Overview:
Visit the spectacular mountain and basilica of Montserrat, and get breathtaking views of the Catalonian countryside. Explore the ancient monastery, see the holy shrine, and visit the museum, containing paintings by Picasso, El Greco, Dali, and more.
Description:
Take a 4-hour tour of Montserrat Mountain from Barcelona and discover the unique 4,000-foot-high rock, visible for miles around. Boasting weird shapes and rounded peaks that jut into the sky, explore the paths and scattered caves, chapels, and hermitages that make the mountain so memorable.
During a picturesque drive along the Llobregat River, your guide will tell you tales of the mountain’s history and its legends. At its heart is the 1,000-year-old Benedictine monastery, perched halfway up the mountain and sheltered by craggy peaks. Your guide will give you a brief orientation outside, introducing you to the monastery, Basilica, and Our Lady’s Chapel, with its striking 12th-Century figure of the patron saint of Catalonia, the Moreneta.
Visit the audiovisual exhibition to discover more about the community of monks. See the library’s collection of nearly 300,000 books, and visit the museum, with paintings by El Greco, Picasso and Dalí numbering among its many treasures.
You will have free time to dedicate to whatever aspects of this beautiful and spiritual place attracts you most, before the return journey to Barcelona. Following a different route back to the city, you will be entertained by a variety of traditional Catalonian music.
What’s Included:
• Guided walk to the Basilica
• Licensed English speaking guides
• Transportation in comfortable air-conditioned buses
What’s Not Included:
• Entrances to other monuments mentioned during the tour
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Lunch