If you’re feeling energetic, take one of the trails up to Monserrat’s highest peak, Sant Jeroni. It can be accessed either from the monastery or the base of the mountain.
The striking peak of Montserrat - “Jagged Mountain” in Catalan - dominates the landscape for miles around, the highest point in the Catalan lowlands. Located 30 miles north-west of Barcelona’s city centre, you can enjoy a picturesque drive or train ride through the lush green countryside, and before long you will see the dramatic multi-peaked massif of Monserrat rising up in front of you. But the best views are yet to come - from the top of the mountain, you can see almost all of Catalonia, and even as far as Mallorca.
The Basilica on the Mountain
The spectacularly located Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey may look like an eyrie of yesteryear, but in fact it can be reached by four different routes: by road, cable car, funicular railway or (for the truly adventurous) by a hiking trail from the bottom of the mountain. The setting is beautiful, and inside the abbey only gets more impressive - you can start to see why some legends tell that this is the site of the Holy Grail of Arthurian legend.
The Black Madonna
Don’t forget to have a look at the exquisite and rare Virgin of Montserrat, one of the famous “Black Madonnas of Europe”. Carved from wood in the Byzantine style, the statue itself is shrouded in mystery, and there are many stories about its creation and how it came to rest here. It’s not the abbey’s only famous work of art though - the basilica’s art museum houses works by Picasso, El Greco, Dalí and others. If you happen to be around at noon, the famous Escolania de Montserrat boy’s choir sing “el Virolai”, a hymn venerating the Virgin of Montserrat.
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