montserrat tour

highlights

• Discover the hilltop religious retreat of Montserrat during a small-group tour from Barcelona.
• Visit the 12th-century carving of Our Lady of Montserrat, also known as La Moreneta.
• Explore the 'Holy Cave' where the Madonna is said to have once appeared.
• Listen to La Escolania, one of the oldest children’s choirs in all of Europe (if available).
• A small group ensures a better experience and more personal attention
• Travel to Montserrat in comfort with round-trip transfer by private vehicle.

description

Take a break from sightseeing in the city, and join us on this exciting adventure to one of the most mysterious and magical places in Catalonia. We travel in small groups, allowing you to enjoy a more personalized experience with our bilingual guide, who will give you expert local insight into our most deeply rooted cultural traditions.
We will pick you up at your accommodation and take a comfortable private transportation to the mountain of Montserrat. This magnificent 4,000-foot wonder is easily recognizable from afar by its “serrated” top from which it gets its name.
And 2,380 feet above sea level, the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat enjoys a stunning location, surrounded by an unforgettable natural landscape. The monastery has served as a center for spiritual retreat for almost one thousand years. We will first visit the basilica, where the Virgin Santa Maria of Montserrat, Patron Saint of Catalonia, is located. The Romanesque statue of “the Black Madonna” originates from the XII century and is today surrounded by a golden altar. According to legend, the Virgin personally appeared in the IX century, giving rise to the hermitage of Santa Maria.
Next, our group will take a walking tour of the monastery surroundings. Enjoy the unparalleled views offered by this region, which was declared as a Natural Park in 1987. We will also discover the Holy Cave where the virgin is said to have appeared. The site has, since then, become an authentic center for pilgrimage and prayer.
A musical treat will conclude our mystical Montserrat visit: we will listen to the angelic voices of La Escolania de Montserrat, one of the oldest boys' choirs in Europe (if available).

points of interest

• Natural Park of the Mountain of Montserrat: Declared a Natural Park in 1987, this rocky massif is characterized by the rounded shape of its peaks. The unique natural landscape offers a rare beauty for visitors to enjoy.
• Monastery and the "Black Madonna": This Benedictine abbey has existed for almost one thousand years. It serves as an authentic spiritual retreat center and place of pilgrimage in honor of the Virgin of Montserrat. The current image of the "Black Madonna", a wooden carving from the twelfth century, is a true symbol of the Catalan culture.
• Choir of Montserrat: One of the oldest children choirs of Europe, with origins in the fourteenth century. These children participate in liturgical celebrations and community prayer performed in the basilica.