Explore one of Spain’s most important religious sites with this Montserrat Day Trip. Discover why Napoleon and other historic figures visited Monserrat Abbey in search of the Holy Grail.
Day Trip Details
We'll see you bright and early at the Barcelona Nord bus station and then travel to the Monastery of Montserrat, just over an hour away from Barcelona. Did you know the Nazis visited this very location in the 1940s in hopes of finding the Holy Grail here?
As we arrive in the heart of the mountain, we'll come to our first stop of the day at the Abbey of Montserrat. Here we'll embark on a guided tour of the grounds, full of outstanding Gothic and Renaissance pieces. We'll learn fascinating insights into the history of the abbey along the way. The center of attention is the Virgin of “la Moreneta”, the popular name by which the patron saint of Catalonia is known.
Following our 1-hour guided tour through the Abbey of Montserrat, we'll leave you about 2.5 hours of free time to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant nearby and then explore the area. To make the most of this time, some activities we recommend are hiking to the Cross of San Miguel, exploring the cheese market, riding the funicular, or visiting the Montserrat Museum. At the museum, you'll find extraordinary collections, including archaeological pieces from the Middle East, and works by artists such as Berruguete, Caravaggio, Dalí, and Picasso.
You can also visit the Throne of the Virgin of Montserrat and enjoy the choir, but please note that these activities require additional tickets, which must be purchased directly through the official Montserrat website.
After an exciting day in Montserrat, we'll reconvene and hop on the bus back to Barcelona, where we'll arrive 7 hours later back at the starting point.
