Hiking Montserrat Solo: The Best Day Trip from Barcelona (San Jeroni Hike)

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After two glorious months of city-hopping around Europe, my last stop before returning to the United States was Barcelona.

I’d trekked many miles a day during those two months: down quaint cobblestone streets redolent of chimney cake, through cheery Christmas markets in swirling-snowglobe snow, through castles and cathedrals and museums and lively city squares full of people, music, and art. But after so much city time, this mountain girl was craving a hike.

That’s when I decided to make a day trip to Montserrat. Montserrat is an ancient abbey nestled in the serrated cliffs of Catalonia —the name literally means “serrated mountain”— and is one of the most popular day trips from Barcelona. Of the thousands who visit Montserrat Abbey each day, though, relatively few venture into the hills above the Abbey to hike.

Hiking around Montserrat ended up being a true highlight of my trip — a more religious experience than any famed cathedral or church I saw in Europe.

As John Muir said, “I’d rather be in the mountains thinking about God than in church thinking about the mountains.” Since Montserrat is a church in the mountains, I got to enjoy both.

Riding the Train from Barcelona to Montserrat

train ride to Montserrat from Barcelona — First view of misty Montserrat from the R5 train

The R5 train from Barcelona’s Plaça Espanya to the base of Montserrat takes about an hour with stops (no transfers.)

You can save money by buying a combination ticket ahead of time that includes your roundtrip train ride, the Aeri de Montserrat (aerial tram,) and unlimited use of the Sant Joan funicular that gets you to all he trailheads.

I loved the combination ticket because it let me explore Montserrat on multiple forms of transportation — a train, an aerial tram, a funicular, AND on foot — with one easy ticket. You can also buy tickets on-site, but there may be lines.

Riding the Aeri de Montserrat (Tram)

While other blogs recommend hiking into Montserrat from the train station, I decided to take the Aeri (aerial tram) because it sounded more fun — and would leave my legs fresh for a more woodsy hike at the very top.

The views from the cute yellow tram are incredible. Even if you want to hike, I recommend taking the Aeri at least one way.

Riding the Funicular

Once the Aeri drops you off at the Montserrat Abbey (on your right as you face the mountains,) you’ll see a funicular climbing up a steep hill to your left.

There are two funiculars at Montserrat: the Funicular de Sant Joan and the Funicular de Santa Cova.

The Funicular de Santa Cova (which I did not take) takes you to a small religious cave/grotto on the other side of Montserrat.

The Funicular de Sant Joan, the one I took, drops you off at the Place of the Tarantulas —yes, that’s the actual name!— where all the hikes begin.

It’s a steep, fast ride with gorgeous views of Montserrat Abbey from above as you climb into the cliffs.

Funicular de Sant Joan at Montserrat — The Funicular de Sant Joan is a near-vertical ride from Montserrat Abbey to the Place of the Tarantulas, Montserrat’s main trailhead.

Funicular de Sant Joan ride at Montserrat

Hiking to San Jeroni Summit at Montserrat

Map of Montserrat Hiking Trails, including San Jeroni

Once you’re at the top, take a few minutes to check out the small museum. It’s free with your Montserrat admission and worth it just for the to-scale miniature of Montserrat in the surrounding countryside.

San Jeroni is the highest point of Montserrat, accessible by an easy ~2.5 mile hike from the funicular dropoff. The path is partially paved and not particularly steep, with epic views of Catalonia below.

You’ll pass several abandoned hermitages, some in caves over a thousand years old and others abandoned in the 19th century.

Hermitage at Montserrat — Ancient hermitage (monk’s hideout) in the hills above Montserrat, dating back to the year 800.

The final stretch to the top involves steep stone stairs and a final scramble through the woods before you pop out at the very top of the mountain.

Hermitage hike at Montserrat with fellow tourist

On a clear day you can see all the way to Barcelona, with 360º views of the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees and the Catalonian countryside.

Looking out at the Pyrenees from Montserrat, where I first heard the ghostly sounds of the boys’ choir emanating from the mountainside.

What Else to See and Do at Montserrat

Montserrat Abbey from the Funicular de Sant Joan — Montserrat Abbey

The Montserrat Boys Choir performs every day at 1pm at the Montserrat Abbey, free with your combination ticket.

