A peaceful holiday at the seaside would be very helpful for the people who are tired of the boring daily routines and problems. Certainly, it is very interesting to be at the busy centre of countries full of history, civilization, but sometimes, people need much more quiet, cosy, and simple rest. There are such plentiful places of rest in the world, and today I would like to speak in my article about one of them. This is an island paradise, Montserrat Island. So, where is Montserrat? Montserrat, known as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, is located in the Leeward Islands, 475 km south-east of Puerto Rico, and about 48 km southwest of Antigua. There is an active volcano, i.e. Montserrat Volcano. I want to provide some interesting details about the things to do in Montserrat. But, before let’s speak about general information about this travel destination. For instance, do you know about the Montserrat flag? The Montserrat flag’s background colour is deep blue. In the upper left corner is the flag of the United Kingdom. The other sign of the Montserrat flag is the country’s coat of arms in the centre of the half side. How to visit Montserrat? The best way to visit Montserrat is direct flights from Barcelona. There are a lot of options about how to visit Montserrat, and some of them are train, bus, rental car, or, tours. Also, you should know that there are two different stations which would be a great answer to how to get to Montserrat?. On the other hand, the best way to visit Montserrat for people who want a much cheaper trip is to travel by bus. There is an interesting fact about how to get to Montserrat for pilgrims is that they like to go on foot. There are numerous wonderful Instagrammable places to visit in Montserrat like Black Madonna, Basilica, Montserrat Monastery, Monserrat Museum, Viacrrucis Path, and others. Besides the places of interest in Montserrat, you can have a break in the cosy places to eat in Montserrat such as Restaurante Bartomeu, Pant del Gat Restaurant, Restaurant Abat Cisneros, and others. Furthermore, when you plan to travel to Montserrat, you should consider the best time to visit Montserrat. The period from March to July would be the best time to visit Montserrat. After a little discussion about where is Montserrat, let’s make a list of the things to do in this beautiful area.
Taking a cable car ride or funicular
In the beginning, among the things to do in Montserrat, I would like to mention taking a cable car ride or funicular to the Mountain’s Summit. When you are going to Montserrat from Barcelona, the best way to visit Montserrat is to go to the Plaza Espana metro station. You will stop at the bottom of the mountain with the train. The summit of Montserrat offers the most gorgeous views of Catalonia. Besides, you can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the mountain, the stunning valley below like the village of Monistrol, the River Llobregat, and the famous shrine of Santa Cove. Perhaps, you are afraid of heights, but there is no reason to worry because the cable car ride takes only about five minutes. And in my opinion, marvellous views from there are worth a few moments of excitement.
Visit the Montserrat Volcano Observatory
Copyright: @montserratvolcanoobservatory_Visiting the Montserrat Volcano Observatory would be one of the interesting activities during your travel to Montserrat. The Montserrat Soufriere Hills Volcano woke up from its 400-year slumber on 18th July 1995. As a result of it, the two-thirds of the islands are covered in ash. Some of the tourism infrastructures like the former airport and capital were buried. Now it is safe to go to the island to see how this sleeping giant has changed Montserrat. One of the best places of interest in Montserrat to get more information about the volcano and its impact on the island is the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Visitors can add to the list of answers of what to do in Montserrat getting a stunning view of the volcano, Belham Valley, and Plymouth from there, watching a documentary detailing the history and effects of the eruptions. It helps you to gain both informative and educational experience when you visit Montserrat.
Visit the Montserrat Art Museum
Visiting the Art Museum would be a suitable choice among the things to do in Montserrat for people who are interested in art. This museum whose original name is Biblical Museum contains an extensive collection of valuable artworks which refer to the 8th century. It has the artistic and archaeological heritage of the thousand-year-old Abbey of Montserrat. You can see permanent exhibitions that display the history of the monastery. There are important works by famous artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali. The museum consists of 3 sections: modern painting with Catalonian artists, the archaeology of the biblical East, and ancient paintings. Also, this art museum maintains a single piece from Caravaggio, which is the only piece of his can be in Catalonia. So, I think this place would be among the Instagrammable places of interest in Montserrat for art lovers.
