Montserrat and Winery Visit Small Group Day Trip from Barcelona

Tour Schedule

8.15am – Explore Catalunya Office, opposite the Palau de la Musicá

You will join your tour at our main office, which is right across from the world famous Palau de la Musicá, where you’ll be introduced to your guide who will give you an introduction to the day. Your tour will start at 8.30am, but we always recommend arriving 15 minutes before. There are restrooms available, and a cafe nearby if you want to grab a quick coffee or sandwich before your tour begins

8.30am – Eixample District, Barcelona

You will leave Barcelona though the Example district of town, famous for its modernist architecture. As you head out of the city, your guide will give you a brief history of Barcelona, before letting you sit back and relax on the one hour drive to Montserrat.

9.45am – Montserrat Monastery

The drive up to Montserrat itself is one of the highlights of the day. The stunning rock formations and the views from the road are amazing. Perched beneath the overhanging rocks, the monastery is well worth the journey. The sanctuary has been in use for almost 1000 years for those pilgrims and other visitors who have climbed this spectacular mountain.

A visit inside the sanctuary, where the ‘Moreneta’ is housed, is not to be missed, but you’ll also have the opportunity to visit the fascinating Museum of Montserrat, with its five collections, ranging from Archaeology from the Biblical East to Modern Painting and Sculpture. Another highlight of visiting Montserrat is listening to one of Europe’s oldest children’s choirs, La Escolania de Montserrat. They usually sing at 1pm on weekdays and noon at the weekend.

Besides these cultural possibilities, there are numerous walks around Montserrat, ranging from easy strolls to serious hikes. Each trail offers a different perspective on the stunning views over the surrounding landscape, many of which are peppered with small chapels and hermitages. You’ll easily find a route to suit your taste and energy levels. But whether they’re fairly strenuous treks or gentle walks, they all give you fantastic views to marvel at the unspoiled beauty of this protected natural park.

If you’d rather not walk at all, then another option is to take one of the two rack railways, or the cable car, offering yet more views of the area.

You will leave Montserrat at about 2.00pm for the drive to the winery.

3.00pm – Pares Balta

After a morning in Montserrat, we leave the mountain at around 2:30pm, heading for Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, home to the famous Cava champagne and, in particularly, home to Pares Balta where you’ll visit their underground wine cellars and vineyards.

Sant Sadurní d’Anoia is situated in the Penedès wine-growing region, which boasts one of the widest varieties of grape of any wine-growing region in the world.  The tour at Pares Balta is a great chance to see exactly how the famous sparkling wine is produced, from the first pressing of the grapes to the second fermentation. Of course, no winery visit would be complete without a taste of the stuff! At the end of the tour you’ll get the chance to try some of the best Cava the region produces.

We leave the winery at around 5:30pm, returning to Barcelona for around 6:30pm.

6.30pm – 6.45pm Plaça Catalunya, Barcelona

We end the day back in Barcelona in Plaça Catalunya. From here, you can easily take the metro or a taxi back to your hotel. Otherwise, your guide will be more than happy to make some recommendations of where to have dinner.