We will be spending a few days in Barcelona in April and would like to visit Montserrat for some hiking and would love to visit a winery if there is time. We were hoping to get to Montserrat early to do our hiking first thing in an effort to avoid some of the crowds, and then in the early afternoon try to go to a winery. Our schedule doesn't really permit more than one daytrip... would it be doable to do both in a day?

Also, even if we take the first train to Montserrat in the morning, will we still be facing crowds? Am I nuts for thinking we might get a bit of privacy on our hike? If so, is there another place that might be a better choice for hiking?

Visiting a winery (Cava) usually encompasses most of the day, so trying to combine both of these activities into one long day would not be advisable, not if you want to enjoy yourself.

Ok, bummer. Read in Maribel's guide that both would be half-day trips so we were hoping to combine them and make it a nice long day. Thanks Robert!

I hope you can get Maribel to weigh in here with a personal response. I know that our trip to Freixenet took only 2 or 3 hours, but we drove to Montserrat and on a different trip so I can't tell you how long that would take by train, funicular, etc--assuming the place has recovered from its landslide problems just after Christmas. It sure seems like it should be doable.

There are plenty of coach trips from Barcelona visiting both Montserrat and a winery, and widely advertised. True, it doesn't leave you much time to explore Montserrat, other than to see the Bssilica and the art gallery, but doing independently without a car in one day is really pushing it.

i think a day to visit a cava is way to long. did freixenet a few years back, arrived at 9, out 11 after full visit plus tasting. cardenieu similar after lunch.

My opinion-
One of the main reasons for me to travel to Montserrat would be to hear the boys' choir sing at 1 pm, so that wouldn't give me much time to get back to the city, hop on the commuter train and get down to Sant Sadurní d'Anoia for the last afternoon visit to the Freixenet cellars, directly across from the train station.

The Freixenet tour takes 90 minutes. It starts with a video, then a tour by train of the facilities and ends with a tasting. But the afternoon hours are Mon.-Thurs. from 3-6:30, and Fri/Sat/Sun tours are given from 10-3 only. No tours given later. And you wouldn't have time to do another winery, such as Codorníu, which would require a taxi ride. Plus visits to Codorníu are given Mon.-Fri. from 9-5 and Sat./Sun. from 10-3.
www.freixenet.com
www.codorniu.es

If you're trying to do this by public transportation, for all practical purposes you wouldn't be able to leave Barcelona for Montserrat early than 8:36 am, when the first train leaves from the Plaça d'Espanya. If your only reason to visit is hiking, I'd assume you'd want the entire morning there to hike and enjoy the scenery.

The alternative would be what Alec has mentioned-a package (and expensive at 66 euros) bus tour that does Sitges, Montserrat and the Torres winery.
http://tinyurl.com/dx2eu9

taxi not required, about a 5 minute walk

Hi kalikiana--- I spent the better part of a day (roughly 6 hours) hiking at Montserrat when I went to Barcelona 5 years ago. I was also there in April. It was not particularly crowded and we were on our own much of the way. I believe we were there during the week; but I think we took a mid-morning train. From the train station we took the funicular to the monastery and then hiked from there.

It was one of the highlights of my trip. I have those photos somewhere but your post inspired me to look some up on flickr that reminded me of my trip. Here are a few I found:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tangledstrings/798362228/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37935394@N00/306426445/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tangledstrings/808943184/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfwee/402220393/

If I can help out more let me know; thanks for bringing up a nice memory!

Thank you everyone so much! Maribel, you probably have no idea how much your guides helped me when I took my first solo trip ever (to Sevilla!), then my second trip (after I fell in love with Sevilla I went back to job hunt), and then ultimately when I moved there (which gave me an opportunity to use more than just the Sevilla guide!)... but THANK YOU! And thank you again for your advice here.

Katie, LOVE those pictures. I cannot wait!! I'm still worried about the crowds though since we will be there in the midst of Holy Week. Was this the only place you hiked on your trip?

New plan:

Head to freixenet first thing one morning and spend the 90 mins there before heading back to the city.

Head to Montserrat a different morning and hike for a while before enjoying the boys' choir at 1.

Can't wait!

hi kalikiana,
No. I had no idea! Seville is certainly addictive isn't it? It's so wonderful to know that you just stayed to live!
I think you definitely have a fine plan now. Hope you have a really great time!

hi Kalikiana--
It was the only place I hiked--unless you want to count all of those stairs I trekked up to reach Park Guell in Barcelona. =-)

Maribel, if you're still out there and checking this thread, please also check out my report of our dining in BCN over New Years. Just look under my name. It's something like Report: New Year Trip to Barcelona. We got to Con Fabes, Gresca, Tapac2 and Comerc24 among others, but not Cal Pep--again.

Julie's report is here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35180881

Wouldn't you know it... after all that, both Freixenet and Codorniu will be closed for the dates we are there. It's good to know though and I'll be sure check other places too to see if they will be closed for the holiday week.

Well, that'll leave more time for hiking! Thank you everyone so much for your help.

kalikiana,
Do your dates coincide with Holy Week, April 5-12?

Although there are around 50 cava bodegas in Sant Sadurní, from Good Friday through Easter Monday they do usually close down for the holiday.

Yup, that's exactly when we'll be there. No worries, we'll save that for another trip. Do you think it'll be really busy in Montserrat though? We'd be bummed if we were in the middle of hundreds of other people on our hike. At the monastery itself I assume it'll be pretty busy but...just trying to think if we should check out another place to go.

Because it's a bank and school holiday, the monastery itself will most likely be very crowded, but not necessarily the hiking trails, I would think (but I haven't been during Holy Week). I think you can get away from the crowds by hiking away from them!

We run into the same problem with the Rioja wineries during Holy Week-most shut tight between Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday.
You can just save the Sant Sadurní cava bodegas for another trip. The second week of October is "cava week", and the producers have an open door day on Oct. 12.
You can see a listing of the gazillion produces under "cerca de cave" on the city's web page:

http://tinyurl.com/d4zlp3

Thanks again for all your help Maribel. I haven't been back to Spain since I lived there and absolutely can't wait. This will be my first time to Barcelona and we booked the Hotel Inglaterra after reading about it in your guide and getting a fantastic rate online. We went with one of the smaller rooms...couldn't see splurging to get a terrace or balcony on our budget right now, especially with what looks like a fantastic rooftop. We will certainly have a glass of cava for you!

kalilkiana,
Thanks so much and enjoy that glass of cava and your time in delightful Barcelona!