Montserrat

Way Up High the Montserrat

Montserrat Monastery

Getting There

From Plaça d'España, buy a Montserrat ticket in the station. The Trans Montserrat is ideal for a day trip to the monastery. For €31.80, it includes:

- return trip: Metro De Barcelona

- return trip: Train Pl. Espanya <-> Montserrat Monastery

- Funicular rides to/fro Montserrat Monastery

Montserrat

Montserrat Monastery

Montserrat Monastery

Officially founded by Abbot of Ripoli and Bishop of Vic, Oliba in 1025, the monastery is known to have the Romanesque church containing the carving of the image of the Mother of God. Every year, thousands of pilgrims make their way to this Benedictine abbey to view this sacred image.

Montserrat Monastery alleyway

Today, the monastery is home to Benedictine monks.

What To Do and See

The Black Virgin in the Basilica of Monsterrat

Inside the Basilica

People flock to the Basilica to worship the Black Virgin of Montserrat, a patron of Catalonia. According to legends, it was discovered by shepherds where the Holy Cave of Montserrat during the 19th century. People believe that this black wooden statue of the Virgin has healing powers.

The Benedictine Abbey

The Atrium

You can easily enter the impressive basilica, but the other sacred areas are closed to the public or have special visiting schedules. The Abbey dates back to the 9th century but the expansion was done in 1025. The present building is already a product of the 19th century renovation. During which, the Abbey served as a symbol of opposition to the reigning dictator, Franco. It was the only place offering religious services native in Catalan despite the official ban of the language.

The Funiculars of Santa Cova and of Sant Joan

The funicular of Santa Cova heads to the Holy Cave where the Black Virgin was discovered. There is a chapel and a picturesque Rosari Monumental, which is a park of religious sculptures created by key architects of Catalan modernism.

Sant Joan Miro

The funicular of Sant Joan goes to the sub peak of the Montserrat mountain, a starting point of different hiking trails that go higher up the mountain and lead to various other points of interest.

Hiking Trails

Hiking trail

At Sant Joan observation platform, there's a map that indicates roughly the distance and the length of each known trail. 

Montserrat Hiking Trail Map

One of the trails lead to the mountain's tallest peak, Sant Jeroni, while another trail leads to the Chapel of Sant Joan. The different trails have different difficulty.

To Chapel of Sant Joan

Chapel of Sant Joan

Recommended length of stay: 1 whole day

Tip: Go early so you can do so much more with less amount of people. Pick a weekday instead of going over the weekend.

Post Hostel

A fun and comfortable stay in Praha

My sister and I booked 2 bunk beds here for 5 nights in a 4-bed dormitory with shared bathroom.

Staff

All of the staff members were friendly and good at their job. We checked in pretty late and I think we were still given the same treatment as anyone who's checking in anytime at the hostel. The information given were very thorough and helpful.

Reception

Room

The size of the room was massive and clean. Each bunk bed has its own curtains which was a big plus point so that you have privacy; other hostels don't have that feature. You have you own personal locker, and the bunk beds each has your name on it and your check out date. The room also has a table with 2 chairs, and plenty of electric sockets. Each bunk bed has its own light and electric sockets.

Bunk Bed name

The bunk bed was really comfortable to sleep on. I did not have any problems going to sleep.

Bunk Beds

Bathroom

4th Floor

On our area, there was one shared bathroom, each with a separate water closet and walk-in shower cubicle, for three 4-bed-dormitories/rooms. Meaning, it's a shared bathroom for 12 people. But it was maintained clean all throughout our stay and I did not have any problems with its cleanliness. The only downside with that is if someone is already using the W/C or is in the shower, you'd have to wait for your turn, obviously.

The shower cubicle has hooks for you to hang your clothes, but apart from that, there's only the shower tray to put on your toiletries, there's no other countertop available to put your stuff. But the water pressure in the shower is pretty good, and it's got hot and cold options.

