My family and I will be in Barcelona 25 December-29 December. On 28 December, we plan to visit Montserrat. The eight of us range in age from 9-79. My question mainly is if we need to schedule anything in advance. We will be staying in an apartment on Passeig de Sant Joan. Is it easier to get two taxis or take a metro to Plaça d'Espanya? I'm leaning toward the taxis. If we use taxis, can we call for them to pick us up at the apartment? If so, which taxi service?
Can we just show up at Pd'E and buy our train tickets there to Montserrat along with the cable car tickets? No one wants to visit the Black Madonna and the boy choir will not be performing on that day. Some might want to visit the Basilica and/or the museum--do we need to buy tickets in advance? I believe that what interests us the most, though, is riding the Sant Joan Funicular and hiking down. Again, it appears that we can just buy tickets at the funicular (correct?) What do we need to purchase in advance and are there any other "must sees" that I've not mentioned? TIA!
Another question--any idea of where we might grab something to eat Christmas night??!! We'll be jet lagged, so sandwich/pizza would be fine.
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Barcelona (Catalonia)
3307 posts
Hi Lindy
Visiting Montserrat doesn’t come with a strict schedule, no need to stress about catching a specific train or missing the basilica. It’s all very chill.
A taxi sounds convenient. But Barcelona’s public transport is top-notch and cheaper. Passeig de Sant Joan is a long avenue, so depending on where you’re staying, you might simply hop on the H12 bus straight to Plaça Espanya, a smooth 25-minute ride. Or even better, go metro-style: L2 + L1, changing at Universitat (super easy switch). You’ll be there in about 15 minutes. Check it out: https://maps.app.goo.gl/E6ZjQsn115MRVtTYA
As per bus/metro tickets, check this: https://www.tmb.cat/en/barcelona-fares-metro-bus/t-familiar -Barcelona is zone 1, by the way. This is the only multiperson ticket, so one can cover the 8 of you, you simply have to validate it... 8 times :)
You can just buy your Montserrat tickets on the spot at Plaça Espanya, it’s quick and painless. No fixed timetable, trains run every X minutes. Miss one? No drama, catch the next. Seats aren’t reserved; it’s a “sit wherever” kind of deal. There are priority seats for seniors, pregnant women, and people with disabilities, so your parents should be fine. If someone’s sitting there who shouldn’t… a polite “excuse me” usually works. Most locals will happily give up their seat (Barcelona manners still exist!). The interior of these trains: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YJaaAigu4SI
Now, for the Montserrat visit itself, go for the TransMontserrat combined ticket. It includes everything: train, cable car or rack railway (you choose), plus the mountain funiculars. Some people dream of going up by cable car (it’s spectacular!) and down by rack railway, but sadly, the combo ticket doesn’t cover that. If that’s your plan, just buy the combined ticket with the cable car, and when you’re up there, grab a single rack railway ticket for the way down. Easy.
Check out these for inspiration: https://www.montserratvisita.com/en/nature/montserrat-itineraries and whether you’re into hiking or history, there’s something for everyone here: https://www.totsobremontserrat.cat/index.php/homepage/montserrat-la-muntanya/2-montserrat
As for food, Montserrat offers three “meh” options: a restaurant — pricey and always packed. You’ll waste more time waiting than eating. A buffet, expensive and terrible (truly a double fail). A tiny store selling water and packaged snacks, also expensive, because, well… monopoly. My advice? Bring your own picnic. Seriously. Find a nice spot with a killer view, eat when you want, where you want. https://www.turismefgc.cat/content/imgsxml/textos_internos/santjeroni1.jpg not bad for a sandwich break, right?
Climate: in late December, Montserrat is usually cool and a bit damp, with daytime temperatures around 5–12 °C and nights near freezing. It can be cloudy, foggy, or windy, and there’s a chance of light rain. For hiking, wear layers, bring a windproof jacket, and use shoes with good grip since trails can get slippery. Start early, as it gets dark by late afternoon. I'd suggest not to venture too far from the established paths.
About Christmas Day — that one’s tricky. I can’t give you specific names, I don't know, sorry! But here’s the thing: in Catalonia, the big celebration is lunch on the 25th, not dinner on the 24th (that’s more of a Spanish tradition). It used to be a family-only meal at home, but nowadays many people prefer to skip the kitchen chaos and go out instead. So yes, quite a few restaurants open for lunch on the 25th, but most close at night. That said, this is still Barcelona, a big city where you’ll always find something open, even on Christmas Day. Might not be fancy, but you won’t go hungry. Just one thing, there might not be many places open, and they can be a bit scattered around the city, so be ready to stretch your legs a little while hunting one down. Think of it as a festive urban treasure hunt.
Enjoy!