We recommend going from Monday to Friday; weekends are jam-packed with many local people and too many cars. If you can only go to Montserrat on the weekend, we recommend using the cable car or the cogwheel train to arrive from the town at the bottom of the mountain and have our driver pick us up to return to Barcelona.

The best day to visit Montserrat, the jagged mountain monastery near Barcelona, is typically Tuesday or Thursday. These mid-week days offer a crucial balance: you avoid the massive weekend crowds of locals and the heavy Monday surge of tourists who arrived over the weekend. Visiting mid-week ensures shorter lines for the Aeri de Montserrat cable car and the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey. If your goal is to hear the world-famous Escolania (Boys' Choir), you must check their schedule, as they generally perform daily at 1:00 PM but are often away on Saturdays and during school holidays. Arriving early (before 9:00 AM) on a Tuesday allows you to see the "Black Madonna" with minimal wait. Avoid Sundays if you aren't attending for religious reasons, as the abbey becomes very crowded with worshippers and many hiking trails see high traffic. In 2026, many savvy travelers also recommend checking the cruise ship docking schedule in Barcelona, as "heavy" cruise days can significantly increase group tour bus arrivals at the mountain.