How To Choose a Montserrat Tour

Full-day Montserrat excursions are the norm, but if you’re tight on time, this afternoon guided tour of Montserrat from Barcelona allows you to see it all just a little bit faster. You can even choose how you want to reach the mountain: by cogwheel train or by cable car. Then walk through the Benedictine abbey and the Basilica de Montserrat. Before heading back to Barcelona, you can also taste four different types of liquors the monks make in the monastery.

If you’d like to visit a vineyard in addition to this cultural attraction, consider this small-group Montserrat tour with wine tasting and optional lunch—an upgraded experience that includes seasonal tapas and dessert. The tour leaves from Barcelona on an air-conditioned bus, with a guided tour of the Montserrat Mountain and Monastery, including its 15th-century cloister and Black Madonna. You’ll have some free time to wander around and explore on your own before you sample a few different wines at a boutique winery and sit down to eat.

Some of the best and most scenic Montserrat Monastery tours reach the area by cogwheel train. This Montserrat tour leaves from Barcelona by bus, taking you to the Nord train station, where you’ll board the cogwheel train and roll through the mountainous landscape until you reach Montserrat. Once there you’ll tour the monastery, with plenty of time to snap photos of the stunning surrounding landscape. Taste special pastries and traditional liquors made by the monks, with the option to add on a tapas brunch or traditional lunch with wine tasting.

This small-group, affordable Montserrat tour starts with a visit to the monastery to see the Black Madonna and understand more about its history. Then, you’ll head further up the mountain on the Sant Joan Funicular Railway. Hop off, and hike or walk (mostly downhill—this isn’t a super intense Montserrat hiking tour), exploring the beautiful hills and admiring the expansive views. End your visit at the local farmers market or browse souvenir shops and purchase something to take home with you.

If you want to understand what it’s like to live in this scenic area, consider this Montserrat cultural experience, which includes a visit to the Montserrat Monastery, an optional add-on to see the Black Madonna, and a signature Catalan food experience at a local farmhouse. You’ll have plenty of free time to wander the monastery after the guided tour, and the farm-to-table lunch includes starters, a main course, and dessert, plus drinks. Afterward, explore the farmhouse grounds to gain a deeper understanding of the region and its history.

Montserrat is a spiritual and magical place, and a Montserrat private tour ensures that you experience its tranquility without the crowds or large tour groups. This family-friendly Montserrat trip includes pickup at your hotel, with private tours of the monastery and even a nearby cave complete with all the storied legends and information you might want to know. Explore at your own pace and ask the guide any questions you might have—there’s even time to snap photos from memorable viewpoints.

This Montserrat tour includes all the usual suspects: a trip up on the cogwheel train, a guided tour through the Montserrat Monastery to see the Black Madonna, and a bit of free time to explore on your own. But if you love music, this tour has one special addition: the opportunity to catch a performance by the Montserrat boys' choir (only on weekdays). The choir is made up entirely of altar boys, and is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe.

Montserrat is home to some of the most impressive scenery in all of Catalonia. And while you can experience it by train, cable car, bus, or foot, if you really want to feel part of the landscape, consider a horseback-riding tour. This particular small-group excursion includes a tour of the Montserrat Abbey and then a 1-hour horseback ride through the area’s stunning scenery. Although this tour is suitable for beginners, it’s only available to those aged 12 and above for safety reasons.

Most Montserrat tours include a guided walking tour of the monastery and a hike or stroll through the natural landscape, with the most adventurous part being the cable car or cogwheel train ride. However, this hot-air balloon ride offers a completely different perspective of Montserrat: from above. The aerial experience, which offers sky-high views of the region, comes with snacks, a Champagne toast, and a flight certificate so you can prove to all your family and friends that you went up.

If you’re the type of traveler who loves to check destinations off your bucket list, you can tick off several with this full-day three-in-one tour, which stops in three countries: Spain, Andorra, and France. Begin with a drive through the Pyrenees Mountains to the French spa town of Ax-Les-Thermes, renowned for its famous healing waters. Then, head to Andorra to snap photos and shop duty-free. Finally, cross into Spain and drive past the incredible scenic backdrop of Montserrat before returning to Barcelona.