One of my most memorable highlights in Spain was our half-day trip to Montserrat in the Catalonia region, part of the Catalan pre-coastal range. “Montserrat” means “jagged (serrated) mountain” in Catalan. It describes it’s peculiar aspect with multitude of rock formations which are visible from a great distance. We rode a train north-west for an hour from Barcelona over, and then took a cable car up. You can also hike which would take 2-3 hours to the top to visit the Cathedral and to soak in the breathtaking view. My motivation to Montserrat started with wanting to hear the Boys Choir but unfortunately that does not start until the end of August.

Pick Up Food & Wine for a Picnic at Montserrat

Prior to boarding the train, we stopped by the local market to pack some picnic treats. We picked up the usual: Manchego cheese, various types of meat including my favorite, Fuet (a thin Catalonian sausage), a bottle of red vino, baguette, some pears and water.

After a half hour exploring the Church – Benedictine Abbey and Santa Maria de Montserrat, we hiked towards the highest summit Sant Jeroni, where we would rest for the next few hours, detaching ourselves from the city life. We set camp with our sarongs and blankets on a special rock that called to us, laid out our picnic treats and simply indulged. We all agreed that this was one of the highlights and I would highly recommend anyone who travels to Spain to squeeze in a picnic at Montserrat in your schedule!