This is a combination of the Barcelona Highlights and Montserrat with Cog-Wheel Train Tours.
Barcelona Highlights:Our guide will start this sightseeing tour by taking you through the narrow streets of the Gothic quarter, the Born neighbourhood and plaza Sant Jaume where the city hall is located and the headquarters of the Catalonian government.
We will also take you to the sea where you will be able to admire the intense changes the city underwent with the organization of the Olympic Games in 1992. You will drive by the Olympic Village, the Olympic Port, the beach and the fisherman’s quarter, the Port Vell, Plaza de Colon with its famous Columbus monument. This point is also the beginning of the famous Ramblas of Barcelona. We will continue the visit driving up Mountjuic where you will enjoy a cable card ride with beautiful views of the city. The bus will pick you up at the last station, and we will continue our Mountjuic visit passing by the sports facilities built for the 1992 Olympic games: the Lluis Company's stadium, the Palau Sant Jordi and the Olympic swimming pool Picornell.
After the visit of Montjuic, we will go back down to the city center. During the drive back you will be able to admire the most famous Gaudi houses, Casa Battlo and La Casa Mila (La Pedrera) as well as other majestic buildings of the Modernism era.
Montserrat with Cog-Wheel Train Tour: On the second part of the tour a comfortable bus will take you to the mountain of Montserrat which rises majestically to 4,051 feet. The rocks of Montserrat were formed by natural cement of sand during the centuries. The wind and rain shaped the mountain with strange and varied forms. The popular imagination has seen human or animal shapes in some of these peaks, giving those names and inventing legends to explain their fantastic origins. This trip to Montserrat will give you the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful and breathtaking views of the Montserrat Mountain, one of nature’s special creations.
You will go up to Montserrat with the Cog–Wheel Train, which leaves you in the middle of the Monastery. It is a 15-minute trip with a privileged and spectacular view of the mountain. The train has panoramic windows which make the actual journey an interesting attraction. The train is air-conditioned and is completely wheelchair-friendly.
You will visit the Royal Basilica of Montserrat, which holds the famous 12th century Romanesque carving of Virgen Moreneta (the Black Madonna). You will be able to see this famous statue of the Black Madonna from a distance. The Benedict Sanctuary of Montserrat was founded in 1025 and provides a mystical backdrop for the Virgin of Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia who is enshrined in the monastery's Royal Basilica. The little monastery soon began to receive pilgrims and visitors who contributed to the spread of stories of miracles and wonders performed by the Virgin. Today, Montserrat has been modernized to continue attending to the needs to pilgrims, one thousand years after it was originally founded.
You will be given some free time to visit the audiovisual exhibition about the history and creation of Montserrat and taste typical liquors of Montserrat.
On some days the children's choir sings in the monastery, so you may be fortunate enough to catch one of their delightful performances.
This tour is provided on a reserved basis prior to departure. Passengers must contact the local sightseeing company upon arrival to reconfirm their tour.
Duration:
Approximately 10 hours 30 minutes including approximately 1 hour 30 minutes free time for lunch on your own between the two parts of the tour
Meeting point:
Estació del Nord, Ground floor, Platform 19, Carrer d’Alí Bei 80 for both parts of the tour
Ending point:
Plaza de Catalunya (1st part of tour); Estació del Nord, Ground floor, Platform 19, Carrer d’Alí Bei 80 (2nd part of tour)
Departures:
9:15AM (1st part of tour); 3:00PM (2nd part of tour from April to October); 2:00PM (2nd part of tour from November to March).
Group Size:
Buses can accomodate up to 50 people
Not Included:
Transportation to/from hotel, entrance to Gothic Cathedral, meals, beverages other than those mentioned, gratuities
Additional Information:
Please note that for about 3 weeks between late January to early March the cable car does not operate due to revision tasks; during this time the cable car ride will be replaced with an aperitif in Spanish Village.
Correct dress code is necessary for entrance to Montserrat Basilica; people wearing tank tops, strapless shirts, short shorts or sandals will not be permitted to enter.
This tour includes walking; we recommend comfortable shoes.
Montserrat is in a mountain climate; depending on the season you will need to dress for protection from rain and/or cold.
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