Montserrat Hike Off the Beaten Path & Monastery Small Group Tour

The best hike and tour I could ask for

Roman was an excellent tour guide, he made the experience so wonderful with his passion for the mountain, the outdoors, and immense knowledge of the geology, religion, history, politics, flora and fauna and generally anything you could ask for. The hike was exactly what I wanted, a good amount of challenging and very rewarding with the views. I would recommend to those who love to hike and have some experience with hiking because it was off the beaten path at times as the description notes. I anticipate this being the highlight of my trip! Great experience.

Excellent experience!

We went on this experience with our family of five, which includes three teenagers. Berned was a fantastic guide. We started with the monastery and he gave us just enough information to be interesting, but not too much to overwhelm. We moved quickly through the hike and he gave us the option of extending it (which we declined, but appreciated). There was a farmer's market open the day we were there, and Berned suggested local foods to try. In addition, we had a snacks on the mountain, which was provided by the tour company. The drive back and forth from Barcelona was pleasant because of Berned's conversation. Overall, we would highly recommend this experience. Loved it!

wonderful hike & monastery visit

Ramon was excellent guide. Moderately difficult hike. Great views. Nicely paced. Highly recommended.

Hiking at the Montserrat monastery

Amazing day trip to Montserrat from Barcelona. Guide was great - Bernard (sorry if I spelled name wrong!) and the day was a mix of seeing the monastery and hiking in the hills. SO MUCH BETTER than taking the tram up! Small group is the only way to go. Lots of young people in our group so we moved at an ok pace. You need good runners or hiking boots, lots of water and pack a lunch. Views were spectacular. Next time I would go on my own and hike to the top. We hiked to midpoint. About 300 meters elevation gain and about 5 km. About 1:45 hrs moving time. Not technically difficult but it’s hot and dry. Mostly paved surface with a couple km dirt trail.

Gorgeous hike past the monastery

The monastery/hiking tour was beautiful :) Our guide took time to adjust our pace to the group's needs and his detailed stories and explanations were so well spoken, you could feel his passion for the place and for nature. Definitely recommend.

Hiking and sight-seeing in Montserrat

I immensely enjoyed the hike with Catalan Trails hosted by Cristian. He gave a terrific tour on the geology, flora, and history of Montserrat. The hike itself was easy-going and relaxing, although comfortable/durable footwear is recommended. I would certainly go on another tour with Catalan Trails in the future.

Spectacular hike on Montserrat

Beautiful views abound! If your primary goal is to hike alongside spectacular vistas, and your secondary goal is to see the monastery, then this is the perfect experience. If your primary goals is to spend time at the monastery and possibly hear the boy’s choir, with a little hike thrown in, you might want to consider a different experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the plant and animal life on the mountain, and an experienced mountain guide; very helpful with the more challenging parts and very considerate of all participants.

Great experience!

Great experience with a very knowledgeable guide! I would definitely recommend whether you're going solo or with friends!

Awesome views of Montserrat area with an incredible guide!

This was a well thought out hike of Montserrat National Park with a visit to monastery. The guide was awesome with a vast knowledge of the area and set a good pace for the hike. The guide pointed out a variety of plants, animals, and historical information during the hike. The hike was uphill for the first hour and half it was not too steep. Was a good workout with awesome and breathtaking views.

Great decision for us and our teenage grandson!

Our guide Bernant was fantastic! He was very knowledgeable and easy to follow. His English was very good. He also was aware of everyone's fitness levels and didn't push anyone. We were very pleased that we decided to see Montserrat this way.

Be a pilgrim for a day !

The landscape with the monastery niched in the mountain is spectacular. Our guide, Ramon from Catalan Trails, was excellent. He is good for both the cultural part at the monastery and for the hiking part. The hike is of moderate difficulty. Some good climbs à a steep descent, but nothing that most people in relatively good shape cannot do. Moreover, the guide provides poles if you want. Thanks Ramon.

Excellent host and great trip for the history and the hike.

Host was excellent. I would highly recommend this experience. Memorable view. We were able to see the snow covered Pyrenees.

Great activity with stunning views!

