Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona: Your Ultimate Guide

Montserrat is a beautiful monastery, set high in the mountains in Northern Spain. It’s a great option for a day trip from Barcelona. Here’s your ultimate guide to visiting Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona.

Last updated: May 2025

Montserrat monastery is one of the most beautiful places in Spain. It’s a historic monastery, set high up in the mountains of Northern Spain. The area is easily accessible from nearby Barcelona by public transport. So visiting Montserrat monastery as a day trip from Barcelona is really easy. I loved having a day to escape from the busy crowds of Barcelona and enjoy the fresh mountain air. So here’s your ultimate guide to visiting Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona.

How to get to Montserrat monastery from Barcelona: Taking the train from Barcelona to Montserrat

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 30 euros each, so it’s not too expensive.

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: Cable Car or Funicular

When you get to Montserrat, you have a choice of two stops to get off the train. 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.

The cable car from the train station up to the top of Montserrat monastery was one of the highlights of the whole day. I queued for the cable car for about 30 minutes, so it wasn’t too bad. And the views from the cable car were just amazing. It felt amazing to be floating high above such amazing mountain scenery.

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.

Montserrat Monastery

The main thing to do in Montserrat is to visit the monastery. Walking around the outside of the building is lovely, and you can see the historical buildings with the mountains in the background.

There are also areas of the monastery that you can go inside. 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.

Lunch near Montserrat Monastery

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.

Enjoying the mountains around Montserrat monastery

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. You can walk for miles – but make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get back to the cable car, so you can catch your return train to Barcelona.

Top tips for your day trip

I really do recommend taking a day trip to Montserrat Monastery when you’re in Barcelona. It’s easy to get to by train, and the views are just stunning. I think my day here was my highlight of my entire trip to Barcelona. Here are just a few more top tips to help you enjoy your visit to Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona.

• 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. And definitely take a rain coat if there’s a chance of rain.
• 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.

Hope you enjoyed your ultimate guide to visiting Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona! Remember to check out my guide for the top things to do in Barcelona in 3 days for the rest of your time in this great area. There are lots of other great places to visit in Spain as well, so why not extend your trip and head to Seville for a few days, with a day trip to Cordoba and a day trip from Seville to the mountains of Andalusia. Or you could head to Madrid for 3 days, and take day trips to Toledo and Segovia.