Montserrat Monastery Tickets
Montserrat Museum & Mountain Experience Ticket
Discover Montserrat at Your Own Pace
Enjoy access to Montserrat’s Museum, Basilica, Audiovisual Space, and Open-Air Museum. Perfect for first-time visitors who want to explore the art, history, and stunning mountain views.
Montserrat Cable Car: Ascent & Descent
Ride Up & Down Montserrat with Stunning Views
Take the cable car from the base up to Montserrat and back. Enjoy panoramic views over the Catalan landscape, an experience not to miss!
Benefits
Tickets and Prices
Several ticket options are available for Montserrat Monastery:
Tickets
Explore Montserrat your way, visit the basilica, museum, audiovisual room, and even enjoy the Escolania boys’ choir or Throne of Our Lady.
ungorf/DepositphotosMontserrat Museum and Monastery Entry Ticket
Discover Montserrat museum, Basilica, La Moreneta and audiovisual room in one easy visit.
GetYourGuide/GetYourGuideMontserrat Monastery Ticket with Escolania Boys’ Choir
A well-rounded experience featuring the Basilica, Museum, La Moreneta and audiovisual room, plus an Escolania performance.
Transport Pack
Enjoy a hassle-free trip to Montserrat with scenic rides on the cable car and cogwheel train.
bloodua/DepositphotosMontserrat Tour with Cog-Wheel Train
Experience Montserrat with round-trip transport, a scenic cogwheel train ride, and access to the Black Madonna.
alzamu79.hotmail.com/DepositphotosMontserrat Small Group Tour with Train and Cable Car
Ride from Barcelona to Montserrat by train, take a cable car up, enjoy priority access to the Basilica on a walking tour, and return by cogwheel train.
fotokon/DepositphotosMontserrat Cable Car
A breathtaking ride to Montserrat by Aeri de Montserrat Cable Car.
From Barcelona
Take a round-trip from Barcelona and choose the Montserrat experience that suits you best.
taratata/DepositphotosHalf-Day Montserrat Experience
Join an early-morning tour to Montserrat with round-trip transport and free time to explore.
gitanna/DepositphotosMontserrat Tour with Transport & Basilica Option
Escape bustling Barcelona and explore Montserrat’s stunning mountains and historic monastery.
bloodua/DepositphotosMontserrat Monastery, Easy Hike, Cable Car
Visit Montserrat’s monastery, take the cable car up, and enjoy an easy hike with stunning views.
Combo Deal
Montserrat & Sagrada Familia Guided Tour
Visit Montserrat and the Sagrada Familia in a single guided day trip.
Plan Your Visit
The Montserrat Monastery welcomes visitors daily, from 7:30 to 20:00, but each attraction has different hours:
| Area | Days | Opening Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Basilica | Daily | 7:00 – 20:00 |
| Throne of Our Lady | Daily | 8:00 – 10:30 & 12:00 – 18:25 |
| Holy Grotto | Daily | 10:30 – 17:00 |
| Tourist Information | Monday – Friday | 10:00 – 17:30 |
| Weekends | 10:00 – 18:30 | |
| Museum of Montserrat | Daily | 10:00 – 17:45 |
| Audiovisual Space | Monday – Friday | 9:00 – 17:30 |
| Weekends | 9:00 – 18:30 | |
| Pastoral Coordination Centre | Daily | 9:30 – 13:30 & 16:00 – 18:00 |
Note: Santa Cecilia (Sean Scully Art Space) is currently closed.
Tip:
Arrive early to enjoy the quiet morning atmosphere at the Basilica and Throne of Our Lady, and plan your visit around the choir performances.
Escolania Boys’ Choir Performances:
The famous boys’ choir performs several times throughout the week except Saturdays. From Monday to Friday, catch them at 13:00, with additional evening performances at 18:45 Monday through Thursday. On Sundays and religious holidays, performances happen at 12:00 and 18:45. Performance times may shift during special religious celebrations or school holidays.
Getting to Montserrat Monastery is easier than you might think. Here’s how to get to Montserrat from Barcelona:
The main entrance is right at the top of the mountain, easily accessible from the cable car and rack railway stations.
Montserrat Monastery is mostly accessible for visitors with mobility challenges, featuring ramps, elevators, and adapted transport options. The Cremallera rack railway is fully accessible, while the cable car is not, and designated parking is available for those driving.