We did this tour on the 28th of March 2024 in the morning. The tour was really great, we started with a little walk trough Montserrat Monastery with explanation of our guide and time to walk around by yourself. After this the hike started where we had some amazing views, our guide told a lot during the hike about the surrounding of Montserrat and provide some nice Catalan snacks. We can recommend this tour if you wanna see, do and enjoy a day outside Barcelona!!

Breathing hike at Montserrat

Absolutely fantastic day hiking at Montserrat. Ramon was a great tour guide and very much in touch with the mountain and its flora and fauna.

Beautiful place, amazing experience

Amazing experience. Beautiful place. Got to see the monastery when it was not crowded (was raining too, so crowds were less). Saw the black Madonna from afar. Could have gone back after the hike to see it from close if we wanted. Our guide Bernard was great. His delivery of information was not good at times but he slowed down took his time, made sure we got what he was saying. Lot of knowledge, He is passionate about the mountain and conservation and it came through. We walked up and down. Our boys, ages 22, 18, 13 all loved the experience. We explored the local market after the hike. Boys enjoyed the snacks. It was slippery from the rain and Bernard guided us very well.

Excellent tour guide, excellent tour

We had an excellent tour of Monsterrat today with Ramon. Excellent guide...top star. Beautiful tour. Highly recommend

A great trip to Montserrat

We had a great trip to Montserrat, the highlight was the hiking lead by our fantastic tour guide, Chris! He learned us a lot of things regarding the florals, the mountain shapes, and also about the animals in the area. We even saw a mountain goat :) Absolutely recommendable!!

Perfect way to see Monserrat!

Absolutely fabulous tour! Ramon is a fantastic guide and made the experience of being in beautiful Monserrat so much more enjoyable. We not only got to learn all about the history of the Monastery but also about the entire area. Ramon took us on a 4 mi hike where we learned about the history, geology, and native plants unique to that area he knows so well as he grew up in the area. Loved being in a small group (only 5 of us) and the views/scenery were amazing. Highly recommend!

Amazing views on a nice moderate hike!

This is a really nice tour. 8 people including the guide. Christian is very knowledgeable. Explained history, geology and architecture of the area. The hike itself is not very hard and can be done by anyone in good health. It is about 3.5 miles with a total elevation gain of about 1000 ft. Mostly gentle. Using poles is a great idea while coming down. There are lots of steps and poles provide the support. The views are to die for. Every corner provider an opportunity for a picture! Tour took out the guesswork and made the whole experience very enjoyable!

Montserrat experience

Was a great experience! Loved the hiking aspect, bring good hiking shoes and be ready to do some great experience. The monastery is beautiful and Cristian was a great guide. Very friendly and knowledgeable.

A Grand Hike!

We are still coming off the high of this hike! Everything about it was grand. Ramon was such a great leader: organized, on time, and very pleasant to be with. He is knowledgeable about the monastery, the region, the route, the plants, and the geology. We were challenged by the hike given the elevation but he made sure to include breaks and adjust according to the experience of our participants. Our expectations were exceeded! AND we could not have had a more beautiful day!

Great trip to Montserrat

This is a fantastic tour. The early start from Barcelona really helps as you beat most of the crowds and are able to visit the monastery in relative peace before undertaking the 3 hour hike with climbs in total of 300 m. The quality of guiding was excellent especially the local knowledge of conditions, flora and fauna.

Fantastic tour guide, breathtaking views!

Absolute highlight of our trip! Ramon was a fantastic guide, he really went above and beyond to show us the best sights of Monserrat. If you’re looking for a trip where you get to spend more time exploring the glorious natural surroundings then this is the one for you. Ramon was a fount of information about the history of Monserrat and all things Catalan. It was lovely to do a tour where you don’t feel like you’re on a conveyor belt with thousands of other tourists. Make this a must do!

Views of Med Sea and Pyranees

Guide was excellent. Moderate hike. Going early avoids crowds. Farmers market was awesome. Basilica was so interesting was wndy so dress in layers

Fun, informative and comfortable

We had a great experience, tour guide was very informative, made sure everyone is comfortable with the speed and complexity of the trail and had great sense of humor. Meeting point was easy to find, logistics were easy and comfortable. Also, nice snacks were provided on the trail. We had 30 min to do some shopping at the farmers market which was enough to get some local cheese and honey.

