How to do Monsettat on your own

[Markanddonna]

My goal is to explain exactly how we did this trip in May, 2016

 

- Go to the Catalunya Station on Las Ramblas: do down the entrance from LaRamblas or near Cafe Zurich- they will both get you there. Purchase a ticket for 10 trips. It is 9.95 Euros and can be used by multiple people (put it in the machine and hand it to the next person in your party). Insert the card arrow in, take out the top, doors open and walk thru!)

 

- Find Metro Line #L1- walk a few short tunnels and turn left to find the train to Espanya. I was told L3 also will get you there but takes longer. Use your Metro ticket to access L1. Be sure you take the L1 that goes in the correct direction (towards the Hospital). Study the map to assure yourself.

 

- Get on the L1 and go about 4 stops and exit train at the Espana Station. The Metro has a nice lighted sign over the doors of the train so that you can watch for your exit.

 

- At the Espana station find the R5 Regional Train (FGC). It departs every hour at _:36. It may be sitting there early as Espana is the end of the line. At the Espana station there is a fine information center that will assist. You need to buy your Monserrat ticket at this station. You will sign signs that say in English: Easiest way to Montserrat.

 

- Go to the yellow ticket area machines in Espana Station. press for English and buy the combination ticket. We pressed "return" so our ticket was a round trip. You need to decide if yu want the cable car or funicular. We chose the cable- no issues with it being scary. I do NOT recommend you get the TOT Monserrat which includes lunch. Ours said "Combinat Montserrat and was 19.20 Euro each (senior rate).

 

- The train to Monserrat was on the right side. Be careful as some two steps and I saw a man fall onto an older woman when he left the train.

 

- Your train ride is about one hour and if you take the cable car, you get off at Monistrol which is "Aeri". I believe the funicular stop is the next one. Remember that if you choose the cable or funicular that you cannot take the other one back.

 

- The train station in Monistrol has good signage and you walk to the cable car area. It takes 5 minutes to go up and is thrilling.

 

- Once you arrive at the top of Montserrat, go to the info center to get oriented and find a map. There are a variety of restaurants and a cafeteria which were just fine.

 

- If you are on your own, you may wonder what some of the lines are for. There is a long line to the right of the Cathredral which is a line to see the Black Madonna up close.

 

The train to go back was 10 minutes early! This time find the direction to Fondo. Just reverse your directions for the way back.

 

We felt quite accomplished after doing this ourselves. I would highly recommend this!

[3redheads]

Thanks for the post. I just asked a question on here about this very subject yesterday.

 

It seems rather straightforward. It doesn't make sense to pay someone. I'm up for the adventure!

 

I am subscribing to your thread. Thanks again for the useful information.

[hawkeyetlse]

- Your train ride is about one hour and if you take the cable car, you get off at Monistrol which is "Aeri". I believe the funicular stop is the next one.

Just to clarify this: The train station for the cable car is called "Aeri de Montserrat". The next station, which is the one for the Cremallera rack railway, is called "Monistrol de Monsterrat".

 

If you are taking the cable car, do not get off at "Monistrol", get off at "Aeri".

[dogs4fun]

Excellent online instructions that we used for our DIY trip to Montserrat:

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/barcelona-montserrat.html

[hawkeyetlse]

The Tot Montserrat ticket is a good deal, if you spend the whole day up there and use both funiculars, visit the museum, and take the time for a full hot lunch. Options for hot food are limited on site, so the prices are relatively high. The meal that they give you with the ticket is probably would probably cost about 20 euros if you ordered the same stuff without any package deal.

 

But if you don't see yourself needing or wanting all the stuff included in this combined package, then of course you shouldn't buy it. There is a smaller package called Trans Montserrat (no lunch and no museum), and then then there are the combined transport tickets that Markanddonna recommended, that only include the round trip transportation from Barcelona (but once you are up at Montserrat, no further activities are included).

 

There are quite a lot of options to choose from. You can find a list of the different tickets and the current prices here.

[3redheads]

Excellent online instructions that we used for our DIY trip to Montserrat:

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/barcelona-montserrat.html

That's one of the best sites I've seen online.