Inside, the basilica, museum, and open-air museum can be reached easily, and wheelchair users can view the Black Madonna from the bottom of the stairs. While the funiculars are inaccessible, a free shuttle train runs between Mirador dels Apostols and the basilica. Accessible restrooms are also available.
What to See & Do
Here are the monastery’s must-see highlights.
Basilica of Montserrat
Gelia78/DepositphotosStep into the heart of Montserrat at the stunning basilica. Marvel at its Gothic and Renaissance architecture, ornate hanging candles donated by Catalan towns, and wood-carved prophets lining the central nave. Don’t miss the chapels along the edges, each with unique artworks, and the famous Black Madonna (Throne of Our Lady or Throne of the Virgin), framed in an ornate window above the altar.
The open-roofed Atrium of Abbot Argerich greets visitors with intricate murals showing Montserrat’s history and the world’s major shrines. Look down at the marbled floor inspired by Michelangelo’s design in Rome and spot the iron sculpture of St Benedict.
Museum of Montserrat
ungorf/DepositphotosExplore six fascinating collections spanning ancient Egypt to modern art. Temporary exhibitions, guided tours, and an audiovisual room reveal the monastery’s history, culture, and spiritual significance.
Escolania Boys’ Choir
Catch one of Europe’s oldest boys’ choirs in action, performing Gregorian chants and hymns daily (Monday to Friday) in the basilica. These talented singers train in music, academics, and social skills, creating a truly magical experience.
Funiculars
fotokon/DepositphotosRide the Sant Joan funicular upward for panoramic clifftop views, or the Santa Cova funicular downward to the Holy Cave and Santa Cova Chapel.
Hiking
There are three main hiking trails:
Lux Splendens
End your visit with the immersive Lux Splendens video mapping, where lights, music, and imagery transform the basilica into a 360-degree sensory spectacle.
Did You Know That? Facts
- “Montserrat” means “serrated mountain” in Catalan, inspired by the mountain’s jagged peaks. Legend has it that angels carved it with a golden saw.
- The monastery is home to the Virgin of Montserrat’s statue, affectionately called “La Moreneta” or the little black lady, reportedly discovered by shepherds in the 9th century.
- Montserrat hosts the Escolania, one of Europe’s oldest boys’ choirs, dating back to the 14th century. Boys aged 9 to 14 must show musical talent, academic skills, and social adaptability to join.
- The monastery has ancient origins, with a religious community on the mountain since the 9th century, and a Roman temple to Venus once stood on the site.
- Montserrat’s library holds over 300,000 books, many from the 14th and 15th centuries.
Insider Tips
History
9th century
Shepherds reportedly discovered the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat.
10th century
A small religious community established itself on Montserrat Mountain.
1025
Abbot Oliba officially established the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery.
13th century
The Escolania de Montserrat is founded.
1409
The monastery became an independent abbey.
1811
Napoleon’s troops damaged and looted the monastery during the Peninsular War.
1881
Pope Leo XIII proclaimed the Virgin of Montserrat the patron saint of Catalonia.
1920s to 30s
Significant restorations and expansions occured, including construction of modern museum facilities.
20th century (Barcelona Olympics era)
Montserrat became an established tourist and pilgrimage destination, with improved transport links like the rack railway and cable car.
FAQs
Is Montserrat worth visiting from Barcelona?
Yes. Montserrat pairs a mountaintop Benedictine monastery with serrated peaks and wide views over Catalonia, all about an hour from the city. The basilica, the Black Madonna, and the Escolania choir make it the most popular day trip from Barcelona.
How do you get from Barcelona to Montserrat?
Take the FGC R5 train from Plaça Espanya, then finish the climb on either the Aeri cable car or the Monistrol rack railway. The full trip runs about 1 to 1.5 hours each way. If your package includes transport, collect your tickets at Plaça Espanya station before you board.
What is special about Montserrat?
The monastery is home to La Moreneta, the 12th-century Black Madonna, and to the Escolania, one of the oldest boys’ choirs in Europe. The choir usually sings on weekdays around midday, with some sung services on other days, following the school calendar, so check before you travel.
Is Montserrat open every day?
The basilica is open daily and free to enter. A tourist ticket covers the museum and audiovisual space, and funiculars run from the monastery up to Santa Cova and Sant Joan. Hours shift by season, so confirm your date before going.
Is Montserrat covered by the Barcelona Card?
No. Montserrat sits outside the city, so it isn’t included in the Barcelona Card.