Julie Spain 111 Comments

A visit to Montserrat is one of the most popular day trips from Barcelona. Many people come here to view this unique, jagged, sawtooth mountain range and its views over the stunning countryside. Montserrat truly is a beautiful place to visit. One of the best ways to get to the top are on your own two feet. Keep reading to learn more about hiking Montserrat.

How to Get to Montserrat

Montserrat is easily accessible from Barcelona. The distance between Barcelona and Montserrat is 54 km. Most people take the train out to Montserrat, connecting with either the cable car or rack railway to get to the top. For details on how to do this, read our post How to Guide: Day Trip to Montserrat from Barcelona.

To start the hike, you need to get to Monistrol de Montserrat. From Plaça Espanya in Barcelona, take the R5 train to Monistrol de Montserrat. It takes just over one hour to get to Monistrol.

Below is a map of Barcelona, the train stations near Montserrat, and things to do on Montserrat. To find the trailhead from Monistrol de Montserrat, keep reading. 

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers. You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest.
 
If you click the star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.

How to Hike to Montserrat

Distance: 5 km one-way
Duration: 1.5 hours
Start: Estacio de Monistrol
Finish: Monestir de Montserrat

Finding the Trail

Finding the trailhead can be a little tricky. We found very little information on the internet before attempting this hike, so we were in for all kinds of surprises. After asking for directions from several people in town, we eventually found our way to the start of the hike. Here’s how to get from the Monistrol de Montserrat train station to the trailhead. I also recommend checking the comment section below because a recent traveler just wrote in with a lot of tips about this hiking trail. Thank you Rachel!

Exit the train station and walk downhill towards Monistrol de Montserrat. Cross this bridge to the other side. The mountain range of Montserrat is looming in front of you. Eventually, you will be standing way up there!

Monistrol de Montserrat bridge

 

Once on the other side of the bridge, cross the street, passing between the two buildings in this photo.

Monistrol Street

 

Continue on the wide sidewalk into town.

Walking through Monistrol

Monistrol Spain

 

The sidewalk ends at a small plaza in town. Walk through the plaza, keeping the mountains to your left. You will see a staircase off to the left. Take this to the road above you.

To the Montserrat hiking trail

 

Red, white, and green painted stripes mark the trail all the way up to the monastery. As long as you follow these stripes you are going in the right direction. From the top of the staircase, turn left and walk along the road.

Road through Monistrol

 

After walking approximately 100 meters on the road you will arrive at the trailhead. In this photo, it is the small, paved trail to the right.

Start of the trail

 

On the concrete wall there is a sign identifying the official trail. From this point it takes about an hour and half to get to the monastery, a little less if you are a fast hiker.

Cami de les Aigues

 

Most of the trail is a rocky, dirt single track trail. Occasionally there will be small sets of stairs when the climb is a little steeper. It may come as no surprise that the trail is a steady, uphill climb all of the way to the top.

montserrat-hiking-trail-spain

 

Another sign on the way up the mountain.

Hiking trail signs

About a third of the way up to the monastery, the trail will split. Here you have two options. The easier option, staying on the Cami de les Aigues (GR 5), veers off to the left. This wide trail slowly meanders up the mountain. It ascends less quickly, making it easier, but it also takes five to ten minutes longer to get to the top. Or, you could take the Drecera dels Tres Quarts (GR 96). This trail is narrower, steeper, and more direct to the monastery.

We chose the GR 96, preferring the quicker option.

Drecera les tres quarts

 

Here’s a view of the trail before the real climbing began.

Montserrat hiking trail

 

Just before reaching the monastery, both trails link up again. From here, enjoy the view. You can walk out to the Santa Cova Chapel (you can see it in the photo below, way off in the distance), hoof it up higher to the monastery, or choose to take the Santa Cova funicular if you’re all out of energy.

Montserrat Spain

Best Things to do on Montserrat

For a full list of what there is to do once you’re at the top, check out our post How to Guide: Day Trip to Montserrat from Barcelona.

Getting Back Down

You have three options to get back down the mountain…retrace your steps and hike back down, take the cable car to Aeri de Montserrat (the cable car), or take the Cremallara (the rack railway) to Monistrol de Montserrat. From Aeri de Montserrat and Monistrol, take the R5 train back to Barcelona. Tickets can be purchased in the train station.

Print This Before You Go!

If you are planning on doing this hike, print this out beforehand or cache it on your phone so you can follow the photos to the trailhead.

Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.


If you have any questions about hiking Montserrat, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information about Spain

BARCELONA, SPAIN: Start with our guide to the best things to do in Barcelona. Plan your visit with our 3 Day Barcelona Itinerary, our guide on Where to Stay in Barcelona, and get recommendations on where to eat in Barcelona.

GIRONA: Here are 9 reasons why Girona makes a great day trip from Barcelona.

IRONMAN BARCELONA: If racing a full distance triathlon is on your bucket list, Ironman Barcelona is one of the best. Read about Tim’s experience racing Ironman Barcelona.

MORE GREAT HIKES IN EUROPE: From thrilling trails in the Alps to easy walks along the coast, read our article 20 Best Hikes in Europe for some beautiful hiking trails to put on your travel wish list.

