hiked to the summit and I will say, this was quite difficult even though I am in good shape. It was so worth it for the views.
Review by: amypai, April 2018
Great hike with a very knowledgeable local guide. The pick up place is a van, got a bit lost looking for a shop._br/_ The rest of the tour went very smoothly and the guides were most helpful and fun!
Review by: bgpara, April 2018
The tour company had a substitute tour guide for this tour. His English was very limited and he did very little to explain what we were seeing. He did not even introduce himself when we got on the bus and we had to ask him his name during the trip. On the way there, he did next to nothing to explain what we were seeing on the one hour drive to the monastery. On the way back, he and the bus driver had a very loud conversation in Spanish during the entire ride back to Barcelona. It was very annoying as we were all tired from the hiking. Some of the people on the tour did not want to hike and were surprised that they had to go on horse back to get down from the monastery. This was not in the tour description at all. We were all very disappointed in the tour as for the most part there was little or no explanation of what we were seeing. There were two buses that went that day and the guide on the other bus gave exhaustive explanations to his group. We went through the church quickly as the guide seemed more interested in going on the hike than educating us about the history of the monastery. In fact he said, we should concentrate on enjoying the nature around us rather than the monastery. We also were not told that the boys' choir was on holiday until we arrived there. Many of us were disappointed as we booked this tour to see the choir. Very disappointing! I wish I could get my money back as I feel I could have gone there myself and gotten the same thing.
Review by: Fred, April 2018
Guide could not communicate efficiently in English. He did not give us adequate information of the region and he and the driver talked loudly in Spanish all the way on the return trip. Very unprofessional.
Review by: Doris K, April 2018
The view, the Monastery, the boys choir...breathtaking...well worth the trip, would have loved to stay a bit longer...maybe build in time for a snack... The funicular was closed the day of our trip so...a cable car ride instead and the hiking uphill...started out a bit late, but a wonderful trip
Review by: debmccroskey, April 2018
Montserrat is breathtaking! It was a very worthwhile experience. We loved our guide, Flavio! He was pleasant and informed. It was a very cold, extremely windy day and he lent his gloves and sweater to my daughter to stay warm.
Review by: Leisa F, March 2018
I'm so glad we booked this trip! Montserrat is not to be missed if you are anywhere close. Our tour guides were great! They were kind, friendly, and so knowledgable about Montserrat and its history. While hiking, they noticed that some of our group was interested in a more active hike and we broke into two smaller groups. Our family chose the more difficult hike and it was fabulous! We hiked higher into the mountains and the views were breathtaking. We even made it back in time to see the boys choir sing.
Review by: Sathyanarayan Kumar, March 2018
The Monserrat Monastery trip was a memorable one! the early morning tour started at the famous Passeig de Gràcia in front of the Casa Milà La Pedrera by Antoni Gaudí . it was a lovely start to a very beautiful day ahead. Our guide David who spoke impeccable English and his collegue Franco did a wonderful job in giving us the history, geography, culture and politics of Barcelona ! the bus journey to Montserrat was thus very informative and interesting. we reached the Montserrat monastery and the sight of the mountains and the monastery set in the midst of the amazing formations was breathtaking. the church with the Black Madonna was marvelous with the boys choir adding to the surreal experience. the scenic cable car ride followed by the small hike to the top of the mountain with David giving information on the flora and fauna of the place made it even more amazing. all in all we loved the trip including the food at the Restaurant Montserrat!!
Review by: Adam S, January 2018
Best day of our Barcelona trip. Monserrat is breathtaking, not to be missed. We broke into hiking groups based on ability, and we went on the advanced hike. The hike was challenging enough to be interesting, but very difficult. Unai our guide was awesome, he really knows the mountain and its history well. It was foggy when we went, so we didn't get to full panoramic views, but the inversion layer just added to the drama. If you are tired of seeing building and want to connect with nature, this is not to be missed.
Review by: MarieArlene B. L, January 2018
Driver and tour guide team were very knowledgeable and showed genuine concern when my daughter and I were not able to join them for the hike. They also accommodated us the following day when we got lost looking for the meeting spot on our scheduled tour. Would definitely recommend this tour!