 

The Tot Montserrat ticket is a good deal, if you spend the whole day up there and use both funiculars, visit the museum, and take the time for a full hot lunch. Options for hot food are limited on site, so the prices are relatively high. The meal that they give you with the ticket is probably would probably cost about 20 euros if you ordered the same stuff without any package deal.

 

But if you don't see yourself needing or wanting all the stuff included in this combined package, then of course you shouldn't buy it. There is a smaller package called Trans Montserrat (no lunch and no museum), and then then there are the combined transport tickets that Markanddonna recommended, that only include the round trip transportation from Barcelona (but once you are up at Montserrat, no further activities are included).

 

There are quite a lot of options to choose from. You can find a list of the different tickets and the current prices here.

We plan on purchasing the Trans Montserrat tickets.

 

Thank you again for all of the advice.

[flapbreaker]

If you don't go to the museum what is there to do there? Is it mainly looking around? How much time should a person plan to spend? Also, are there restrooms there?

[epixx]

If you don't go to the museum what is there to do there? Is it mainly looking around? How much time should a person plan to spend? Also, are there restrooms there?

 

There are lots of beautiful hiking trails of various degrees of difficulty. Yes; there are restrooms.

 

http://www.montserrat-tourist-guide.com/en/activities/walks-in-montserrat.html

[senorbanda]

If you don't go to the museum what is there to do there? Is it mainly looking around? How much time should a person plan to spend? Also, are there restrooms there?

 

Without knowing if you're planning to go to Montserrat or not. The links that dogs4fun and epixx have provided should answer most, if not all questions that one might have. If you do decide to go you'll be glad you did!

[sunfan03]

Thanks Markanddonna and all those that contributed on this post!

 

We just took our extended family of 9 to Montserrat today and with the information on this thread and the links provided, we were able to get there and back with no problems. Phew! Huge relief!

 

Just a few additional thoughts...when you get to Espanya Station, just go down any of the stairs and look for the orange box with the regional train design...the key is orange box (vs. the L3, etc signs). Follow the orange box to the R5 and definitely use the information center to Montserrat.

 

We did asked for their help AFTER we did 3 separate transactions to buy our combo tickets to Montserrat. I think they could have helped us buy all 9 tickets at one time.

 

The queue for La Moreneta was open from 8 am - 10:30 am and then from Noon - 6 pm, so IF we had gone straight to the queue when we arrived (we took 8:36 am Barcelona - Montserrat train), we would have been able to see Black Madonna...but we ended up dawdling and returned to shorter lines around 3:30 pm. Mass is at 11 am in the Basilica and the Boys Choir at 1 pm. Cafeteria is on the lower level where you get off from the train - the food selection was pretty good and we found the prices to be reasonable.

 

Return trip was flawless except that when we arrived back in Barcelona, I got confused and was a little sleepy, so I didn't hand out the proper tickets to everyone. When you get off the R5 train, you have to use your Montserrat combo ticket to get out of that section. Duh!

 

Grateful for everyone's advice here :)

[EnricM]

Hi everybody...

 

I think Donna above gave a very good account earlier yet (apologies Donna!) I feel important to make some comments to complete the whole picture. Sorry sunfan03 I arrived too late for you ;)

 

1.) Once you get to the slopes of Montserrat -which is the name of the mountain- there are two ways to ascend to the monastery, either by aeri (cable car) or by cremallera (rack train). Note each medium departs from a different station so you need to make the choice when you purchase the tickets at Espanya in Barcelona. While the ride on the cable car is quite pleasant and not scary -despite the earlier photo!-, those with a serious fear of highs, do better choose the rack train.

 

2.) The map of the metro of Barcelona, in case your departure point is not Plaça Catalunya. You want to reach the Espanya metro station (reachable either by line 1 red or line 3 green). IMPORTANT: once you reach Espanya metro station, you need to go outside into the street, and the train station to go to Montserrat is about 100 yards from there. Look for this. The name of this station on the train network is Plaça Espanya (or Pl. Espanya) should you care to search it on a network map.

 

3.) In case you decide to check for schedules here you have the website of the train company, called Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FCG), and the line you want is Llobregat-Anòia. Trains depart at :16 and at :36 every hour (in the morning only, from noon the schedule varies!) and the journey takes approx over 1h. For a handy PDF -this is valid as of today (23sept16), do make sure if you download this link in a few months' time that is still valid!

