Montserrat Hiking: Best Trails
Did you know that Montserrat hiking is an attraction unto itself?
While Montserrat Monastery is a must-visit for many first-time visitors to Barcelona, many outdoor enthusiasts also visit Montserrat to take advantage of the excellent hiking trails in Montserrat Natural Park, which surrounds the monastery.
From short easy walks to steep climbs, you will find hiking trails at Montserrat for all skill levels.
Interested in hiking in Montserrat? Here are some Montserrat hiking trails to try!
Planning a trip to the historic mountaintop abbey? Bookmark our Montserrat Monastery website for the complete rundown on visiting Montserrat!
And if you’re just starting to plan your visit to Barcelona, check out the some of the top day trips from Barcelona, which you absolutely don’t want to miss!
Fleshing out your Barcelona itinerary? Browse our round-up of the top 10 things to do in Barcelona — iconic attractions and activities you just can’t miss on your first visit to this vibrant city, from La Sagrada Familia to Montjuic.
Best Montserrat Hikes
Montserrat Monastery to Saint Michael’s Cross
One of the shortest and easiest trails at Montserrat Monastery, the walk to Saint Michael’s Cross can be fit into even a rushed Montserrat visit.
And the walk comes with a BIG payoff, arguably the best viewpoint in Montserrat at the viewing area at Saint Michael’s Cross.
The trail is only mildly uphill and you can walk one way in about 15 to 20 minutes.
Montserrat Monastery to Santa Cova
The walk to Santa Cova de Montserrat is another popular and relatively short Montserrat hike. You can cut down further on time and effort by taking the funicular back to the monastery, thus avoiding the uphill trudge back.
Santa Cova, the Holy Cave, is where the image of the Virgin is supposed to have been seen by shepherd boys in the year 880.
Take the paved path between the rack railway tunnel and the upper station of the Santa Cova funicular. This path will take you down to the lower station of the funicular.
Continue walking “the Path of the Rosary” and eventually you will arrive at the Santa Cova Chapel and Grotto.
Retrace your steps to get back, or take the funicular back to Montserrat Monastery.
Sant Jeroni Summit Loop Trail
The Sant Jeroni hike is the quintessential Montserrat hike for views. If you have the time and are up for the challenge, this is the Montserrat trail to choose!
If you will hike to Sant Jeroni from the Montserrat Monastery and back, plan to invest at least four hours. To cut down on time and climbing, you can take the Saint Joan funicular up and begin the hike from the upper station.
On the Sant Jeroni Summit Trail, you will not only ascend to the highest point at Montserrat but also get sensational views of some of the named spire formations in Montserrat Natural Park.
From the viewing gallery at the very top, you have jaw-dropping 360-degree views. On a clear day, you can see all the way from the Pyrenees to Majorca.
The Trail of the Hermitages
Want to take in some history as you hike Montserrat? You can view many of the ancient hermitage structures on the hiking trails at Montserrat.
The Trail of the Hermitages starts by the lower station of the Saint Joan funicular and first takes you to the Sant Miquel Chapel. Just before, you can choose to do the optional spur to Saint Michael’s Cross, which offers fantastic views.
Then continue onto the Flat of Saint Michael and head towards the upper station of the Saint Joan funicular.
Here, take the path to the left, the Sant Joan trail, and you will see the historic hermitages of Sant Joan and Sant Onofre. If you want more, you can head up Jacob’s Stairway to the hermitage of Santa Magdalena.
Montserrat Monastery to the Degotalls
One of the easier hikes in Montserrat Natural Park, the trail from Montserrat Monastery to the Degotalls is mainly flat, and can be completed in about one hour.
The shaded path makes for an easy stroll, allowing for reflection and quiet relaxed enjoyment of the vegetation and the views over the Llobregat Valley.
To access the trailhead, walk to the car park at Montserrat Monastery and take the trail that leads left from the Mirador dels Apostals. This is the Cami del Degotalls.
At the endpoint of the route is the rock formation known as the Degotalls.