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Montserrat Afternoon Tour: Intimate Monastery Experience
4.7
65 Ratings
Barcelona
Experience the tranquility of Montserrat without the crowds! This afternoon tour offers a unique and personal visit to the renowned monastery, enabling a deep connection with the mountain’s enchanting atmosphere. Be sure to enjoy the memorable performance by the Boy’s Choir! (Please note: not available on Fridays, Saturdays, and special holidays)
Experience the tranquility of Montserrat without the crowds! This afternoon tour offers a unique and personal visit to the renowned monastery, enabling a deep connection with the mountain’s enchanting atmosphere. Be sure to enjoy the memorable performance by the Boy’s Choir! (Please note: not available on Fridays, Saturdays, and special holidays)
Duration:
4 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Barcelona Nord Bus Station - Upon arrival at Barcelona Nord Bus Station, visit the Castlexperience office located on the first floor for check-in.
- Montserrat Mountains - Be enchanted by the dramatic, jagged peaks that rise majestically above Catalonia, Spain. Known for its spiritual importance, it is home to the esteemed Benedictine monastery…
- Barcelona Nord Bus Station - Upon arrival at Barcelona Nord Bus Station, visit the Castlexperience office located on the first floor for check-in.
- Montserrat Mountains - Be enchanted by the dramatic, jagged peaks that rise majestically above Catalonia, Spain. Known for its spiritual importance, it is home to the esteemed Benedictine monastery and the miraculous Black Madonna, attracting both pilgrims and tourists. The rugged landscape offers stunning views, hiking paths, and a profound sense of tranquility.
- Abadia de Montserrat - Montserrat Abbey is a Benedictine monastery perched high in the Montserrat mountain range near Barcelona, Spain. Celebrated for its breathtaking natural surroundings and religious importance, it houses the revered statue of the Virgin of Montserrat, known as the Black Madonna. The monastery is a pilgrimage site, drawing visitors in search of spiritual peace and spectacular views of the surrounding scenery.
What's Included
- Local English-speaking tour guide (max. 20 people per guide)
- 1 hour Free time at Montserrat
- Shared transportation in a comfortable air-conditioned bus
- Entry to the Basilica (tickets to touch the Black Madonna are not included)
- Guided visit to Montserrat Monastery
- Boy’s Choir performance (except Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays)
- Local English-speaking tour guide (max. 20 people per guide)
- 1 hour Free time at Montserrat
- Shared transportation in a comfortable air-conditioned bus
- Entry to the Basilica (tickets to touch the Black Madonna are not included)
- Guided visit to Montserrat Monastery
- Boy’s Choir performance (except Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays)
What's Not Included
- Tips and gratuities.
- Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off
- Tips and gratuities.
- Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off
Additional Information
- Tour starts at 16:00 pm . Please arrive at the meeting point 20 min before the start of the tour.
- Groups are limited to 20 people per guide, though in rare cases may increase to 22. Transportation is shared with other groups.
- The tour is conducted in English.
- Comfortable clothes and walking shoes are recommended. Montserrat and the winery may…
- Tour starts at 16:00 pm . Please arrive at the meeting point 20 min before the start of the tour.
- Groups are limited to 20 people per guide, though in rare cases may increase to 22. Transportation is shared with other groups.
- The tour is conducted in English.
- Comfortable clothes and walking shoes are recommended. Montserrat and the winery may have more extreme temperatures than Barcelona—check the forecast and dress accordingly. Bring water, especially in summer.
- The tour is not wheelchair accessible, but service animals are allowed. For reduced mobility, contact us before booking to discuss arrangements.
- Infants (3 years or younger) join free of charge but are not provided with car seats or meals.
- Tour timings are approximate and may vary due to traffic, weather, or unforeseen events. We recommend avoiding scheduling other activities immediately after the tour to allow for potential delays.
- We follow all health and safety guidelines issued by authorities to ensure a safe environment for guests and staff.
Location
Barcelona Nord bus station
Carrer de Nàpols
Once in Barcelona Nord Bus Station, check-in at our Castlexperience office. Look for booth number 9.
Arrive 20 minutes before the tour starts to check in before proceeding to the buses on the ground floor.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(65 Ratings)
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Linday54
Jun 26, 2025
A beautiful experience! - The whole trip was fantastic! The views were amazing, as was the service with the monks’ choir.
