Montserrat Monastery Tour from Barcelona with optional Lunch and Wine Tasting

Enjoy the cultural and natural richness of this fantastic place during our Montserrat tour from Barcelona. The mountain of Montserrat, with the monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat at the top, is one of the great symbols of Catalonia. Located in the province of Barcelona, Montserrat receives about 2.5 million tourists every year. Although the vast majority of visitors concentrate on the abbey, the area is also ideal for hikers and climbers.

The picturesque rock formations of Montserrat are the result of the action of water on different conglomerates millions of years ago, especially during the Cenozoic era. There is evidence of human activity in the massif since the Neolithic and there is abundant evidence of Iberian settlements. The veneration of the Mare de Déu de Montserrat has its origins in the year 880. According to legend, some shepherds witnessed several divine signs that led to the discovery of a cave in which an image of the virgin was found.

The monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat was founded in 1025, with Abbot Oliva (bishop of Vic) as the main promoter. In the following centuries, the monastery alternated between periods of prosperity and abandonment until its definitive consolidation as a place of pilgrimage after the Civil War.

The mere fact of arriving at Montserrat is already an important part of the experience, as it will allow you to enjoy impressive visits and, if you want, you will ride one of its mythical transports: the cable car (Aeri de Montserrat) or the rack railway.

La Plaça de Santa María is the main meeting place for pilgrims and visitors. From there you get magnificent views of the surroundings, the mountain and the monastery, which seems to stick in the rocks.

The original building of the Basilica of Montserrat dates back to the 16th century, but after the French War (1808 – 1814) the whole basilica had to be extensively rebuilt. In fact, both the exterior facade and the atrium are from the 20th century.

The visit to Montserrat cannot be understood without the protocol greeting to the Mare de Déu de Montserrat, better known as the Moreneta. The virgin that we can admire today was made in the 12th century with poplar wood, in Romanesque style. Its name is due to its black color in hands and face, an effect produced by the passage of time on the varnish.

The surroundings of Montserrat are full of hiking trails, most of which have a hermitage as their final destination (there are 15 in the area).