I heard the singing long before I saw it. Staring out at the snowy Sierra Nevada range from a viewpoint above the Abbey (a different Sierra Nevada than on the John Muir Trail,) I heard the ghostly sounds of a choir below, seeming to emanate from the very mountain itself. I got chills.

Most tourists also see La Moreneta, the Black Madonna, while they’re at Montserrat Abbey. La Moreneta is the patron saint of Catalonia, said to have been carved in Jerusalem not long after the birth of Christ and imbued with mystical powers of healing. There wasn’t a line when I went in December, but during peak times the line to see La Moreneta can exceed 45 minutes. If there’s a line I don’t think it’s worth the wait, unless the religion or history of the object especially appeal to you.

What to Wear and Pack for Hiking Montserrat

I hiked in the same boots I wore my entire Eurotrip, which aren’t hiking boots but are waterproof (which helped on the muddy trails.) Most other hikers were in sneakers, so don’t worry if that’s all you have. The trails aren’t too steep, so hiking poles aren’t necessary for most.

In winter, Montserrat is much chillier and mistier than balmy Barcelona: bring extra warm layers and a hat/gloves. During summer, it’s hot and exposed! In December I wore my Smartwool base layer, Patagonia Nanopuff, and winter hat while hiking, but didn’t end up wearing the longer winter coat I brought.

While there is a visitor cafeteria next to the Montserrat Abbey, the food is meh, so I suggest packing your own picnic lunch of goodies from La Boqueria, Barcelona’s iconic open-air market Serrano ham and manchego at the top? Yes please! (There’s also a nicer restaurant on-site at Montserrat, but I heard from several tourists that it is also meh and overpriced to boot.)

Sabor a Jamon (Spanish ham) flavored Ruffles chips — One of the snacks I packed for my Montserrat hike.

If you hike with a backpack, as I did, beware pickpockets around Barcelona: wear your backpack in front of you when in crowds and on the train. Better yet, stash your valuables inside interior pockets.

As I rode the train back from Placa d’Espana to my hostel after hiking Montserrat, two men “accidentally” bumped into me, and I realized they’d sneakily opened my backpack’s main compartment. Thankfully I didn’t have anything in there other than an extra sweater, which they didn’t manage to unspool. Barcelona’s pickpockets are notorious, and in my experience it’s a reputation they deserve.

Getting back to Barcelona from Montserrat

After a refreshing hike, retrace your steps back to Barcelona:

– Take the funicular from the museum down to Montserrat Abbey
– Ride the Aeri de Montserrat (tram) from the Abbey to the train station
– Take the R5 trade back to Placa d’Espana
– Celebrate a successful trip with tapas!

If you’re in want of a longer hike, you could also hike down to the Abbey rather than taking the funicular back, or do an urban walk from the Abbey back down to the train station instead of the tram. All routes are clearly marked on Google Maps.

Mountain goats at Montserrat — See the mountain goat?

• Take the Funicular de Sant Joan down to Montserrat Abbey
• Walk downhill to the Aeri de Montserrat and take it to the Montserrat train station
• Ride the R5 train back to Barcelona’s Placa d’Espana

You can purchase each of these tickets on-site, or buy the round-trip versions from the yellow machines in the Placa d’Espana train station. (Just don’t lose your return tickets!)

Is it safe to hike alone at Montserrat?

Hiking San Jeroni at Montserrat — Steep stone steps on the final climb to San Jeroni

I’ll admit I was nervous to hike alone in a foreign country for the first time, especially with my limited Spanish. Would I get lost? Mugged in the woods and be unable to even communicate with my attackers?

I didn’t want my fears to rule me, so I went anyway, resolving to use my common sense and turn around if I ever felt unsafe.

Thankfully, I felt much safer in Montserrat than in Barcelona! As is the case most places, you’re less likely to be hurt in a remote natural area than a busy urban one. Just use your common sense. I also carried a Garmin InReach in case of emergency.

Montserrat is a popular tourist destination, so even if you hike alone you will likely still see other people on the trails. I only saw one other person on my winter weekday hike to San Jeroni —another solo female, from Japan— but you can expect big crowds in summer.

Though the trails on Montserrat are well-marked, it’s still a good idea to download the trail map to your phone beforehand, plus the Google Translate app for any signs you come across. (Just make sure you’ve downloaded your map and language data before leaving Barcelona, as cell service can be limited at Montserrat.)