One of the most interesting excursions that can be done by being on vacation in Barcelona is a trip to Montserat's mountain to the largest men's Catholic monastery in Europe. Excursion can only take half of the day or all day. We have chosen the "Monserat and cellar codorop", and stayed in full delight of the trip.
Mountain Montserat from Barcelona to go about an hour. Many tourist buses donate only before the foot of the mountain, and then tourists transplanted on the train and climb up, at a height of 1,200 meters. This is a very comfortable rise, the train goes smoothly, views are awesome, and you feel safe. Once, we rose to the mountain on a tourist bus, in narrow mountain serpentine. But then I understood why the road is called a trail of hermites, while we have been driving, I reread all the prayers that knew. It was really scary.
Rising to the mountain, instantly forget all fears, such beauty opens! On the square at the main temple, where the sculpture of Black Madonna is stored, I felt as if I got to the filming platform of the film "The Lord of the Rings". Very theatrically combined openwork arches created by man, with smooth cliffs, the creation of nature. The photo session is just fabulous here!
To the main temple, to the "Black Madonna" it is better to go closer to 6 o'clock in the evening, when most of the tourists travel around. We stood in the queue for a maximum of 20 minutes, and usually people are idle there for 2 hours. Guides say, you need to be careful with Madonna, as it is considered patroness motherhood, and touching Madonna can help the appearance of another child in your family. If this is just what you need, come to Madonna necessarily.
It is worth buying in local stores of liqueurs, the production of the monastery, and cheese from local farmers. Delicious.
And the last advice: buy a tour not tour operators, but at the local company BUS Plana, will cost 2 times cheaper.
The monmerate is a fairy tale in reality, and my husband and my husband and daughter were delighted. I am very advised to visit, especially if you travel in September - May, there is an opportunity to hear the choir of the monastery boys. We heard them only in the record, but still the impression is awesome!
