Barcelona’s Famous Mountains


The most famous mountain formation in the Catalunya region is Montserrat, and remains one of the area’s biggest attractions. Located just 30km away from Barcelona, it is perfect for a day trip if you have a Barcelona vacation rental. 

Its name literally translates as ‘Serrated Mountain’, and you can see why it is named so. At its highest point it reaches 1236 metres, and thanks to millions of years of water erosion, have developed their dramatic shape. Around the mountain you will find typical Mediterranean forests, just waiting to be explored.



Legends

Legend has it, that in the year 880, the villagers were tending to their cattle when a bright light seemed to fall from the skies. This continued to happen at the same time for the next four weeks. The bishop came to observe this event and found an image of the virgin Mary in a nearby cave. When he tried to move it, the weight of it made it impossible. The bishop claimed that this was the will of the Virgin, who did not want to be moved.
From this moment on, a certain spirituality was attached to the area, with several chapels and a monastery constructed in the area.

The Monastery

The Montserrat monastery is of Benedictine origin, although the exact date that it was erected is not known. Napoleonic troops have burnt down the monastery twice, and it was closed again during the Spanish civil war, giving it quite a turbulent history. Today it is one of the best libraries in Spain, in which artwork from the likes of Picasso and Gaudi can be found.

Excursions

If you are planning on taking a trip out form your catalonia villa rental, Montserrat is only a 45 minute car drive from the centre of the city. As well as exploring the area, you can also take a historic train ride to the mountain and take a tour of the historic monastery.

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