Description
This Montserrat tour from Barcelona starts with about an hour on the highway in an air-conditioned coach, then switches to the cog-wheel train that climbs the mountain. The name comes from the Catalan for "serrated mountain", and the jagged rock walls explain it. The area became a National Park in 1987.
The visit continues on foot, with a local guide who walks you through the monastery and its history. About 80 monks live here by the rule of Saint Benedict. You hear the legend of the Black Madonna, found in the cave of Santa Cova, and the reason for her nickname, La Moreneta: a varnish that darkened. Her carving is kept in the church, and you get access to see it.
- Royal Basilica, with Gothic and Renaissance details
- The audiovisual space of Montserrat
- A tasting of four typical liqueurs
Free time follows, for the basilica, the scenery and the market of local farm products. Two options can be added: access to the Escolanía boys' choir, only during the school period, and a video-mapping show. Dress modestly for the basilica, and bring warm or rain clothing, because mountain weather changes with the season.