Review by: beck60990, January 2018
This was a fun tour. Lots of amazing things to see. Our guide Unai was great and really added to the day. It was a rainy/cold day in January so he gave the group 4 of us the option to go to the museum instead of the 2 hour hike. And the company paid for the museum fees Very nice of them. And he also offered to drop us off at our hotels on the way home again since it was raining. One slightly negative thing was the railway/cable car was not included. I believe it was closed for maintenance but nothing was said about it during the tour. Only when I got back and was looking at the details did I realize that should have been part of the day. But again, probably nothing they could have done about it. We saw the black Madonna as well as the boys choir. So a very full day in 5 hours.
Review by: Augusta d, January 2018
This is an amazing tour! Worth every penny.
Review by: Christina K, December 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Lynne H, December 2017
We loved this tour. The monastery and related building were very impressive, the choir sang beautifully. The highlight for us though, was the hike itself, we had the guide to ourselves and he was very generous with his time and knowledge . The scenery was breathtaking and the view from the second cross afforded us a 360degree vista of the whole area.
Review by: Y, December 2017
All day but lotsa good things for everyone. Only wish we had more independent time to look around, eat, and buy things.
Review by: Martha S, November 2017
Very pleasant tour.
Review by: Gabrielle C, November 2017
Unami was a wonderful guide! He was very knowledgeable about Montserrat and everything on it. We walked up the trail and got pretty high up! We were lucky enough to see the boys choir perform in the beautiful basilica.
Review by: JULIAN W, November 2017
Our guide, Luis, was excellent and very knowledgeable with regards to the destination. There was just the 4 of us on a full size coach. The sight of the Monserrat Monastery in the unique mountain scenery makes for an amazing sight and I would highly recommend this tour.
Review by: Jeanne L, November 2017
The trip was great. The guides were friendly and informative and offered two different hikes. We took the longer more strenuous hike which was awesome!! The views were amazing. I would recommend this tour!
Review by: joby.k.varughese, October 2017
Fantastic views for the memorable hiking tour. Unai was an energetic and fun guide and made this tour even better than it already was. Highly recommend!
Review by: s m, October 2017
Adria was knowledgeable, funny, courteous and he didn't push us too hard down the trail. We had a glorious day and the boys' choir was wonderful. I usually don't like bus trips, but this smaller type of bus wasn't too bad and trip was only 1 hour and 15 mins going and less than an hour returning. Do bring comfortable shoes with rubber soles, there are parts of the hike down that could be a problem otherwise.
Review by: Jackie B, October 2017
Amazing trip - and guide Louis made the experience so much better. He was knowledgeable and engaging - well worth it :
Review by: Wolfgang H, October 2017
Enjoyed the hike the most as one got incredible views of the site. Unfortunately the site was very busy that day and it was very hard to see the boy's choir as the church was packed. Excellent guide.
Review by: KimAng, October 2017
Our group of 13 were ferried in an aircon van to Montserrat at 8.30 am. When we arrived, it was tranquil, with the stall holders just beginning to display their wares.
Review by: DRAGOS D, October 2017
Excellent guide and experience. Loved the sights and the explanations. Good value.
Review by: kirk.j.lee, October 2017
Amazing! Unai and Sergei Super informative and superb logistics. Views spectacular and Monastery phenomenal.
Review by: Sonia Q, September 2017
Guide was good and the site was amazing
Review by: Rosemarie S, September 2017
Truly enjoyed this tour. Great guide and enjoyable easy hike with outstanding views
Review by: Manon R, August 2017
It was a very nice tour and our guide was fantastic. It's a must
Review by: James C, August 2017
This was the perfect way to combine a visit to the historic monastery and enjoy its beautiful mountain surroundings at the same time. From the start, it was clear that our guide Luis had a keen interest in Montserrat and took pleasure in sharing his knowledge with us, both on the bus ride to get to the site and during the tour itself. Favorite parts: seeing the Black Madonna up close and hearing about her discovery and legacy, the bells that chimed furiously and drew visitors out of the sanctuary and into the square, the funicular ride to the top of the mountain, Luis' description of the geology that led to the rock formations and the use of rock 'agglomerates' in the monastery itself, and the hike back down the mountain. If you are thinking about this tour, but are intimidated by the hike, don't be! We are moderately active 60-somethings and the hike was easily accomplished... just don't wear flip-flops!