Well organised, informative and fun

If you are interested in hiking in wonderful unique landscapes, this is definitely for you. It was a wonderful day out, from the early morning meet up in Barcelona in the dark, the drive to the monastery, the tour around the monastery, and finally several hours climbing the amazing mountains above the monastery What made it so special was our charming guide, Ramon, an erudite and passionate Catalan who was so generous with his knowledge of the history, fauna, flora and geology of this area, which he obviously loves. It was clear that he is concerned about the recent drought in the region, which is affecting all of Catalonia and southern Spain. He made the day very special. The hiking was not difficult, and was mainly on tracks, so we only got out of breath once or twice. The air is clear up there and I felt both exhausted and energized at the end of the hike. A perfect day out!

Awesome experience!

Ramon was an awesome guide and very knowledgeable! I recommend him to anyone wanting to explore Montserrat and hike. He is an awesome guide.

Nice hike!

What a great hike in a place I’ve never been! Our guide, Ramon, was excellent. I would rate this hike as moderate, but there were some intense but short uphill switchbacks. There were numerous large groups of school kids that Ramon skillfully avoided by taking us on a couple of lesser-traveled trails, which afforded us some quiet. We even spotted some mountain goats at a distance. We took a short break at a nice spot with a view where Ramon shared some yummy snacks. It was a beautiful, clear day. If you find yourself in Barcelona and you like to hike, don’t miss this one!

Great Excursion from Barcelona - Strongly Recommend!

We had a great time with Christian. He knew so much history about the Monastery. The hike was great and he knew when to take breaks (b/c some of us were wearing out) and when to pick back up. Delicious snacks with a view. He had an extra vest for someone who was cold, extra water and a hiking stick for someone who unexpectedly needed a little support. Car was clean and the tour ran on time. Strongly recommend!

Rewarding: good hike with extraordinary views

I enjoyed this hike up Montserrat. It was fairly challenging and took the right amount of time. The views were extraordinary and Frank, as our guide, did a super job of explaining things and being patient with us as we took pictures. Frank volunteered to take certain pictures too and knew the perfect spots.

Our visit to Montserrat was amazing!

Ramón was a fantastic guide! He was warm, incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the history of the monastery and protection and preservation of the mountain. The views are breathtaking in the Basilica and looking out from the mountain itself. We had a small group which made it a more intimate and special tour where it was easy to ask questions and Ramón had all the answers. The hike itself was challenging, but doable for myself and my husband at ages 51 and 61. It will forever be a wonderful memory for us!! We highly recommend it to anyone vacationing in Barcelona!! 5 ⭐️stars!

Amazing Montserrat

A truly memorable experience in a stunning location. Niko was an awesome and knowledgeable guide who took great care to make sure each hiker in the group was doing well. Well worth the half-day trip out of Barcelona.

Amazing Hike - Beautiful Views - Great Tour Guide

What a wonderful way to visit Montserrat. Our tour guide, Chris, made it so easy…he drove the group from Barcelona to Montserrat. After a short history lesson and a visit to the Monastery, we began our 1.5 hour hike up Montserrat. Chris was very informative throughout the trip, patient as we made our way up and led us on paths we would not have found on our own. We wanted to hike while in Barcelona and this tour made it so easy to do.

Monserrat hiking off the beaten path & monastery small group tour

The highlight of our tour was the hike. The views were amazing and our tour guide Nico was everything you would want in a tour guide. He was fun, informative and patient. We were so glad we went. Reba & Ron

A must see! If you need to include one trip outside Barcelona…this is it!

Highly recommend. Amazing place to visit. Hike is not that strenuous. Just wear comfortable shoes (sneakers will do). Amazing views. Our guide is very knowledgeable and friendly. He started to describe the mountain just like in a story he learned as a child to more of the scientific explanation. He pointed out the role of the monastery throughout the various times in history of Barcelona. Along the hike, he points out several plants native to the area and how they’ve been used. He brought scrumptious snack for us to try. He also recommended which snack to try that’s offered in the gift shop and outside snack shops.

