Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona

Barcelona is a great city for a long weekend, with great Gaudi architecture and a fun maze of streets in the Gothic Quarter. If you’ve got some extra time and you’ve seen the main sights in Barcelona, why not head to the mountains and see the Montserrat monastery. Check out my guide to visiting Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona.

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How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona

Montserrat is only an hour from Barcelona on the train, making it a really easy destination for a day trip. You can get the train from Barcelona Espana station on line R5. You can just get a ticket from a ticket machine at the station – there’s no need to book in advance. Just make sure you get the right ticket that includes either the cable car or the funicular (see below) as you’ll need to make this choice when you’re still in Barcelona. The tickets cost around 24 Euros, but the prices may have changed since writing this.

Trains from Barcelona to Montserrat run about every hour. The trains aren’t the most comfortable, and the morning train I was on was quite crowded so I ended up standing the whole way. But it’s only an hour, so it wasn’t too bad. And the amazing views that greet you when you arrive make any uncomfortable journey worth it.

What to do when you first arrive in Montserrat

When you get to Montserrat, you have a choice of two stops to get off. The first is for a cable car that will take you to the top of the mountain. The second, about 5 minutes later, takes you to the funicular to take you up the mountain.

I’d definitely recommend taking the cable car for the best views. I’d only suggest taking the funicular if you’re absolutely terrified of heights and can’t face the cable car. But even if you’re a bit nervous of heights, the cable car should be ok. It’s quite big and sturdy and the views really are amazing. Both the cable car and funicular take around 20 minutes, but it could be longer if the queues are especially long that day.

What do see and do in Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona

Once you’ve got to the top of the mountain, you can really start enjoying the views and the fresh air. I’d recommend taking some time to start with to just walk around and soak up the sights and the atmosphere.

The main thing to do in Montserrat is to visit the monastery. Walking around outside is lovely, and there are also areas of the monastery you can go in. You can pick up a visitor guide which will tell you all about the history and the sights. The complex dates back to around the 10th century, and you can really imagine how isolated but also magical it must have felt to be in a monastery in the mountains here all those centuries ago.

The Basilica Of Montserrat is one of the places you can go inside, and it’s famous for its statue of The Black Virgin. It’s a really impressive Basilica and definitely worth a visit.

There’s a reasonably good cafe within the main grounds of the monastery which is a good place for lunch. It might not be the best Spanish food you’ve ever eaten, but it’s quick and convenient and will give you more time to keep on exploring.

There are plenty of walking paths to follow as well once you’ve seen the main sights of the monastery. These paths give you a chance to escape from the crowds and get some more amazing mountain views.

Top tips for your day trip

• As with any major city train station, be vigilent in Barcelona Espana train station for pickpockets. If you’re distracted trying to work out the ticket machines, you can become the perfect target. Keep your bag close and stay aware of your surroundings and you’ll be fine.
• The ticket machines at Barcelona station might seem confusing at first, but there will be a button to translate everything into English. As long as you follow the instructions on the screen and take your time, you’ll be fine.
• The weather can be a bit cooler in the mountains than it is in the city. I’d recommend taking a jumper of some sort just in case.
• Don’t worry too much about planning exactly what you’re going to see when you get there. It’s a beautiful place to just wander around and enjoy, and not having a fixed timetable can make it more peaceful and serene.

If you’re looking for a travel guide to this amazing region, I’d recommend the DK Eyewitness Guide to Barcelona with details about day trips too (affiliate).

Remember to check out my guide for the top things to do in Barcelona for the rest of your time in this great area! Or if you’d like to explore more of Spain, why not head to Seville or Granada.

Or if you’re looking for some other fun European city breaks, why not check out nearby sunny Lisbon with a day trip to Sintra? Or head into central Europe to visit Vienna, Berlin and Prague.