# Montserrat mountain and monastery, Barcelona > Montserrat is a jagged mountain 50 km from Barcelona, about 1,236 metres high, with an 11th-century Benedictine abbey on its slopes. People come for the Black Madonna, patron of Catalonia, to hear the famous boys' choir and to hike among the rocks. It's about an hour by train plus a rack railway or cable car. The basilica is free; allow half a day or a full day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/montserrat - City: [Barcelona](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona), Spain - YesGo score: 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 5 h - Opening hours: Monastery open daily - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Basilica and grounds free - Getting there: R5 train + rack railway or cable car, ≈ 1 h - Highlights: The Black Madonna, the boys' choir, trails, views - Time needed: Half a day or a full day - Choir: Sings in the basilica on set days - Location: ≈ 50 km north-west of Barcelona - Coordinates: 41.60538, 1.81150 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 1,236 m** — height of the mountain (Sant Jeroni peak) (source: English Wikipedia) - **11th c.** — the monastery was founded (source: English Wikipedia) - **La Moreneta** — the Black Madonna, patron of Catalonia (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 50 km** — from Barcelona (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Montserrat The name means **'serrated mountain'**: its peaks look like giant saw teeth or stacked stone fingers. Cliffs of pink conglomerate rise almost sheer above the Llobregat valley, and on a clear day you can see them from Barcelona. On the slope, at around 700 metres, stands the **Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat**, founded in the **11th century**. Its treasure is the statue of the **Black Madonna**, affectionately called **La Moreneta**, 'the little dark one'. She is Catalonia's patron, and pilgrims come from all over Spain. ## What to see at the monastery At the centre is the **basilica**, with a dark, gilded interior. To see La Moreneta up close, take the separate staircase behind the altar, where you can touch the statue. The queue can be long at weekends and holidays, so arrive early. The **Escolania**, one of Europe's oldest boys' choirs, sings in the basilica, usually a short performance on weekday afternoons; times change, so check the monastery's site. Nearby, the **Museum of Montserrat** has a surprisingly strong collection: El Greco, Caravaggio, Monet, Picasso and Dalí. ## What to see on Montserrat - **The basilica** — a gilded interior and mosaics. - **The Black Madonna** — Catalonia's shrine behind the altar. - **The Escolania** — the boys' choir in the basilica. - **Museum of Montserrat** — from El Greco to Dalí. - **Sant Joan funicular** — up to the trails above the abbey. - **Santa Cova** — a cliffside chapel on a scenic path. > **Buying tickets** The easiest option is a combined ticket from Barcelona: the R5 train from Plaça d'Espanya plus the rack railway or cable car, sometimes with the funiculars and museum. It's sold at the station machines and on the mountain's official site. The monastery and basilica themselves are free. ## Trails and viewpoints Hiking trails wind between the rocks above the monastery. The **Sant Joan funicular** climbs higher in a few minutes, from where you can walk to viewpoints or on to the **Sant Jeroni** summit, 1.5 to 2 hours each way. A second funicular drops to the path to **Santa Cova**, the cave where legend says the statue was found. The trails are well marked but steep in places, so wear proper shoes and carry water. From the top you can see the Pyrenees to the north and the Catalan plains to the sea, while the rocks themselves look like a fantasy city of stone. Spring brings flowers, and autumn air is especially clear. ## How to get to Montserrat 1. Take the **R5** FGC train from **Plaça d'Espanya** in Barcelona, about an hour. 2. At **Aeri de Montserrat** station, change to the cable car to the monastery. 3. Or at **Monistrol de Montserrat**, change to the rack railway. 4. By car, about an hour on the motorway, with paid parking at the monastery. ## Tips for your trip Leave Barcelona early to reach the monastery before the coach tours and hit the trails before the midday heat. It's cooler on the mountain than in the city and the weather changes fast, so bring a jumper. If you want to hear the choir, plan around its schedule. The monastery has a café, a restaurant and a market where local farmers sell honey, cheese and fig sweets; try mató, a fresh curd cheese with honey. The cable car has the best views, while the rack railway is easier with children and pushchairs. Plan your return before the last trains. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Buy a combined ticket from Barcelona - [ ] Check the choir schedule - [ ] Pack walking shoes and a jumper - [ ] See the Black Madonna - [ ] Ride the funicular up to the trails ## Places in Barcelona: compare and choose Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. - [Montserrat](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/montserrat) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · Basilica free - [Barcelona Zoo](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-zoo) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid ## Don't mix it up Montserrat here is the mountain and monastery in Catalonia, not the Caribbean island of Montserrat. ## Tips - Leave early in the morning. - Combined tickets at Plaça d'Espanya station. - Bring a jumper: it's cooler up there. - Try mató with honey. ## Questions ### How do I get to Montserrat from Barcelona? R5 train from Plaça d'Espanya, then the cable car or rack railway; about an hour. ### Is Montserrat monastery free? Yes, the basilica and grounds are free; transport, funiculars and the museum are paid. ### How long do you need at Montserrat? Half a day for the monastery; a full day with trails and the museum. ### When does the boys' choir sing? Usually on weekday afternoons; check the monastery's site. ### What is the Black Madonna of Montserrat? A statue of the Virgin, La Moreneta, the patron of Catalonia. ### Cable car or rack railway? The cable car for views, the rack railway for ease with kids and pushchairs. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours, prices and the choir schedule weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Montserrat (mountain) - Official site, montserratvisita.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.