Visit Montserrat Natural Park
Certainly, tourists want to see beautiful scenery during the Montserrat trip. So, visitors should add the walking within the Natural Park to their “what to do in Montserrat list”. Montserrat Natural Park was found in 1987. There are a lot of villages, walking paths, and exhibitions. St. Jerome is the highest point of the mountain. This park with its boast oak forests, plant life with distinctive species, and wildlife such as reptiles, birds, rodents, cats, and wild goats is worthy of observing among the places to visit in Montserrat.
Listening to L’Escolania
Listening to L’Escolania can be one of the inspirations to travel to Montserrat. The Escalania de Montserrat, which is a choir entirely composed of 14 years old kids, are considered the typical symbol of the place. The choir, which is one of the oldest in the whole country, is internationally known. You can attend their live performance in Montserrat.
Diving between Redonda and the reefs
Visitors who like adventure visit Montserrat is for you. There are numerous activities which can be interesting to you. But, I would like to introduce diving between Redonda and the reefs. Now Montserrat is home to some of the Caribbean’s coral reefs. Furthermore, there are older and more developed coral gardens on the northern, and Leeward shores. They sprawl out at the bottom of the ocean is a mix of great sea sponges and colourful parrotfish, which are running to the Antiguan Island of Redonda to the northwest.
Resting on the beaches
If you do not imagine the holiday abroad without the sunshine, and sands, you will find activities that match you during your travel to Montserrat. Montserrat offers several public beaches like Bunkum Bay, Carr’s Bay, Foxes Bay, Isle Bay Beach Old Road Bay, Lime Kiln Bay, Little Bay, Marguerita Bay, Rendezvous, and Woodlands Bay Beach. The best side of these beaches is that none of them gets crowded, so you can get a chance to relax in a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere. Little Bay is the most developed among these beaches with a few bars, and restaurants which can be added to the places to eat in Montserrat.
Festivals in Montserrat
If you are looking for amazing and unique entertainment to remember forever, you should include Montserrat’s festivals among the list of what to do in Montserrat. These festivals are held in the period between mid-December and early January. It is Montserrat’s version of a Caribbean carnival. This festival consists of beauty pageants, calypso, and soca competitions, steel pan showcases, jump-ups, parades, and fetes with the world-famous Montserrat Masqueraders. The other best-known festivals are the Montserrat Saint Patrick’s Festival and Calabash Festival which would be very interesting for you.
Walking through the Cami dels Degotalls
If you plan to visit Montserrat with your children, then one of the best activities would be walking through the Cami dels Degotalls. You should follow the direction of Monistrol to get there. The path decorated with evocative majolica sculptures, trees such as oaks, yews, or grasses can be among the places to visit in Montserrat.
Express tour of Montserrat
If you plan to be in Montserrat, do not miss an express tour of Montserrat. There you can learn about the best of the region in a short period. This tour maintains the most popular points of Montserrat, such as the monastery, the Black Madonna, the miraculous surrounding views. Besides, some of these tours offer a Flamenco dance performance. So, you would spend an amazing and interesting time during this express tour.
Being in the local market
Being in the local market should be part of your visit to Montserrat. There is a big market where they sell only typical products on the way to the monastery of Montserrat. You can find distinctive typical Catalan products in the area. Among its diverse products, you can see oil, liquor, honey, cheese, and cottage cheese.
Visit JavaLava Art Cafe
Visiting one of the places to eat in Montserrat, JavaLava Art Cafe should be on your list of travel activities. This place offers a very delicious menu of cinnamon-packed Danish pastries, crusty flatbreads, and pancakes. After tasting their kitchen, you will not regret it. Thus, there are more things to do in Montserrat than I mentioned, and you can be sure that you will spend unforgettable days during your travel to this travel destination. So, definitely learn, where is Montserrat, and how to visit Montserrat, choose the best time to visit Montserrat for you and just travel there!