Shorexc

Description

About this tour

This great value all-in-one tour will allow you to discover Barcelona and Montserrat to gain a deep understanding of Catalonia in just a day. Your guide will pick you up at your accommodation at Barcelona in a comfortable vehicle. During the tour, the guide will share interesting stories about Catalonia, Barcelona, and Montserrat, giving you a deep understanding of the area while keeping the tour entertaining and engaging throughout the day.

Highlights
• Discover the hilltop religious retreat of Montserrat and sample the best of Barcelona
• Visit the 12th-century carving of Our Lady of Montserrat, also known as La Moreneta.
• Explore the 'Holy Cave' where the Madonna is said to have once appeared.
• Listen to La Escolania, one of the oldest children’s choirs in all of Europe (if available).
• Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the city
• Avoid long lines at La Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s crowning masterpiece.
• Wander along the ancient Roman walls and narrow, winding streets of the Gothic Quarter before visiting a 2,000-year-old Roman Temple.
• Stroll down the elegant Passeig de Gracia, marveling at Modernist masterpieces like La Pedrera and Casa Batlló.

Enjoy convenient pickup at your Barcelona accommodation. Walk on the street's intricately paved stonework, designed by the legendary Antoni Gaudi. Shop at one of the many boutiques that line the Passeig de Gracia boulevard and admire the striking facades of the modernist buildings while listening to your guide's commentary. Snap photos of architectural masterpieces like La Pedrera, Casa Batllo, and Casa Lleo.

You'll also see the Eixample, designed by Ildefons Cerda. Pass the Hospital de Sant Pau as you make your way to La Sagrada Familia. Learn about the different parts of the building, their symbolism and the designer that created them.

Continue to the Ciutat Vella neighborhood. Stop at Arc de Triomf and the Parc de la Ciutadella, an old fortress that is now a city park. Admire the Castle of the Three Dragons or the Grief, a sculpture by the lake before walking down La Rambla to the new World Trade Center.

Next, climb Montjuic for spectacular panoramic views. See the facilities from the 1992 Olympics, Palau Sant Jordi, and the "urban-ism" designed for the International Exhibition of 1929.
Drive 60 km northwest of Barcelona, where Montserrat stands majestically - up to 4000 feet in height. The look of this rock mass, known for the whimsical shapes of its peaks soaring through the sky, is the result of a process of erosion over millions of years. In its ascent, you will discover the most mysteriously beautiful views of Catalonia.

In the mountain, 2380 feet above sea level and surrounded by this magnificent scenery, is located the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat. It is also where you will find the Virgin of Montserrat - the "Black Madonna". According to legend, the virgin appeared in the IX century, giving rise the hermitage of Santa Maria and its worship for centuries. Patron and symbol of Catalonia, "Black Madonna" has been venerated into a XII century Romanesque carving which is characterized by its unique dark skin, hence the nickname as it is popularly known. After visiting the monastery, a walking tour of its surroundings will allow us to enjoy the unparalleled views of this privileged environment.