The water closet does not have a bidet but there's plenty of tissue paper available as well as an air freshener. The flush works great too.

There's a separate sink with mirror and an electric socket inside the bathroom in front of the cubicles.

Facilities

Post Hostel Reception

Over all, the hostel is relatively new and thus looks, smells and feels really clean and comfortable. The ambiance is pretty chill and the decorations in the hallways, main room, common areas and lounges are pretty cool.

Hallway at 4th floor

They also clean the bathrooms and common areas daily. There's a lift in situ.

Each floor has its own substantially-equipped kitchen with dining area. There's also a fridge where you can store food with sticker labels available on top of each fridge so you can label your food with your name and check out date. 

The kitchen is one of the good places to make friends with your fellow travellers.

Activities

Every day, the hostel has activities planned that will be sure to help you meet new people and make friends while enjoying what the city of Prague has to offer.

They arrange walking tours with free transportation to the meet up point, pub crawls, and drinks by the river, among many others. Just check out their schedule at the reception desk and in bulletin boards scattered throughout the hostel.

Location

The location is great as it is very near transportation routes. It is also near Námêstí Míru (aka the Peace Square) where you'll find the Church of Saint Ludmila as well as the Námêstí Míru tram stop and metro station.

The neighbourhood is also pretty safe and has good restaurant options.

The hostel is roughly:

- About 10 minute-walk from Námêstí Míru metro station

- About 5 minute-walk from Jana Masaryka bus and tram stops

- About 5 minute-walk from a laundromat and small convenience stores

Other Points:

Main Dining Area

- There is free breakfast at the main room from 8-10 AM. Free breakfast includes cereals, toast/bread, spread, hot drinks (coffee, tea), milk and juice.

Free Breakfast

Eating breakfast in the main room is actually a good way to make friends with other travellers staying in the hostel, or with the staff.

- There are different games available on the main room, including a table football and PS4 with loads of games.

Main Room at day

Main Room at night

- The entry to the building and to each room is via a key card system. Take care of your card as they charge if you lose it.

Computer area just outside the Reception area

- There's a luggage room where you can leave your stuff on the day of check out.

- They charge €1 for a towel, but it's free to borrow a hairdryer and iron. You can also buy food and drinks at the reception, as well as a charger adapter and padlock, if you forgot to bring one for your locker.

OVERALL: I had a really fun and comfortable stay at this hostel. It was very affordable and it was a great value for your money. I definitely recommend this hostel especially to solo travellers.

Spanish Tapas

Tapas and Pintxos

Spain is well known for tapas and pintxos enjoyed with vermouth, be it on a bright sunny afternoon or a night out in the bar.

Tapas are small dishes of Spanish savoury food usually served with drinks in bars. While vermouth is red or white wine flavoured with aromatic herbs mixed gin. Pintxos are plates of bite-sized goodies served on top of bread. Usually, they are skewered with toothpicks, and at the end of the meal, the no. of toothpicks used will correlate to the amount you have to pay.

If you're near Plaça Espanya, try out Braseria Cañota along Carrer de Lleida. They serve quality tapas that are worth the price. The service is prompt as well, even though it gets pretty busy, and the staff members are friendly. A reservation is advised if you plan to go on peak days (Friday and Saturday nights) for dinner.

Jamon Iberico and bread with tomato and olive oil

Fried Artichoke

If you're around Santa Maria del Mar, try out Bacoa along Passatge de Palau. It is a trendy hamburger joint that serves really scrumptious burgers that are best enjoyed with, of course, a glass of beer. Fill up their order form and proceed to the counter to pay.

Bacoa order form

Inside Bacoa

La Bacoa burger with skinny fries and beer

If you're near La Sagrada Familia, try out La Pedreta at the corner of Carrer del Rosselló and Carrer de la Marina.

Pork BBQ and sangria

Pizza and warm open sandwich tapa

If you're around Plaça de la Llana, try out La Fabrica's mouth-watering and gastronomically satisfying empanadas for an affordable price.