Montserrat Monastery is a Must See

The Santa Maria Monastery on Montserrat Mountain is a really amazing site to visit up close. The Monastery is built into the mountain and boasts unique views of the surrounding landscape. Our guide was very informative and explained the history of the monastery and all of the activities/events that happen on it's grounds today, including the lovely farmers market. The hike around the mountain was spectacular, and not too hard. Most of it was paved. It did not take long to reach the top. The hike down was a little harder and often steep, however, our guide took plenty of breaks for those who needed it. I would definitely recommend this tour.

a VIP experience

Highly recommend. First time trying such small group tours and everything was on point. The early departure allowed us to avoid the crowds in the Monestry, followed by a proper yet not too extensive hike with unique views and storytelling along the way. The organizer is Barcelona born and raised with high international savviness, making up a very nice combination to host such a trip. The pace of activity was perfect, followed by arrival back to city is time for some activities still.

Wonderful morning and got...

Wonderful morning and got to experience the farmers market! The hike had significant inclines and declines so those with knee and back issues should bring poles.

Great Experience

Went on this hike with my family and it was a great experience! The hike was challenging at times, but it was worth the breathtaking views! Our guide was very informative and knowledgeable which only elevated the experience.

Hike that’s worth the view!

This tour/hike was worth every penny. This was a perfect day trip from Barcelona. We loved the small group as we were able to connect with people from all over the world. Our guide was so knowledgeable and super helpful and supportive throughout. The hike is certainly challenging at times, but the views are worth it. The snacks at the top were an awesome reward too! Highly recommend.

Great way to visit!

Being able to visit sights while hiking..the guide was great. Worth the effort instead of taking the easy way up.

Must expire here if you visit Barcelona

The experience of seeing the church and school was just the start of a great day. The hike was challenging but enjoyed every minute

Christian was a great...

Christian was a great tour guide! Knew a lot on the history and geology. The hike was doable but bring good hiking shoes and water. The views were amazing. Great experience.

Great guide, great hike, great experience

This was such a great experience! I love hiking when we travel and this was a great way to do it without having to worry about getting lost or not knowing the significance of the place we were hiking. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and shared so much interesting history about Barcelona and Montserrat with us (both during the drive up and during the hike). His knowledge spanned history, geography, geology, and religion! Our group was comprised of people with various fitness levels and hiking experience, but the guide made it a seamless and positive experience for all. The Montserrat ('Off the beaten path') tour is for individuals with at least some background experience in hiking and a moderate fitness level, due mostly to the steep nature of the hike. There is a general path in Montserrat that can be easily followed without a guide, but our guide took us off this path several times to show us different lookouts and areas of the mountain. Also, an underrated skill, but he was also very good at taking pictures of us from good angles and with good views in the background, lol. Highly, highly recommend! One of our favourite experiences during our whole trip!

Very beautiful views during the hike.

Our tour guide Chris was super knowledgeable and explained everything in good detail. He also took breaks at right intervals so the hike was not tough on anyone. The views during the hike and the history behind the monastery and the various hermit camp sites were impressive. Must recommend if you can handle inclined hike with moderate difficulty. Else take the mini train from the monastery.

Great Tour

This was an amazing tour of Montserrat. Ramon (tour guide) knew so much about the monastery, and it was clear that he cares a lot about the national park around it. He has a lot of interesting stories from his own travels and can answer almost any question you have. He also shared some regional food from a local market which was nice. I was a solo traveler, and this tour is great for that as well. The small group size means that you can meet the other people as well.

Great place to explore

Absolutely stunning mountains, but make sure you're ready for an uphill hike and come prepared with good shoes and lots of food and water

Beautiful hike

It was a great hike with amazing views and amazing history. My husband, 3 sons and I really enjoyed the tour. It was one of our favorite hikes.

👍🏻

Great experience. Ramon shared history and stories to bring the mountain and monastery to life! Highly recommend

Highly recommended

Christian was a great guide! Learnt a lot about the history, geology and vegetation of Montserrat. He was considerate to everyone considering the hiking experience of the group. Although, I wished the pace of the hike was faster.