Review by: Joseph L, August 2017
Tour was amazing and Luis was excellent! Very knowledgeable and super personable. This was a small group which made the tour that much better.
Review by: eliza m, July 2017
We loved our tour at Montserrat with tour guide Adria who was very knowledgable about the area and its history. There were 4 in our group- 2 20 yr olds and 2 much older. I like the fact that we went early to try and miss a lot of the tourist of which there are many! When we returned from our walk, the town was crowded. . Adria was very on top of the situation making sure all were ok and if anyone needed assistance. He was very personable and cheery as well. The hiking view was amazing ! It was mostly down hill but not as strenuous as could have been. A most pleasant hour walk with stops for discussions and history . I am glad we choice Viator and would definitely recommend going on this trip and asking for Adria!!
Review by: Cari, July 2017
A group of friends and I went on this tour in June and we had a great time! The tour group size was perfect 7, the monastery hike were wonderful to see. Our guide was great as well, he was friendly and knowledgeable. Overall, throughout the tour we learned not only about the monastery, but about Spain and our tour guide who grew up in Venezuela, we are terrible with names and dare not mention the wrong name . as well. Would highly recommend him as a guide!!
Review by: Lita V, July 2017
We had Adrien as our tour guide - he was FABULOUS. We started out in a beautiful new air conditioned small bus and Adrien explained everything during the entire trip. He had very interesting facts and took us off the beaten path for a bit too. Our teenage boys LOVED this tour the best - lots of hiking and its hot so bring water and really good hiking/walking shoes.
Review by: Leah A, June 2017
Wonderful experience!! This place is beautiful and definitely worth visiting There are many Montserrat tours offered, i chose this one because of the hike and im so glad i did, we climbed all the way to the summit, it was exhilarating! We started out early so the place was not as packed as it usually gets, our guide was Unai, very nice and friendly, as well as informative. I highly recommend this tour, but a word of caution, the hike isn't easy and you really need good shoes for it.
Review by: Julia, May 2017
Wow, Montserrat its a must see! Breathtaking views, art, culture... Thanks to the guide Unai, that took care of us during the tour and was super knowledge. _br/_ Montserrat Church It's like the Vatican city but in Catalonia. Totally recommended tour!
Review by: Elena L, May 2017
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in history and also in hiking and seeing the spectacular views. Montserrat is definitely a place to go. We were a group of 6. Our guide, Unai, was very knowledgeable and very friendly. Overall, an excellent experience!
Review by: dgripens, May 2017
This tour was fantastic as we were a group of 7 only and our guide Unai was excellent. Although it was pouring rain, he was positive, loaned us his coats from the van and did a great job of telling us all about Spain and our tour even as we drove. this was a great tour!
Review by: Manfred J, May 2017
Montserrat is definitely a place to go. The hiking part was amazing and we could have spent easily more time with this beautiful scenery and track._br/_ Our tour guide Unai was excellent! of course, our group of 11 people, too!
Review by: Michele E, April 2017
A wonderful tour! Worth every penny!! A must do when visiting barcelona!
Review by: Jessica M, April 2017
Had a wonderful time seeing the Monastery- our tour guide was very friendly, just a little difficult for me to understand with his accent- I think a language barrier made it difficult for him to really give us elaborate stories and descriptions. The weather that day was very cold and overcast so we really didt get great views- we did still have a good time and would recommend going
Review by: matt, March 2017
We met out guide, Pere, in the centre of Barcelona. He was prompt and on-time. Our tour began in the car on the ride up to Montserrat Monastery. It was about an hour drive but Pere was able to fill all of this time with interesting commentary about the mountain and surrounding areas. I should also mention that Pere was a very good driver.
Review by: Elena P, March 2017
Great day out! Great tour!
Review by: Andrea R, January 2017
Worth the time, worth the money, worth the the visit, simply worth your while!!
Review by: Rebecca M, January 2017
We had a wonderful guide and the tour itself was fantastic! A must do while in Barcelona.
Review by: Michelle D, January 2017
The tour was nice but we were unable to see the boys choir as they were not singing over the summer. Guides were very nice to us but the hike was strenuous. It took a long time to get back. The views from the top of the mountain were fantastic. The guides were knowledgeable.
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