La Fabrica's empanadas

Spicy chicken/Pollo picante empanada

Spicy meat/Carne picante empanada

Ola, Barcelona

Barcelona in March

Weather: Visiting Barcelona in March would mean less crowds but the weather is a hit and miss, i.e. one day it might be as hot as 23 degrees, and then the next day it might rain for a while or feel as cold as 16 degrees or even less. Most sites would tell you that temperature ranges from 16 - 7 degrees, although it generally starts to get warmer in the city in March. I wanted to go swimming, but the average sea temperature is around 14 degrees which is still too cold for such.

Clothes: So you should be able to wear something that is flexible and can adapt from hot days to windy and or rainy afternoons. A cardigan or leather jacket is one solution, or layer your clothes in such a way that you can take away 1 when it gets too hot and just put it back when the chilly afternoon comes.

Also do remember that most of the tourist spots in the city are religious and thus, expect some of them to enforce strict dress code.

Shoes: Barcelona for me is one of those relatively walkable cities if you have plotted your route well. Wear a pair of shoes comfortable for walking and at the same time, is ready for rains.

Travel card: Although I said that Barcelona is relatively walkable, you'd still benefit from a travel card. We opted for the Barcelona Travel Card Hola BCN which includes unlimited journeys on bus, metro and the rest of BCN public transport over a period of 2 - 5 consecutive days on a single ticket since the point of first validation. One of the great advantages of this ticket is you can use this to travel between the airport and the city centre! It also eliminates the hassle of buying tickets whenever you will use any kind of public transport when exploring the city. Just take care of your ticket. You can also exchange it for a new ticket if it gets defective (e.g. ours got folded in our pockets and it affected the bar being scanned for using the card) with a member of staff in the stations.

Tip: avail of the 10% discount if you buy your travel card online and just claim the tickets from the tourist information desk in the airport. Check it online for more information: Hola BCN.

So what to do in Barcelona in March?

Basílica de la Sagrada Família

Front Facade of Sagrada Familia

Not someone who is religious? This place is still worth a visit. For me, this is Gaudí's most brilliant masterpiece. Construction began in 1882 and is expected to be completed in 2026 (144 years after), and 100 years after the death of its Catalan architect, Antonio Gaudí.

Inside the basilica

The basilica is an expiatory temple to serve as a place to commemorate the reparation of sins made against God or the laws of the church.

Stained glass windows inside the basilica

Admire at Gaudí's impressive masterpiece both from inside and outside.

Back facade of Sagrada Familia

It is open 9AM - 7PM, and has an admission fee of €15 for a basic ticket, and €29 for admission to the towers. Plan your visit. 

Recommended length of stay: a minimum of 1 hour

Gaudí-hopping

For art enthusiasts, Barcelona is a treasure trove of modernisme architecture. Antoni Gaudí is one of the most famous figures of Catalan culture and world architecture. A man of faith, he was known as an observer of both nature and modern architecture. He spent over 40 years of his life designing the Sagrada Familia, while at the same time designing other masterpieces scattered throughout the city. 

Gaudí spots to check out:

A. Sagrada Familia

Interior of Sagrada Familia

Basilica's interiors (sideview)

Close up of the facade of Sagrada Familia

B. Park Güell

Park Guell

Commissioned by Eusebi Güell, Park Güell sits atop Carmen Hill, and is a public park system composed of amazing stone structures, colourful and stunning tilings, and eccentrically beautiful buildings. It was originally planned to be a garden city where both nature and housing (around 60 villas) are built to form a symbiosis. However, no body was interested and it ended up becoming a city park.

Portico of the Washerwoman

There are walkways adorned with irregularly shaped twisting rock pillars that spring from the ground.

Twisting Rock Pillars at Park Guell

The buildings are adorned with eccentrically designed tilings that make it both magical and a bit hypnotic especially when the sun shines on them.

The Entrance and Porter's Lodge

There is a terrace at the top which provides amazing views of both the park and of Barcelona city.

