Hotels in Montserrat

The sanctuary

Staying at the top, next to the monastery, has one clear advantage: when the coaches leave, the mountain is almost empty. You can see the Black Madonna without queues, hear the Escolania boys’ choir in the basilica and set off early on the trails to Sant Jeroni. The Sant Joan and Santa Cova funiculars start a few metres away. And at sunset, with the Llobregat valley at your feet, you understand why it is worth staying.

It suits travellers looking for calm or who come to hike. There is little choice of food and nothing going on at night, so bear that in mind.

Monistrol de Montserrat

At the foot of the mountain, by the Llobregat river, Monistrol is the village where the rack railway to the monastery starts. It has a station on the R5 line of the Catalan railways, which comes from Plaça d’Espanya in Barcelona. If you come without a car and want to go up and down at your own pace, it is the most logical option. On the same line, the Aeri de Montserrat station gives access to the cable car, another way up.

Collbató

On the south side of the massif, Collbató is a quiet village with the Salnitre caves within its boundaries. Classic paths climb on foot from here to the sanctuary. The village has a small old core, with sloping streets below the rock walls. It suits hikers and anyone travelling by car on the A-2.

El Bruc and Marganell

El Bruc, also on the A-2, looks at the rock pinnacles from the west and has rural houses and farmhouses around it. On the north side, in Marganell, the road around the mountain passes Santa Cecília de Montserrat, a Romanesque monastery. They are areas for people looking for scenery and silence, always with their own car.