 

4.) I agree with Donna about the sort of combined ticket I'd get... the "Combinat TransMontserrat", which includes all the tickets you'll need to go to Montserrat: train, then either the cable car OR the rack train (remember you choose this when buying the ticket!), and the funiculars at the mountain. The other combined ticket, the "Combinat TotMontserrat" includes a voucher for a meal but I don't recommend it either. Either you bring your own food for a picnic -there are tables and seats for that in Montserrat by the Monastery-, which is a great idea for a day in nature, or simply go to one of the eateries there and pick your choice. For clarity, the train station you need to get off for the cable car is "AERI DE MONTSERRAT" and for the rack train the next one "MONISTROL DE MONTSERRAT".

 

5.) Don't forget that the Monastery of Montserrat is only one of the reasons to visit Montserrat (or not!), but there are plenty other stuff to see, especially for art and nature lovers, don't forget it is a National Park. Here a nice timelapse shot in the mountain of Montserrat. Do take the funiculars too, one takes you to the Holy Grotto and the other one to Sant Joan, with magnificent views of the mountain. Also, the trails around the monastery are worth exploring. The Via Crucis is a flat, easy to walk delightful path with plenty of statues and seats along the way. All these trails are well marked and many, such as the Via Crucis, are apt for all ages.

 

6.) Do keep an eye on the forecast! And remember Montserrat is a mountain range, don't be fooled by the warm weather in Barcelona, weather in the mountain might vary a lot (sometimes!). In Autumn and Spring -and sometimes even in Summer- it's advised to carry a light jacket/pullover if you intend to return in late afternoon. From say late Oct to March a warm jacket *can* be necessary. And PLEASE, no flip flops!

 

7.) Sometimes, when the weather is very dry and there are high winds, access to Montserrat outside the area of the Monastery complex -which includes the museum, etc- can be restricted (ie the trails or Sant Joan funicular) in order to prevent potential forest fires. Restrictions have happened twice this summer. Restrictions last for most of that day. It's worth checking before you go in case you wanted to trail a bit.

 

8.) Another highlight of the visit to the Monastery of Montserrat is to listen to the performances of L’Escolania, the name in Catalan of the famous boys' choir of Gregorian chants and other genres of religious choral music. Short performances can be heard free of charge in the basilica at 1pm -check schedules as they vary depending on the day of the week. L’Escolania was originally created in the 14th century, and is formed by boys aged 10-12 y.o. which accompany religious ceremonies and communal prayers (examples: AA, BB, CC). One of their most memorable performances was in the video Em dónes força ("You Raise Me Up"), alongside singer Sergio Dalma for the Catalan TV programme "La Marató de TV3". The song is sung in Catalan. La Marató de TV3 is an annual telethon by the Catalan National Broadcaster to raise funds for scientific research into diseases which are currently incurable and to inform the Catalan public about these diseases explaining the need for research aimed at preventing and curing them.

 

9.) For those interested: it's possible to do overnight in Montserrat. The ambiance at night is quite unique. The only available accommodation is the Hotel Abad Cisneros, with its magnificent restaurant located in the old 16th-century stables of the monastery with an appealing stone arch ceiling.

 

10.) If you decided to spend the day in Montserrat, you are likely to be returning to Barcelona in the evening… and you will be arriving at the same station you departed from: FGC Pl. Espanya. Well, if it is either a Friday, Saturday or Sunday (or Thursday as well if in summer) maybe you would like top up the day visiting the show at La Font Màgica de Montjuïc (The Magic Fountain), located merely 150m (120 yards) from the station. Barcelona’s biggest ornamental fountain, built in 1929 for the International Exhibition, offers a spectacular display of music, water acrobatics, and lights which generate over 50 kinds of shades and hues. Check the schedules here. Did I mention is FREE?

 

Enjoy!

 

PS: To the moderators... it'd be nice if you could edit the title as the name of the place is spelled wrong... it should read MONTSERRAT. Like it's now this post won't be found when searching for info down the line.

Edited September 22, 2016 by EnricM

[TOCruisers]

Quote

9.) For those interested: it's possible to do overnight in Montserrat. The ambiance at night is quite unique. The only available accommodation is the Hotel Abad Cisneros, with its magnificent restaurant located in the old 16th-century stables of the monastery with an appealing stone arch ceiling.