View from Terrace

The terrace

The park is divided into 2 areas, one of which, the Monumental Zone, has an admission fee and because it is one of the most visited sites in the city, this zone only has a set number of people that is allowed entry per period of time. So you have to pre-book your ticket at least 1 or 2 days before your visit. The other areas are free to the public. A general ticket costs €7. Plan your visit. 

Monumental Flight of Steps

Recommended length of stay: 2 hours

Since we were on a budget for this trip, and we weren't exactly that much of art enthusiasts, we opted to just marvel at the other Gaudí spots from the outside rather than going inside and paying the admission fees.

C. Casa Milá

This UNESCO world heritage site, which is also known as La Pedrera ("the stone quarry"), looks like a rising dough or molten lava  with no straight lines. Here, Gaudí attempted to recreate natural forms using bricks and mortar, ceramics and smashed cava bottles. 

La Pedrera

D. Casa Batlló

Located at the heart of the city, Casa Batlló is considered as Gaudí's most emblematic work. The facade is designed with stone and glass. Be fascinated with the walls designed to be wavy in nature, plastered with lime mortar and adorned with mosaic of fragments of coloured glass and ceramic discs. Its roof is also shaped like an animal's back with large iridescent scales. 

Casa Batlló

The Battló family was well known in the city's textile industry, owning several factories in the city.

Close up of La Pedrera's facade

Dos Casas

*Casa Amatller

Check out this adjacent playful Casa designed by Cadafalch for the chocolate baron, Antoni Amatller.

Casa Amatller

Close up of Casa Amatller's facade

Casa Amatller, together with Gaudí's Casa Batlló and Montaner's Casa Lleó, is part of the so-called "manzana de la discordia" (block of discord).

I wasn't able to visit the next three and just did some readings on them:

E. Casa Vicens

This 4 level-summer house was designed by Gaudí for a real estate broker-dealer. It was Gaudí's first built and completed house, which became a UNESCO world human heritage site in 2005. Until this day, it serves as a residence, having been converted from a summer house into 3 apartments back in 1920. But it is now set to be opened as a museum come fall of 2017 after undergoing major restorations.

F. Torre Bellesguard

A combination of Art Nouveau and gothic style, the Bellesguard house was designed by Gaudí using rectilinear forms rarely seen in his other works. It was owned by the Guilera family. Admission fee is €9 with audioguide. Plan your visit. 

G. Teresian College

Originally designed by an unknown architect, the project was passed on to Gaudí in 1889 and was completed within 2 years after. The building is composed of a lower floor plus three stories on a rectangular plane. The first 2 levels are where the classroom and offices are located, and the upper 2 floors house the bedrooms of the nuns and students. The building is characterised by austereness and secretiveness, with the interiors plenty with light peace and shelter - very fitting for a school, and headquarters of the religious order of the Teresians.

Church-hopping 

Being the nation who spread Christianity to all of its colonies hundreds of years ago, Spain's religion   is largely Roman Catholic. So it is no wonder that Barcelona is home to beautiful churches to serve as places of worship.

Here are notable churches worth the visit:

A. Sagrada Familia

Up close of the Altar of Sagrada Familia

Of course this is our number one. It is both a Gaudi masterpiece and a Roman Catholic church: so you're hitting two birds with one stone. A masterpiece that is taking years (i.e. now on its 135th year of construction) to complete is sure worth the visit.

The Altar of Sagrada Familia

B. Basilica Santa Maria del Mar

Facade of Basilica Santa Maria del Mar

Built with stones transported by merchants, fishermen and noblemen  from the mountain of Montjuïc, this Basilica was designed by architects Berenguer de Montagut and Ramon Despuig. It is also known as the "Cathedral of the Sea" in Ildefonso Falcones' novel.

Altar of Santa Maria del Mar

Marvel at its stone pillars leading towards the altar.