EUROPE TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For more great ideas on where to go in Europe, check out our article 30 Beautiful Places to Visit in Europe and the 20 Best Hikes in Europe. You can also get more travel ideas in our 10 Days in Europe itinerary guide, which has 10 great itineraries for your next trip to Europe.

Are you planning a trip to Barcelona? Read all of our articles about Barcelona, including more ideas for day trips, on our Spain Travel Guide.

Hiking Montserrat Spain

 

All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc.), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.

Comments 111

  1. Avatar for Saurabh Shah
    Saurabh Shah

    I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed doing this hike. I cannot thank the writers of this blog enough for motivating me to take this hike. I must have read this blog at least a dozen times before going to Barcelona. I had an extra day at the end of my business trip. I could have easily checked the touristy boxes in Barcelona, given that I was visiting for the first time. But I am the happiest that I dumped all of that for this beautiful hike.

    The night before, I was still apprehensive if I would take this hike, but somehow I woke up in the morning and took the 8.36 AM train from Place de Espanya to Monistrol de Montserrat, just as recommended in this blog. Every person that I would see in the train dressed in track pants with a bottle of water, I would think ‘Wow, these guys are going to take the hike too!’ But most of them got off at one station before Monistrol to take the cable car up to the mountain.

    When I got off the train at Monistrol de Montserrat, the balance people in the train along with me took the other train to go to the top of the mountain. I was the only one leaving the train station on foot. So more butterflies in the stomach. As I moved out of the station and walked a little ahead, I saw a young couple ahead of me. I was thrilled that they were taking the hike too. We said to each other “Thank God, we have someone who’s as crazy”.

    A big shoutout to my newfound hiking buddies Cian and Mark from England. No points for guessing, they had also read this blog and decided to take the hike. We had some amazing conversations about our India and England, our mutual love for outdoors, our work, etc.

    The sign boards, green-red markers along the way, made it quite straightforward for us to stay on the path. We did the hike up in almost the same time as suggested on the sign boards, and in this blog. There were a couple of points during the hike where the climb was tricky, but mostly alright. I realized I didn’t carry enough water. Thanks to my new buddies, that was taken care of.

    The monastery is beautiful, no doubt about that. But the whole process of climbing to reach was much more exciting and satisfying than enjoying the monastery itself.

    They decided to take the train down. I was almost convinced to do so for the lack of company. But then I said to myself, let me start going down myself. I must have taken about an hour and 10 minutes to get down, barring the last bit where I lost the way a little bit. I met several hikers who were going up when I was coming down.

    All in all, this was the most amazing experience. At the cost of popularizing this hike into yet another tourist trap, I strongly recommend this for people of all ages who love hiking and outdoors.

    PS: You don’t need hiking shoes, good running shoes are OK!

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Hello Saurabh. Thank you so much for writing in and sharing your wonderful experience. I am thrilled you had a great time on this hike! Cheers, Julie

  2. Avatar for Jennifer
    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
  3. Avatar for SM
    SM

    Hi, thanks for the very informative article.
    Am wondering how steep was the quicker hike and what sort of footwear is required? We will be going end feb. Will conventional sneakers be good enough?

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      I don’t recall the hike being overly steep. There might have been a few brief sections but nothing too bad. Both Tim and I did this is running shoes and did fine so hiking shoes are not absolutely necessary. Cheers, Julie

  4. Avatar for Tara S
    Tara S

    We are going in March and were thinking of taking the transportation UP and Hiking DOWN. Most things I look at talk about hiking up. It is not advised to hike down? any specific recommendations for just hiking down?

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Hiking down is just fine. You can follow this guide in the reverse direction and you will probably do it a little faster, since it’s faster going downhill. But there’s no reason not to take the trail downhill. Have a great time at Montserrat! Cheers, Julie

  5. Avatar for Josh
    Josh

    HI! quick question,

    it sounds like the two trails converge and then you have the three options, Chapel, Funicular, or trek the rest of the way to the Monastery. We will be going to Spain in Early January and are looking to go the Monastery, since the Funicular will be closed that time of year, we’d have to trek the rest of the way. I see that someone said about 5-10 minutes, but my question is, is the trail clearly marked, and, how difficult/steep is the last portion of the hike?

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Hello Josh. Yes, it is a short walk to the monastery. I don’t recall signs but there must have been some because once you are up there, it becomes very obvious where you need to go (the monastery sits up higher on the mountain and it is almost within view from the end of the trail). If you want to visit the chapel, do that first, because it will save you the up and down walk from the monastery. Cheers, Julie

  6. Avatar for Matt
    Matt

    Coming in to say that the ‘easier’ hike actually got really challenging. We went left at the fork of the two trails and the above commenter is correct that it is indeed a LOT of stairs, most without railing, for probably about 1/2 the actual elevation gain. It may be true that the trail portion itself is flatter, but you make up for it with pretty strenuous elevation gain when you get to the staircases.

    I would call myself overall excellent shape and experienced in hiking and I’d rate the difficulty of that left trail pretty high. Maybe not super technical hiking but definitely cardiovascularly. Would not want to do with a 6 year old.

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