missypie

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has actually hiked the trails at Monteserrat. I've heard that at least one of the trails is "easy" but I don't know if that rating is "easy" for a fit mountain-climber type person, or for a normal, out of shape mom.

Also, we will be visiting in mid-March. With the altitude, will it be too cold and/or snowy to hike up there?

nessundorma

I hope you don't mind my answering for my husband, who walked the upper trails of Montserrat while I dozed in the cafeteria below. (I had a cold!) Although he is fit, he is not a "hiker" or "trekker" and was wearing ordinary shoes. He didn't report anything other than peace and quiet. It sounded like he just strolled along a nice, mostly even path.

I was there in early May and it was chilly and nippy. I don't know about snow, but you definitely don't want to go if it is hazy or overcast. The day turned hazy and overcast while we up there, and the view became obscured.

I hope you don't mind my adding that I though visiting Montserrat was one of the least worthwhile things I did while in Catalonia. The scenery and architecture is not really spectacular and the veneration of the "black madonna" is not my cuppa. A daytrip to Girona or another town would be more interesting, I think.

missypie

We live in Dallas, where it is flat and brown. Hiking in the mountains appeals to us. Yes, in a few years we'll do an Alps trip, but in the meantime, if there are mountains around, why not walk around a bit?

laclaire

Hello missypie and fellow Dallasite! Some friends and I are working on setting up excursions and one is to do some hiking hear Montserrat this Fall. So, though I have not hiked them recently, I will know by late October and if you think about it around then, bring this to the top and I will report back.

alan64

I'm surprised by Nessundorma's comment that Montserrat's "scenery and architecture is not really spectacular." We were planning a day trip from Barcelona up to Montserrat because from the few photos I've seen it does look spectacular.

I'm curious if other visitors were enchanted or disapointed.

tsfan12

We were at Monserrat last month and thought the scenery was beautiful. It was misty and reminded us of Rivendell (from Lord of the Rings). What made it worthwhile was listening to the boy's choir. Our whole family enjoyed the trip and our ages ranged from 6 years, 16 and 20 yrs to parents in their 70's. Highly reccommend.

nessundorma

I also heard the boy's choir, and went there because of the photos. Maybe the whole thing is more appealing when you don't have a cold! I spent about 4 days in Barcelona the first time I visited and felt for the time it took out of my trip to go to Montserrat, I would have found it more rewarding to do other things. But no reason not to go take a hike if you feel like taking a hike.

nessundorma

PS Missypie: Will you have a car? I think a hike in the Pyrenees would be quite a contrast from Dallas.

Dukey

If you do go to Montserrat be aware that it can easily be done by a combination of Metro and suburban rail.

While you are there be sure to visit the art museum on site to view some wonderful works including some American artists.

amor

There are funiculars that will take you up towards the trails. You can hike up to the top, but it will take quite some time because it is straight up hill. I'm a flatlander from the midwest in average shape, so I opted for the funicular, and considering you will be at a much higher altitude I recommend it. There is a nature center at the top of St. Joan funicular where you can get a map of the local trails. I recommend the path leading to Sant Jeroni for a spectacular view. The trails are at the edge of the mountains so if you are wary of heights or drops be warned. The walk out to the chapel in the cove is easy, paved and pretty flat. You can get to it by the Cova funicular. There are huge sculptures representing the stations of the cross along the path, you will be left in awe trying to figure out how they got them up there. And read up on the story of the finding of the Black Madonna too before walking out there to bring the experience into perspective as well.

We visited in mid April, it was windy and I think there was a little snow like you tend to get at mountain tops, but once we got moving around it was comfortable.

And after you are done hiking treat yourself to some hot chocolate and baked goods in the cafetria, those nuns sure know how to bake!

missypie

With three kids, of course we'll take the funicular! They've never ridden one.

kappa

I did Montserrat twice, last time being 3 years ago with friends. As othere mentioned, I took a train from, I think, Plaça d'Espagna. The train/rail is owned by Generali ... something company. Got off the train after about 45 minutes at Aeri ... Sation (meaning aerial cable car station), took the cable car to the monastery level and the funicular as other mentioned above. Up there I walked maybe for an hour and half altogether. First I went a short way to one direction (left) then came back to the station, then went another (right) way much farther till I got to a sort of oservatory table. I think it was 30th of December. It was clouded/a bit rainny but not that cold. Not the best weather to enjoy the hiking trail. Only I was getting sick (I vomitted on the train - in the toilet)so I did not go far. Anyway, you have to come back to the funicular station to return to the level of the monastery. Maybe you can walk down but I did not try. I was not equipped for that either. You say you are not a hiker but you can do this without particular equipement.

By the way, I got sicker and having noticed there was a sort of clinic/hospital by the monastery, leaving my friends, I went there and asked if I could just lie down somewhere for a while. They gave me a room with a bed and I had an hour of sleep there (for free). Apart from being sice, that was a sort of nice experience. Gratful there was that clinic. Feeling a bit better, I joined my friends and returned the way we came from. No dinner out that night though. What a waste when you are on holidays in Barcelona.

kappa

> Apart from being sice,

being sick,

julies

We were there a year ago in May and hiked the trails. We took the funicular up to the top and then hiked from there. We're reasonably fit, middle-aged Midwesterners from the flatlands. Had no problem whatsoever and we took a really good long hike. Right behind us on one of the trails was a nun of about 70 who had no problems whatsoever witht he hiking.

We also spent the night at Montserrat, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. With the combination of spending the night and doing the hiking I think we saw the best the area has to offer. It made it a really special visit away from the tourist hoardes. If all we had done was join the throngs who arrived for daytrips I too may have had a negative opinion.

We arrived about 7:00 pm amidst the swirling mists. Every now and then we'd get a glimpse of the nearby mountains. The night was absolutely peaceful and somewhat eerie what with the mist and fog. Our room overlooked the mountains, and we got up to enjoy the dawn over the mountains. It was well worth getting up so early even though we had just flown in from the states the previous day and were somewhat jetlagged. Then we got dressed and put on our fleece vests and gore tex jackets to walk around outside. The fog had lifted and the views were glorious. We decided to explore a bit and found that it was matins in the church. Even though we are not at all religious, we decided to atttend the service. There were the monks and about a half a dozen tourists and the serenity was remarkable.

By the time we'd had finished breakfast the tourist hoardes were starting to arrive. Most people just mill around the site itself. We took off hiking and were gone maybe four hours. Then, we just hopped in our car and left for our next destination. Personally, I think this is the way to actually enjoy Montserrat.