Inside Santa Maria del Mar

C. Basilica Santa Maria del Pi

Facade of Basilica Santa Maria del Pi

Found in the Gothic Quarter, Santa Maria del Pi is a Catalan Gothic style basilica with the country's highest cross-vaulted ceiling.

The Altar of Santa Maria del Pi

One of the stained-glass windows at Santa Maria del Pi

It is also a museum that houses the largest rosette in Catalonia, and several Medieval gold, silverware and artifacts of Catalonian origins. Marvel at its stained-glass windows created by one of the finest stained-glass artists of the Catalan baroque period, Josep Ravella.

Ceiling of Santa Maria del Pi

D. Barcelona Cathedral

Barcelona Cathedral

A combination of gothic and baroque styles, Barcelona Cathedral began its construction in 1298 and continued in 3 stages over a period of 150 years. Marvel at its Gothic art, Baroque altarpieces, and even the sepulcher of Santa Eulàlia aside from its beautiful exterior.

Up close the facade of Barcelona Cathedral

Sideview of Barcelona Cathedral

Again, I wasn't able to visit the next 2 churches and did some readings on them instead:

E. Montserrat Basilica

The Atrium

High up in the Montserrat Abbey is the Monserrat Basilica, which houses the statue of the Black Madonna. Marvel at the Atrium of the Basilica, which is an open-roofed courtyard in front of the Basilica. The interior is a mixture of traditional Catalan architecture and Renaissance shapes. It has many chapels, and at the centre in the altar is the statue of the Black Madonna framed in an ornate window.

Chapel of Immaculate Concepcion

Give ample amount of time to explore this Basilica because of its location. But it sure is worth the visit.

The Altar of Montserrat Basilica

F. Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp

Sant Pau del Camp is the oldest church in Barca. It was built with Lombard Romanesque style and dates back to the year 911. It has survived many attacks and reconstructions through the years. Its simple architecture is a great reminder of its era.

G. Pedralbes Monastery

Founded in 1326, Pedralbes Monastery was originally built in white stone and is surrounded by a line of walls with three floors that are 40 meters long. It has a central garden, and is home to the sepulcher of Queen Elisenda. It sits at the foot of the hill of Sant Pere Màrtir.

Spanish tapas and pintxos

Montserrat

Visit the Benedictine monastery atop a mountain, see the Black Virgin, ride funiculars, and go on a hike to explore the mountain for a day trip and more.

Gothic Quarter

Located at the heart of the old city, Barri Gotic bursts with antique buildings and narrow streets dating back to Roman times.

Gothic Quarter streets

Things to do include the famous Las Ramblas street, the Gothic Cathedral, Bisbe Irurita Street, which is a gorgeous pathway leading from the cathedral to Sant Jaume Square, and the Church of Santa Maria del Pi.

Plaça Sant Jaume

Sit back and relax as you people-watch at Sant Jaume Square, which features the City Hall and other government buildings, Plaça del Rei (King's Square) and Plaça Reial (Royal Square).

Las Ramblas

Las Ramblas is Barca's famous street stretching 1.2 km long between Port Vell at the southern end and Plaça Catalunya at the northern end. It is a street lined with trees and plenty of attractions on each side.

Buildings along Las Ramblas 

Things to do include the Museu de l'Erotica, walking over a Miró mural, be entertained by human statues and performances, renting a bike, and visiting the La Boqueria, which is the famous city market.

Plaça de España

Plaça d'España

Plaça de España is one of the city's most important landmarks. It serves as a gateway to the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, major transportation hub, and other landmarks of interest such as Torres Venecianes, Fira Barcelona Montjuïc, Palau de Congressos de Barcelona, and the Museum Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), among many others.

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc show

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc gives out free spectacular display of lights, water and music every Fridays and Saturdays at 7-9 pm.

Plaça de Josep Puig i Cadafalch

MNAC

The MNAC houses one of the world's finest collections of Romanesque mural paintings, featuring Catalan modernism, European Renaissance, and Baroque styles.