Montserrat – mountains that resemble huge stone figures of whimsical shapes, created by nature, daily become an object of attraction for tourists and pilgrims. And although their appearance can be easily explained from a scientific point of view, tourists willingly believe the legend about angels who supposedly once sawed the mountain in half out of boredom.
Playfully, they began to create interesting figures, which later people named after their likeness. You can read descriptions of them, then imagine how they look, but it is better to see with your own eyes what shapes those frolicking angels gave to the rounded peaks.
The tour is designed for one day – departing from Barcelona. You will experience a program filled with bright emotions – visiting the incredibly beautiful mountain range of Montserrat, and then a trip to the once former capital of the Ancient Roman Province – Near Spain – the amazing city of Tarragona.
In short, the main points, or what you will definitely see on Montserrat mountain
Your exciting journey will begin as soon as the comfortable car starts moving towards the Pyrenees. For about 1 hour, you will enjoy the beautiful views outside the window and listen to the fascinating stories of our guide.
Upon arrival at Montserrat, everything you saw earlier will seem mundane – an unusual “jagged” mountain will come into view, devoid of any vegetation with whimsical patterns of narrow channels and gloomy caves. Its mysterious appearance attracts attention, making you experience previously forgotten emotions – awe, delight, surprise, and sometimes even anxiety.
But this is just the beginning of a breathtaking excursion! On the 700-meter slope stands a building of the same name – a Benedictine male monastery that is over 1000 years old. It has become a religious center of Catalonia, its shrines are known far beyond the borders of the country, and there are always queues to it…
The tour is quite unusual, and before touching those very shrines, you need to get there, to the very top of the mountain. The guide will give travelers the opportunity to ascend to the Monastery via a soaring cable car.
In any case, you will enter the territory of the still functioning Benedictine monastery. Services are held there, monks live there, of course, there are not many of them, but they take care of the precious treasures and tirelessly pray every day.
Here everyone can engage in whatever they deem necessary, for example:
- Take a walk to the observation deck, from which dazzling, incredible panoramic views of the entire surrounding area open up;
- Peek inside the monastery basilica. There lies an ancient relic – the Black Madonna. According to legend, everyone who touched her had their dreams come true, and childless women found the long-awaited happiness of motherhood;
- Listen to the boys from the Escolania de Montserrat choir sing.
The city where history lives – Tarragona
Your journey continues. During the transfer to the next location, you will have time to regain your strength and reflect on what you have seen earlier. After a little over an hour, you arrive at your destination, the city of Tarragona – a fairly large tourist center with a rich history.
Its unique location and rich historical heritage attract a huge number of travelers from all over the world. You will embark on an exciting journey along the main street leading to the waterfront, where there is an observation deck. From there, mesmerizing sea views of the Mediterranean Sea unfold.
And you will also enjoy a fascinating historical tour with a guide of the most important city attractions, such as:
- The amphitheater, the walls of Tarraco dating back to the 2nd century;
- A peculiar synthesis of Gothic and Romanesque styles of the Cathedral of St. Fekla and St. Mary;
- See the important 11-meter bronze monument for every local resident – the tower Als Castells;
- A large-scale monument of the past – the Roman circus.
