Montserrat very early : Hiking, Abbey, very small group
Description
Discover the only trip that arrives before 7:30h in Montserrat. We will set off from Barcelona by van for 7 customers from 6 : 15h till 6 : 35h from different pick up points or at your hotel or very near by if it's in Eixample. First we will visit the Abbey and the Black Madonna. From 8 : 30h you'll have free time till 9 : 20h, where you can have breakfast, stay inside the Abbey for more time, relaxing before crowds arrive, etc Then, we will take the van for 15 minutes to arrive in another place in Montserrat to do a hiking tour. There won't be any tourists there: only local people cause you cannot arrive there by public transport. If you hike with me, we will walk maximum 4.6km / 2.85ml with an elevation gain and loss of 283m / 928ft. Almost all the time we will be walking in the shade. The minimum hike it's whatever you want, but the rythym of hiking cannot be slow. When we will finish hiking, we will go to a bakery and after that we'll come back to Barcelona to arrive before 13:15h.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will leave Barcelona at 6:35h to arrive in Montserrat before 7:30h. Pick-up will be between 6: 15h and 6: 35h at different meeting points. If your Hotel is located in the l'Eixample district (the largest in Barcelona) once payment is made inform which is your Hotel and I will tell you if I can pick you up there or nearby.
At 8 am we will visit the Abbey and see the Black Madonna without queuing. You will have free time until 9:20h to have breakfast, be inside the Abbey, relax, etc.
At 9:20h we will go with the van to another place in Montserrat and from there, we will do a hiking route. We will see the mountain from different vantage points and also reach the most iconic rock. We will walk 3.66km / 2.27ml with a gradient of 175m / 574ft. Optionally, we will make a steeper gradient.
Once we finish the route, we will go to a cafeteria and at 12:15h we will return to Barcelona to arrive at 13h
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- People with mobility problems are not accepted
- People who cannot walk at a normal pace are not accepted
- People over 65 years old are accepted but who do not have any mobility problems
Reviews(135)
Alberto gives you a very personalized experience for a small group and no waiting in lines. Our Lady of Montserrat will not disappoint.! The hike was absolutely breathtaking. Alberto is an amazing guide and knowledgeable. His Renault van is clean, comfortable and has air conditioning.
This tour is for you if you want: (a) an early departure with arrival at the Abbey early, before anyone else is there; (b) an “off-the-beaten path” hike at a good pace that is not technical, but is challenging at a few places; (c) a small group; and (d) an absolute expert guide, Albert. We had an incredible time on this tour, led by Albert, and cannot imagine having seen Montserrat any other way.
We enjoyed our visit to Montserrat and the wonderful hiking trail . The hike is not super hard- but the trail is rocky and you should have good shoes . Don’t training flip flops!
This Montserrat tour was one of the best experiences of my life. Our guide, Albert, was fantastic—knowledgeable, engaging, and made the whole day feel seamless. While you can definitely visit Montserrat on your own, the convenience of being picked up and having everything organized was a huge highlight. It made the experience so much more relaxing and enjoyable. The views and hiking were absolutely incredible—something I’ll never forget. Highly recommend!
This was a highlight of our trip! Being able to see the Abbey with almost no other visitors early in the morning was so peaceful. Our guide Albert was great, proving the context and history of the abbey. In our opinion, the best part is the hike through the mountains. The mountains side and views from the top are really something else - a beautiful way to take in all the natural beauty. Here too Albert was a great guide! High energy and clearly a passion for the outdoors. Comfy shoes are an absolute must. The hiking trail can be challenging in parts but totally worth it once you are at the top.
Albert was a very knowledgeable about the history and was an excellent and safe guide on the hike. The views on the hike were just amazing and breathtaking. The hike can be difficult at times so highly recommend you are in good condition for the hike. Albert took us to a small town after our hike, where we were able to have as small snack and enjoy a glass of wine. If you have time during your stay in Barcelona, I highly recommend this experience. You won't regret it.
The tour was breathtakingly awesome! The tour started early and on time. There was no problem going to the pick up point because Albert, the tour leader was giving us updates ahead of time. Albert went above and beyond during the tour. He made us all safe during hiking of Montserrat. He’s very professional and friendly. He also gave us some history and insights about Monserrat and the monastery. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience a hiking adventure and breathtaking sceneries of Montserrat.
This is the Montserrat tour to book! The hike is the main feature, and it was an amazing adventure! Be prepared to do a little amateur rock climbing up a ravine if you want the most spectacular view! (You can also choose not to do the most strenuous climbs) Albert is fun and very knowledgable. PS. it can be extremely windy on the mountain, so wear layers if the morning is cold!
I highly recommend this experience to see an incredible sunrise, beat the crowds and see amazing viewpoints. Albert was very responsive and helpful leading up to the trip and confirmed convenient pickup points near our hotel. THE DRIVE: The van was spacious and comfortable. Albert is a speedy driver up that mountain so be prepared for a wild ride. I recommend Dramamine if you get carsick easily- lots of twists and turns up and down the mountain road. THE WEATHER: It was quite chilly and windy the day we were there in January so dress in layers. The sunrise was breathtaking! THE BASILICA VISIT: One important thing to be aware of is that for this specific experience, we were visiting before the Basilica opens. We went through very quickly and were not given a lot of time to really take in the different chapels and sights. The "pro" was that it was literally just our small group of 5 so it was empty and peacefully quiet. After we returned from the hike though, I was disappointed to learn that we didn't have official tickets to go back inside to visit with the limited time we had left. THE HIKE: Albert warns several times in his listing that this isn't a light stroll. You need to be prepared for a hike up 800+ stairs, take routes off unmaintained routes off the path with elevation gain. The pace was medium to hard. He took us to incredible viewpoints that you might not see otherwise which made it worth it. We also got lucky with the weather- sunshine and no rain. Although it'd rained a bit beforehand, so some areas were slippery and/or muddy. Real hiking shoes with traction would have been ideal but we made due with our normal Nike sneakers since we were limited on luggage space. Overall, great trip with Albert. He's friendly, very knowledgeable, and has a great sense of humor. Book it!
Thanks for your review. Finally, I decided to make a different hiking trip without stairs from another place in Montserrat, and not from the Monastery. Have a nice time.
This tour is hike focused and it is a long and hard hike. Over 800 stairs to start. I would rate it difficult. My friends watch recorded 99 floors and the other couple with us would have liked a little more of a relaxed pace also. If you want an invigorating hard workout in a beautiful setting this is great - but if you weren’t expecting this level of exertion it wasn’t great. The best part was comfortable transport to the mountain - and early arrival. We were alone with the Madonna and could have had a very peaceful experience but we literally ran through the montestary and were rushed along to get hiking. My recommendation- definitely get an early morning ride with someone who already has the tickets. Dress warm. There is easier hiking to enjoy the mountains but this was hard with not a lot of time to enjoy the quiet early mornings at the site. Great tour if you just want a ride to the mountains and get a killer workout.
Thanks for your review. 99% participants to my trip don't have any problem with the hike. Before hiking, I told you about that the first part is 800 stairs very clear, and I tell you if you think you cannot do it, you can take a very easy hike by yourself. When we are inside the Abbey, I go out and I leave you inside in other to be all the time (let's say) that you want. Have a nice time!
