Barcelona Off the Beaten Path Tips by seamandrew

Catalonia's most important religious retreat is Montserrat. Here athletes pledge barefoot pilgrimages if prayers are answered and vital competitions won. Groups of young people from Barcelona and all over Catalonia make overnight hikes at least once in their lives to watch the sunrise from the heights of Montserrat. "La Moreneta" (the black virgin), Catalonia's favorite saint, resides in the famous sanctuary of the Mare de Deu de Montserrat, next to the Benedictine monastery nestled among the towers and crags of the mountain.

Montserrat, whose name means serrated mountain, is 48 kilometers (roughly 30 miles) west of Barcelona, and can be reached easily and spectacularly by train and cable car. Just take the FGC train from Plaça d'Espanya station (R5) and go to either the cable car stop or the funicular stop. I suggest the first stop, the cable car for it's remarkable view! Make sure you buy the combination ticket before leaving (saves you some money!)

Looming 1236 meters (4055 ft) over the valley floor, Montserrat, the highest point of the Catalan lowlands, stands central to the most populated part of Catalonia. The massive conglomerate stone monolith is ideally located to play an important role in the cultural and spiritual life of Catalonia.

The Basilica houses a museum that is packed with works of art by a long list of prominent painters and sculptors including works by El Greco, Dalí, Picasso and many more.

Lastly, Montserrat's highest point, Sant Jeroni, can be reached by funicular (price included in combination ticket) from the Romanesque monastery of Santa Cecilia. From Sant Jeroni, almost all of Catalonia can be seen. You can see more about this monastery soon on my Monistrol de Montserrat page.

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Website: http://www.abadiamontserrat.net/

I was a little reluctant to visit this church way atop Tibidabo because my guidebook said it had little charm and wasn't much to look at. I stronly disagree with it. This church has lots of charm and it has tons of crowds flocking to it. In fact, it is also a must see because any skyline view of Barcelona has this church in it, and one is hard pressed not to be intrigued by it. We found it quite beautiful and the view just as stunning. Actually, you can pay 2 Euros and take the elevator up to the statue for a greater view.

At night, the church is floodlit, and in this state, forms a dramatic part of the Barcelona skyline. It must look awesome when it's wrapped in swirling mists.

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The Parc d'Attracions funfair has a wonderful retro air and is not exhaustingly large or terrifying. In fact, a guy who is used to Amusement parks like Six Flags Great Adventure or Hershey Park, it can be a bit boring. Some of the attractions though date back to 1901 when the funicular first reached the top, and some from rennovations that took place in 1986. This is certainly a place enjoyed by mostly children, or a couple so in love with each other (honeymooners!) that anything silly would be romantic. You bet Liz and I loved it! :)

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