Unquote

 

Thank you for all the info.

We visited Montserrat last year (a day tour from Barcelona) and wanted to spend more time at Montserrat this time. I tried to book Hotel Abad Cisneros but it was full. Instead I reserved Apartamentos Montserrat Abat Marcet, which I understand the lesser accommodation but at the same area.

 

Question 1 is: will you recommend this accommodation? or should we wait until next time when we could book Hotel Bad Cisneros.

Question 2 is: It says that the Abat Marcet has no meal option. Can we use the Cisneros's restaurant?

[EnricM]

@TOCruisers... I'm sorry not to be able to help there. I simply don't know. Anyhow, regarding the restaurant, it's not limited to the hotel, anybody can eat there so I don't see why you couldn't use it.

[TOCruisers]

Thank you EnricM

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We are planning a day trip to Montserrat in a couple of weeks during our visit to Barcelona. We will not be doing it on our own, but not with a professional guide, but our apartment hosts have kindly offered to spend the day with us and take us there. (Yes, we are paying them. But we have been in frequent e-mail contact with them for over a year and they are feeling like friends!) I am really looking forward to this side trip.:) We are also going to Colonial Guell that day.

 

I have a sweater and a warm-up jacket that I plan to take along. Hopefully, this will be enough? I wasn't planning on bringing a heavy jacket. I guess i could change my planned short sleeve shirt to one that is long sleeved to add to the layers. We will be going there on Oct 22.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Sorry - one more question. Are blue jeans appropriate for Montserrat? I was planning to wear nice capris, but with the expected cooler weather I think I may have to switch my plan!

[sunfan03]

Sorry - one more question. Are blue jeans appropriate for Montserrat? I was planning to wear nice capris, but with the expected cooler weather I think I may have to switch my plan!

 

Jeans are totally fine....I think layering is always best. We were there just a week or two ago and the weather was a little on the cooler side in the morning/late afternoon. Depending on what you do (e.g. walk to the Holy Grotto), it can be a little chilly in the shade.

[EnricM]

@Sunny AZ Girl

 

Of course it is... why wouldn't it? At the end of the day, Montserrat is "in the mountains", you wouldn't be dressing in a suit to go hiking, would you? :)

 

Most of our churches are rather permissive, and will only prevent entrance to those wearing very revealing shirts/t-shirts, really short shorts and other Britney Spears-like attire -you know what I mean! Which, on the other hand, and albeit I am not religious at all, I also find inappropriate for a church, if anything out of respect for those that do believe and follow a certain code of rules.

 

The only place that comes to mind where they *can* be pickier is La Catedral of Santa Eulàlia in Barcelona (a.k.a. The Cathedral), especially during the time of the day (1 to 5pm give or take) in which a ticket is required to visit the cathedral and the cloister. Some of the ushers at the doors can be really 'difficult' sometimes, and bare arms (women) or skirts or shorts too much above one's knee (both sexes) can be a problem. Just in case, if you plan to visit the Cathedral, bring a shawl or a scarf in your bag so you can cover your bare arms when entering and once inside you can remove it.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

@Sunny AZ Girl

 

Of course it is... why wouldn't it? At the end of the day, Montserrat is "in the mountains", you wouldn't be dressing in a suit to go hiking, would you? :)

 

Most of our churches are rather permissive, and will only prevent entrance to those wearing very revealing shirts/t-shirts, really short shorts and other Britney Spears-like attire -you know what I mean! Which, on the other hand, and albeit I am not religious at all, I also find inappropriate for a church, if anything out of respect for those that do believe and follow a certain code of rules.

 

The only place that comes to mind where they *can* be pickier is La Catedral of Santa Eulàlia in Barcelona (a.k.a. The Cathedral), especially during the time of the day (1 to 5pm give or take) in which a ticket is required to visit the cathedral and the cloister. Some of the ushers at the doors can be really 'difficult' sometimes, and bare arms (women) or skirts or shorts too much above one's knee (both sexes) can be a problem. Just in case, if you plan to visit the Cathedral, bring a shawl or a scarf in your bag so you can cover your bare arms when entering and once inside you can remove it.

Thank you for the advice. Adding a shawl to my packing list!

 

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