Is Montserrat Worth It? My Take After Visiting Twice

Santa Maria de Montserrat is an abbey etched into the side of a mountain, surrounded by impressive jagged peaks and hidden by clouds. It’s a popular day trip from Barcelona, but of all the things you can do there, is Montserrat worth it? The answer for me is yes, however, I wouldn’t automatically add it to everyone’s Barcelona itinerary.

If it’s your first trip to Barcelona and you have three days or less, I’d spend those three days in the city. There’s already so much to see without rushing through it. But if you have four days or more, Montserrat is one of the first day trips I’d consider adding.

I’ve visited Montserrat twice under very different conditions: once by car on a cloudy, rainy day, and once by public transportation in the sunshine. What made me want to return wasn’t simply the basilica or the Black Madonna. It was the atmosphere of the entire place.

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Why I Think Montserrat Is Worth Visiting

For me, what makes Montserrat special isn’t the monastery on its own. It’s where the monastery is. The giant rounded rock formations rise almost directly behind the religious complex, covered in patches of green and towering over the buildings below. Walking around the monastery with those mountains surrounding you feels a little unreal, like someone decided to build a religious sanctuary in the setting of a fantasy movie.

And that setting changes the experience.

Yes, there’s a religious aspect — inside the basilica, I saw people praying and waiting to visit the Black Madonna. But then you can head outside, take a funicular farther up the mountain, and suddenly you’re walking along rocky trails with huge views over the valley.

That combination of religion, history and nature is what makes a Montserrat day trip feel different from simply visiting another European church.

Even bad weather added to the atmosphere for me. On my first visit, we took the Sant Joan funicular up intending to hike, only to find ourselves surrounded by thick fog and mist. We eventually abandoned the hike when we heard thunder, but seeing the monastery surrounded by clouds somehow made the whole place feel even more mysterious.

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Who is Montserrat for?

I think Montserrat is a destination that would be enjoyed by those interested in some combination of history, religion nature, hiking, or unusual places.

If you’re interested in religion or history, there’s much more significance here. The monastery was founded in 1025, although the religious history of the site stretches back even further. The monastery is one of Spain’s oldest pilgrimage destinations, and it’s home to Our Lady of Montserrat, or the Black Madonna. Many people pray to the Black Madona, touching her sphere and to ask for her blessings.

I also think Montserrat works for people who simply like atmosphere. You don’t have to know much about monasteries or religion to appreciate walking into a courtyard with these enormous rock formations rising behind it. That’s the part that stuck with me most.

If you like hiking, I wouldn’t treat the monastery as the end of the trip. Getting farther into the mountains was one of my favorite parts of visiting.

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Who Might Want to Skip Montserrat?

I wouldn’t tell everyone visiting Barcelona that they need to go to Montserrat. I’ve traveled around Europe enough that church fatigue is definitely a thing. After a while, one ornate basilica can start to blend into the next, and you start to lose that initial sense of awe.

If you’re mainly interested in seeing the basilica, I don’t know that I’d give up a day in Barcelona for Montserrat. The mountain setting is a huge part of what makes the experience worthwhile to me. And if you don’t care much about nature, hiking, religious sites or history, you may find Montserrat a little boring. This isn’t the day trip I’d choose if you’re looking for action or constant stimulation.

I’d also consider how much time you have in Barcelona. If it’s your first visit and you only have three days or less, I’d stay in the city. With four days or more, that’s when I’d start considering Montserrat as a day trip.

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Is Montserrat Worth It If You’re Not Religious?

Yes, as long as the landscape and atmosphere interest you. You can absolutely experience Montserrat as a religious destination, but religion wasn’t the main reason I wanted to return.

For me, the monastery and the mountain work together. You can spend part of the morning exploring the religious complex, then head farther into the mountains and experience a completely different side of Montserrat.

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Is the Black Madonna Worth Seeing?

This one depends on why you’re visiting, and how long the line is.

The Black Madonna, officially Our Lady of Montserrat, sits above the altar inside the basilica. You can see her from the main basilica, but there’s also a separate route that takes you through a long corridor and up behind the altar so you can see the statue up close.

I thought the route itself was interesting because you see artwork, sculptures and another part of the basilica along the way. For religious visitors, getting close to Our Lady of Montserrat can obviously carry much more significance.

For everyone else, I’d look at the line before committing. On one of my visits, the line around midday was huge. To see the sculpture up close, we had to navigate through a narrow crowded corridor, and once we reached it, there were enough people behind us that we only had a minute or so to admire the Black Madonna before continuing.

If I were waiting 30 minutes to an hour just for those few seconds and the religious significance didn’t mean much to me personally, I’d probably skip it. This is another reason I’d rather arrive at Montserrat early.

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Is it Worth Spending a Night at Montserrat

The majority of people will treat Montserrat as a day trip from Barcelona. I think it’s worth spending a night if…

You want to enjoy the monastery complex in peace.
Staying the night means you’ll get the evening and early morning to wander without the masses of tourists.

You enjoy hiking and want an early start.
The surrounding nature of the monastery complex is stunning. Staying a night means you can get on the trails early before crowds or the heat of the day kicks in.

If you are interested in staying the night, the Hostal Abat Cisneros is actually in the complex making your trip simple.

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So, Is a Montserrat Day Trip Worth It?

Yes, I think a Montserrat day trip is worth it if you have enough time in Barcelona and the things that make Montserrat interesting actually appeal to you.

I wouldn’t go just to check another famous basilica off a list. I’d go for the combination: the religious history, the monastery tucked into the mountains, those strange rounded rock formations, the trails and the atmosphere of the entire place.

If you have three days in Barcelona, stay in Barcelona.

If you have four or more and you’re drawn to mountains, history, religion or places that feel a little unusual, I’d make room for Montserrat.

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