Overview
Santa Maria of Montserrat Abbey
Montserrat is an almost thousand-year-old Benedictine monastery that shelters a shrine to the Mothers of God. It welcomes pilgrimages to the Holy Mountain and is 76.8 km or around 1 hour 9 mins from sitges (map/directions at foot of page).
To find out more:
| Monastery of Montserrat | |
| Information | Tel.: 93 877 77 66 |
| Web: www.abadiamontserrat.net | |
Willowmoon (bed and breakfast boat in Sitges) offers Tours
(Visit to Montserrat Monastery – Word Doc)
(Visit to Montserrat Monastery – Word Doc)
- From all-inclusive tours (entire day)
- Transport-only service (there and back)
Via some beautiful countryside and past several vineyards
Please let us know and we would be happy to offer you a service to suit your exact requirements.
Getting to Montserrat is easy, whether by public transport or car.
Information below is subject to change. Please see montserratvisita.com and links below for the latest information.
-
Walking up the mountain is an excellent way of enjoying nature.
-
With a train every hour on the Barcelona-Manresa line and a rack railway departure every 20 minutes.
-
Taking visitors up the mountain in just five minutes.
By road
To the foot of the mountain or right up to the sanctuary.
Lying in the centre of Catalonia, well communicated by the main road network, Montserrat is just a short journey from any part of the country. Visitors can also make their way to Monistrol de Montserrat and take either the rack railway or the cable car up to the sanctuary.
From Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona and Lleida: see How to get to Montserrat by road (PDF).
Parking
If you come to the sanctuary by car, the Mount Montserrat Trust provides attended car parking at rates laid down annually by the Catalan Parliament.
This fee, apart from paying for the car park attendant service, also serves to fund other services: lighting, cleaning, gardening work and maintenance of the nature park.
Car park capacity is limited.
This fee, apart from paying for the car park attendant service, also serves to fund other services: lighting, cleaning, gardening work and maintenance of the nature park.
Car park capacity is limited.
| Prices: Cars | |
| Price per day | Up to 30 min: 0€ – Over 30 min: 5,50 € |
| Longer stays | Up to 3 days: 8,00 € Up to 7 days: 9,00 € |
| Prices: Motorbikes | |
| Price per day | 30 min: 0€ – Over 1/2h: 3,00 € |
| EstadesLonger stays | Up to 3 days: 5,00 € Up to 7 days: 7,00 € |
| Prices: Coaches | |
| Price per day | 30 minutes: 0€ – Rest: 30€ |
| Longer stays | Up to 3 days: 35€ Up to 7 days: 45€ |
| Information Patronat de la Muntanya de Montserrat (Mount Montserrat Trust) | Tel.: 93 828 40 07 |
By bus
Autocars Julià. Departures from Plaça dels Països Catalans, adjoining Sants Station, in Barcelona.
| Times | |
| From Barcelona | Departure: 9.15h |
| From Montserrat | Departure: 17.00h, from October to May |
| Departure: 18.00h, from June to September | |
| Prices | One way: 4,70€ |
| Autocars Julià Information | Tel.: 93 261 58 58 |
| Web: www.autocaresjulia.es | |
| Montserrat Information Office | |
| Times | From Monday to Friday: from 9 am to 5.45 pm |
| Weekends: from 9 am to 5.45 pm | |
| Information | Tel.: 93 877 77 77 |
| Mail: informacio@larsa-montserrat.com | |
The community today is made up of some 80 monks.
As at all Benedictine monasteries, the monks of Montserrat follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, devoting their lives to prayer, welcoming pilgrims and visitors, and work.
Prayer sets the rhythm for the monastery day.
The day begins and ends in prayer. Every day, apart from celebrating the Eucharist, the monks meet five times to pray (the liturgy of the hours). They also have time for private prayer and for reading the Bible and other spiritual works. All this helps to create an atmosphere of prayer throughout the day.
The reception of guests. One of the duties of monks following the Rule of Saint Benedict is to receive pilgrims coming to the monastery.
A pilgrim is any person who knocks on the door in a spirit of internal quest. Guests receive special treatment at the monastery, and may share prayers and meals with the monks.
The monks’ work is difficult to define generically, due to the diversity of tasks they perform. Some study theology, history or philosophy; others contribute to different publications, give classes at the university, devote their time to research, or help run the Escolania (Boys’Choir), the library, the archives…
They must also perform all the work necessary for the good running of the monastery and sanctuary: gardening, management of the sacristy, the infirmary, the hostel…
76.8 km or around 1 hour 9 mins from Sitges
View Larger Map
Visited 5601 times, 3 Visits today