Montserrat Abbey

Rarely do a sacred site and a landscape merge as seamlessly as they do at Montserrat. The monastery of Santa Maria sits at an altitude of 720 metres, in the heart of the mountain that gives it its name, within the Bages district of the province of Barcelona. Getting here is already part of the experience: the abbey appears tucked in among the rocks, as if the mountain range itself were sheltering it.

This is a Benedictine community whose significance reaches far beyond its religious role. Today Montserrat is a symbol for Catalonia and for Spain as a whole, and you can sense it in the atmosphere all around, where those who come out of faith mingle with those drawn by its fame and its setting. For some it is a place of pilgrimage; for others, an all but essential stop on any trip through the province of Barcelona.

Of everything that happens at the monastery each day, one thing deserves special attention: the Escolania. This boys' choir is among the oldest in Europe, and hearing it sing is one of those experiences that make the visit truly worthwhile, giving voice to a tradition that has been kept alive within these walls for generations.

The sanctuary is also part of the Marian Route, an itinerary linking it with Torreciudad in Huesca, the Pilar in Zaragoza, Meritxell in Andorra and Lourdes in France. It is a journey shaped by devotion to the Virgin Mary, but also a fine excuse to discover the heritage, food and natural riches of each of its stages. Montserrat, with its blend of spirituality, music and mountain scenery, is without doubt one of the most memorable stops along the way.