Our tour guide, Toni, was very interesting and knowledgeable and made the tour great for both 2 seniors and 2 teenagers. We were so glad we chose the “Skip the Crowds” tour and happy to have a guide like Toni.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
998sadap
May 28, 2025
Strongly recommend this tour with Yerai - I thoroughly enjoyed the tour! Yerai was excellent, friendly , knowledgeable, narrated the historical facts in easy to understand and made it fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lori_c
May 5, 2025
Sabrina was an excellent... - Sabrina was an excellent guide. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing Montserrat with her. The evening tour was much less crowded and we heard the monks sing
Review provided by Viator
K1146id_
Apr 10, 2025
energetic - Vince is also welcoming and eager to share all of his experience with us. I really appreciated his work. I recommend this trip to everyone
TING-WEI !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Journey03347383161
Apr 4, 2025
A Serene Escape to Montserrat’s Soulful Heights - This tour was the perfect way to explore Montserrat without the usual tourist rush. The afternoon timing meant fewer people and a more peaceful atmosphere, which made the visit feel extra special. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and brought the history and spirituality of the site to life. The highlight was hearing the boys' choir — truly magical. Everything was well organized, from the comfortable transport to the scenic views and insightful commentary. Highly recommended if you want a more intimate and enriching Montserrat experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explorer270174
Mar 20, 2025
A highlight of the trip - This was a great tour, many thanks to our excellent guide Gus! He was knowledgeable and engaging, and ensured we had an excellent, personalized experience. Montserrat itself is beautiful beyond words, with its unique geological features, peaceful nature, hiking trails, and monastery. We enjoyed hearing the monks sing as we closed our our time there. We highly recommend the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephanie
Mar 9, 2025
Must Experience Montserrat - Montserrat is an amazing experience and Judit was friendly, knowledgeable and delightful!! This is a must experience tour!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O8878qcandrewc
May 23, 2025
Peaceful visit, but no boy's choir - An informative, comprehensive visit; capably and enjoyably guided by Toni. Be forewarned: I expected, by the advertising, to hear the Boys' Choir perform after afternoon vespers service (since we went on a Thursday); but we did not. As Toni explained, their appearance at this hour is a matter of "luck". Otherwise I would have given the tour 5 stars. As is, I am impressed enough on this first visit to want to return as an overnight guest at the hotel.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zebsmom
Feb 12, 2025
Not what I Expected - When I arrived at my bus to Montserrat I was quite happy to see a small group and find that we were able to spread out on the bus. On the way to the monastery, 3 travellers garnered the favor of our guide and became somewhat chummy. When we arrived at Montserrat we were told not to separate from the group until the guide instructed us to do so as she had some important information to give us. She said that she hoped the small market with vendors of cheese had not shut down for the evening. The three from Portugal were very excited about the cheese. As we arrived at the vendors stalls, our group lingered, making purchases. This was of no interest to me and I felt annoyed as we stood around waiting on people who were eating samples and cutting-up. I guess we wasted 10-15 minutes there. As a result, I was unable to take the cog-train as they locked the door just as I arrived, walking as fast as possible to get there. I missed it by a minute. There was no reason for us to wait for the important message. All she had to do was point to our meet up area and tell us to return in an hour. She could do that from the vendors stalls. Instead, I did the hike. When we met back up, we had to wait for the 3 men again. They were late. Why penalize all for them? Inside the monastery, I felt embarrassed by the group. Instructions should have been given outdoors. Instead, security had to tell our group to be silent. ( There was a sign explaining to be silent as well.) Because we entered during the service, we stood behind the sign, rather than find seats. Had we entered on time, we could have been seated. When the choir appeared, we saw a bit and then we were told to leave. Once outside, we were told that we could all go back in for a few more minutes. This is why I seldom do group tours and prefer to venture out solo, on my own time. I had planned to take the train from Barcelona to Montserrat and changed my mind the night prior, due to reading the return by train might be standing room only and very uncomfortable. There weren't many people there on this April day, so i think the train trip would have better suited me.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V2606kyjoelr
May 17, 2025
NOT AS ADVERTISED - Buyer beware! This trip was advertised as “the boys choir” at Montserrat and “beat the lines”. We did neither. It was on Good Friday, so perhaps the holiday made our visit unusual, but here is what happened. Our guide was excellent and picked us up and took great care of us on our journey. However, upon arrival, the visit seemed poorly planned out. Instead of going straight into the basilica, we were told we would enter after 6 PM. So we all had about an hour to randomly walk-through the shops and the mountain side. When we met back up at 6 PM, our guide was turned away by security. Apparently, there was a good Friday mass, and once it started, we were not allowed to enter. So again, with a little planning, not only could we have attended mass, but we could have seen the boys choir perform! instead, we weren’t even into the church.
Again, I hope this experience was unusual. But tourist need to understand why this trip was so cheap. I think this company dodges the entrance fees by going into the basilica after hours when most of the normal tourists have headed back to Barcelona. If you are cool with that, that’s great. Just be aware your trip may not go as planned. no refunds were given despite missing the interior of the church and missing the boys choir.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
