Visiting Montserrat as a non-EU citizen is tricky. It might even be impossible. Despite being difficult, it is more than possible to see the amazing monastery without booking a tour. I did it and compiled all of the necessary information for this to be the best guide to visiting Montserrat.
Montserrat is an old monastery about 30 miles from Barcelona, Spain. Getting there using public transportation takes a little more than an hour and 45 minutes, but it is very easy.
Why is this Guide for Non-EU Residents?
The answer is quite simple. The process to visit Montserrat, as a resident of the EU, is simple and much more streamlined. It is as easy as buying anything else online.
How to Buy Montserrat Tickets Online
As an EU resident, go to the official Montserrat website, and buy your passes.
For foreigners, it is not only a confusing process, but the website(s) didn’t fully work. There are several hoops to jump through online. At least that’s what it looked like to us. It never worked for us, so we bought our tickets in Barcelona. Montserrat can get busy, but tickets don’t sell out. Here are the complete steps to buying tickets to Montserrat in person.
Buying Montserrat Tickets in Person
If your luck is as good as mine, buying tickets online won’t work for one reason or another. Don’t stress! Buying them in person is easy peasy. So easy, in fact, I stopped trying to do it online once I realized it can be done in person.
All you have to do is find a Tourist Information (TI) booth. There are likely others, but I saw one in Plaça Catalunya and near the Cathedral de Barcelona. At Plaça Catalunya there is a large red and white kiosk that looks kind of like a shipping container. It is near the middle of the square. Obviously, it isn’t inconspicuous, so you’ll be pegged as a tourist in about 0.2 seconds….as if it isn’t already obvious. It may put a larger target on your back for pickpockets than if you went to the one next to the cathedral.
The TI near the cathedral is in an office next to the room where cathedral tickets are sold. Slightly less conspicuous, but you should still be vigilant about your personal items.
No matter which location you choose to go to, the person working there will speak English, possibly many other languages, well. They will go over all of the options with you.
What are the Differences in Montserrat Tickets: Cable Car or Rack Rail
All tickets to Montserrat include metro and regional train tickets. Depending on where you are staying in Barcelona, both are likely necessary to get to Montserrat. The biggest decision to make is how you want to get to the monastery from the regional train.
Montserrat Cable Car (Aerie de Montserrat)
The cable car is the method we took. It takes only a few minutes and offers spectacular views of the mountain and valley. At the top, there is a short uphill walk to get to the start of your Montserrat visit.
Montserrat Rack Rail (Monistrol de Montserrat)
Alternatively, you can get to the monastery via the rack rail. It is one stop further on the regional train than the cable car. The rack rail uses a cog wheel and toothed rail to ascend the mountain. This takes longer than the cable car, but it is a good alternative if you’re afraid of heights.
Both means of transportation run on a posted schedule. From what I saw, they were fairly prompt.
How to Get to Montserrat
Getting to Montserrat is easy, but it does take some time. From Placa Espanya, take the FCG R5 train. It may be necessary to take the metro to Placa Espanya, but your Montserrat ticket covers that cost. Metro lines L1, L3, and L8 stop at Placa Espanya.
The platform for the R5 train is a decent walk from where the L1 & L3 lines stop. Finding the R5 train is easy. Just follow the signs with the green FCG logo. The FCG trains share platforms, unlike the metro lines.
The FCG train run on a schedule that is posted online. It takes about an hour to Aerie de Montserrat and an additional 5-10 minutes to Monitrol de Montserrat.
I recommend taking the earliest train possible for you to take. Not only will you avoid crowds, but you will also be able to explore Montserrat before it gets hot in the afternoon.
What to do While Visiting Montserrat?
I was quite surprised by the number of things to see and do while visiting Montserrat. Nearly everything is included in your ticket.
Basilica and Black Madonna
Most people come to Montserrat to visit the Basilica. Above the altar, inside the Basilica, the Black Madonna is visible from the church pews. It is also known as La Moreneta, and is the symbol of pilgrimage for many people.
The line to get close to La Moreneta can be long. Time entry tickets are usually required. With the tickets I mentioned, visits can be made at any time. We tried to time our entrance to the Basilica to see the Boys Choir, but they were on vacation. Typically, their performance is at 1 PM, just not during July and August.
Funiculars
There are two funiculars at Montserrat. Both of them are included in your ticket. Funicular tickets can be bought in person separately, so bypass any line there might be and hop on!
Funicular de Sant Joan
The Funicular de Sant Joan goes up the mountain from the base of the monastery. It has an unbelieveable 65% incline! There is an elevation difference of 248 meters, or 813 feet, in just 503 meters (1,650 feet) of length. Even if you’re afraid of heights, I still recommend going up – just look uphill during the journey. There are very few seats on the funicular, so be prepared to stand for the six minutes travel time.
There are incredible views from the top. It gives an entirely different perspective of the mountain and monastery below. It is possible to hike up or down instead of taking the funicular, but we opted out of hiking it.
Funicular de Santa Cova
The other funicular, Funicular de Santa Cova, is a bit less spectacular, and less popular than the Funicular de Sant Joan. It goes down the mountain a short distance. Despite being less popular, a short walk from the bottom of the funicular offers some spectacular views of the valley below.
Eating at Montserrat
There are a few places to eat while visiting Montserrat. A ticket you can get instead of the trans Montserrat is the Tot Monserrat which included a buffet. Just don’t expect any of the restaurants to be particularly good. There is a convenience store if you need snacks or drinks.
Getting Back to Barcelona
Leaving Montserrat is the same as getting there, only in reverse. Every transportation method follows a schedule. The cable car and rack railway have sporadic schedules which are posted at the terminus for each one. The schedules tend to be more frequent in the early morning and mid-afternoon. Pay attention to them so you can get to the regional train when you want. Just remember, you must take the same method you bought a ticket for. It is not possible to switch to/from the cable car or rack railway after you buy it.
Knowing all of the schedules will help optimize your time at Montserrat. Even if you leave Barcelona first thing in the morning, you might not get back until mid-afternoon.
Overall Thoughts on Montserrat
Frankly, I am not religious, and get somewhat bored of seeing so many cathedrals in Europe. However, going to Montserrat was a fantastic day trip from Barcelona. A lot of religious aspects were almost certainly lost to me, but I have no regrets. The cable car, views, and scenery were simply amazing. I highly recommend going if you have an extra day while visiting Barcelona. Seeing all of the sights I mentioned will take more than a half a day (including transit time).
If you think I missed anything or have a question, feel free to leave a comment here!
