Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This museum has an excellent collection, ranging from an Egyptian mummy and Gothic al-
tarpieces to fine canvases by Caravaggio, El Greco, Picasso and several Impressionists, as
well as a comprehensive collection of 20th-century classic Catalan art and some fantastic
Orthodox icons.
MOUNTAIN
MONTSERRAT MOUNTAIN
You can explore the mountain above the monastery on a web of paths leading to some of the
peaks and to 13 empty and rather dilapidated hermitages. The
Funicular de Sant Joan
(one
way/return €5.85/9; every 20min 10am-6.50pm, closed mid-Jan-Feb)
will carry you up the first
250m from the monastery. If you prefer to walk, the road past the funicular's bottom station
leads to its top station in about 45 minutes.
From the top station, it's a 20-minute stroll (signposted) to the
Sant Joan chapel
, with
fine westward views. More exciting is the one-hour walk northwest, along a path marked
with some blobs of yellow paint, to Montserrat's highest peak,
Sant Jeroni
, from where
there's an awesome sheer drop on the north face. The walk takes you across the upper part
of the mountain, with a close-up experience of some of the weird rock pillars, all named.
CHAPEL
SANTA COVA
To see the chapel on the spot where the holy image of the Virgin was discovered, you can
drop down the
Funicular de Santa Cova
(one way/return €2.20/3.50; every 20min, closed
mid-Jan-Feb)
, or else it's an easy walk down, followed by a stroll along a precipitous moun-
tain path with fabulous views of the valley below.
MUSEUM
ESPAI AUDIOVISUAL
(adult/child €5/3, with Museu de Montserrat €9; 9am-5.45pm Mon-Fri, to 6.45pm Sat & Sun)
This walk-through multimedia space (with images and sounds) illustrates the daily life and
activities of the monks and the history and spirituality of the monastery. Extended hours in
high season.
