The St. Patrick's Week Celebration is a highlight in Montserrat. 
Theres also a truly eye-opening section dedicated to the destructive eruptions of Soufriere Hills. To catch it, you should get off the Barcelonas train at the stop Aeri de Montserrat.
Official site: http://montserratnationaltrust.ms/, Runaway Ghaut | Ed Clayton / photo modified. If its not your first visit to Montserrat, it is worth it to visit the monastery of Santa Cecilia. There are also chess boards and ping pong tables to enjoy (mainly for the young ones), along with oodles of interesting retro paraphernalia the heirlooms of the uber-friendly Lea family that run the place! Exhibits are varied and informative, dealing with everything from the pre-historic Amerindian tribal times, when those eerie petroglyphs were scrawled into the rocky backcountry here, to the colonial struggle over Montserrat between the British and the French in later centuries. Each day at Montserrat there are a minimum of two masses in the Basilica. Both of these islands are rich in natural beauty, with hot springs, hiking trails, and lush peaks. The first possibility is to take an impressive 5-minute ride in a cable car. According to legend, it was discovered by the shepherds of the region in the 9th century; they suddenly noticed a bright shining light which indicated them the place of the Santa Cova (Holy Cave of Montserrat), where the statue was hidden. Montserrat Hiking Trails | Dr. Warner / photo modified. The Montserrat Cultural Centre is a top attraction in Little Bay. The drinks are a real pull too, with healthy fruit smoothies and blended mocktails infused with the fresh fruits of Montserrat itself. The joint is a fine reward for hikers attempting to conquer the walking route that runs right next to the establishment, with that on-site caf serving up some of the most acclaimed cappuccinos and espressos on the island. The Espai Audio Visual is a exposition providing information about the history of Montserrat. Rich in natural beauty, friendly Montserrat is a haven for those seeking a slow and peaceful slice of tropical island life and a humbling reminder of nature's brute force. The bay itself is favored for swimming, diving, and snorkeling. The Black Virgin is one of the exceptional Madonnas wooden images of a totally black color. The calm waters are great for swimming and snorkeling, and you can relax along the gray-sand shore and watch boats bob in port at the bay's northern end. Divers looking to escape the crowds and explore thriving coral reefs will love Montserrat. The best way to enjoy a visit here is to organize a tour with a knowledgable guide, preferably someone who was personally impacted by the volcano's eruption and can compare and contrast life before and after this tragic event. The cliffs above the beach are a great spot to enjoy a picnic and a good vantage point for spotting migrating whales. The Black Virgin of Montserrat is a patron of Catalonia, and people all over the world come to worship here and see this miracle-working sculpture. Sprawled out over the highlands of Montserrat, this verdant swathe of primeval tropical rainforest is hailed as one of the most biodiverse birding areas in the Caribbean. Montserrat Museum is an art museum with a wide selection of works dating from the thirteenth century right up to the present day. Local legend states that anyone who sips the spring water at the drinking fountain here is destined to return to Montserrat. These steep ravines carry rainwater to the sea from high in the mountains. It is located inside the Monastery's book shop and also provides information about the Monastery's famous printing press. The terrace offers sweeping views of the volcano. The hike leads past the Blackwood Allen stream to a viewing area that overlooks the ocean and villages in the north. There are food options at Montserrat to suit all tastes and budgets. We recommend you visit our Barcelona latest Covid updates page for the latest Covid-related updates in Barcelona. The ancient building of the Abbey was almost totally demolished by the Napoleonic troops, who tried to find the Holy Grail in the walls of the Abbey.
There you will find the other hiking routes which lead to the most tallest mountain peaks (e.g., Sant Jeroni) and a tourist walk towards the Chapel of Sant Joan. The basilica itself, the atrium, the chapels within the basilica and the Black Madonna (see above) are all of interest from an architectural, spiritual and historical perspective. Check with the National Trust for details. Some of these include Jack Boy Hill, the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, and Garibaldi Hill. Other Caribbean Islands near Montserrat: A short flight from Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda are famous for their sublime white-sand beaches, which are some of the best beaches in the Caribbean. You might catch a glimpse of them as you paddle past on a kayak. This hike offers a glimpse of life in the rainforest and an opportunity to see Montserrat's national bird, the oriole. The sea is shallow and great for swimming, and the sand is soft and glows in hues of yellow as it slopes down towards the lapping waves. 12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Montserrat, 12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Antigua and Barbuda, 16 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Guadeloupe, 9 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Pointe--Pitre, 12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in St. Barts, 13 Best Resorts in Saint Martin (Sint Maarten), 11 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Dominica, 13 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Anguilla, 15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Martinique, 14 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the British Virgin Islands, 22 Best Places to Visit in the United States, 20 Best Luxury All-Inclusive Resorts in the World, photograph a sobering view of the volcano. During busy times there are long queues to see the Black Madonna. Instead, Montserrat hotels are mainly small family-run guesthouses and bed and breakfasts. Nestled between two headlands of rugged cliffs and a wall of scrub-topped coastal mountains, Little Bay Beach remains one of the most popular seaside spots on all of Montserrat. As Montserrat reinvents itself and seeks to lure more visitors, hiking has become a key tourist attraction. Want to learn more about the volcanic eruptions that devastated this island? There, you may witness the formation of stalactites and the mysterious underground architecture with several caves. For ideas on the best places to visit and popular things to do here, read our list of the top attractions in Montserrat. If you want to experience both the Cremallera and the cable car, you can always buy a combined ticket. A must-see on any Montserrat visit, this nonprofit cafe founded by filmmaker David Lea and his wife Clover does multi-duty as museum, art gallery, community center and de facto tourist office. But for now, as the urban area remains under the hammer, this small cove continues to ooze chilled Caribbean vibes. Birders who head here will be able to spy out the rare and elegant likes of Antillean crested hummingbirds, purple-throated Caribs, cuckoos, forest thrushes and more, not to mention a Jurassic array of reptiles in the undergrowth! Despite its southern haunch being almost entirely encompassed by a volcano exclusion zone, Montserrat remains a veritable mecca for hikers and trekkers. The best place to swim here is closer to the cliff-backed end of the beach.
You won't find any large resorts on this Caribbean gem. The trail is known for the scenic views that extend across the island and coastline, and it's also a good area for birding. Discover destinations, find outdoor adventures, follow the journeys of our travel writers around the world, and be inspired. Copyright www.montserrat-tourist-guide.com https://www.montserrat-tourist-guide.com/ssi/en/footer.html, rack railway that takes you up to Montserrat Monastery. There are numerous legends about the life of the Benedictine monks for example, they had to give the most austere wows, like a vow to stay forever on the top of the mountain in seclusion, silence and poverty. This small black-sand beach is ideal for relaxing, but the waters here are often rough, and swimming can be dangerous. A more challenging hike is the Blackwood Allen Trail, which crosses steep meadows of ferns between the center of the island and little Salem, while the beautiful Rendezvous Nature Trail offers panoramas over the Caribbean Sea and access to one of the islands few white-sand beaches. A favorite dive lies off Redonda, a small island about 14 miles from Montserrat. Montserrat National Trust | Christine Warner Hawks / photo modified. Notice the remnants of lava flows on the southern slopes these are left from the destructive eruption of 1997, the one responsible for razing the erstwhile island capital, Plymouth. The area also harbors many species of reptiles and amphibians, and two species of bats. Click here to book your tickets online for the Montserrat Morning guided tour leaving from Barcelona. Secluded and empty and with a shoreline thats often peppered with the pods of migrating whales, this little enclave on the west coast of Montserrat is a fine place to settle down for some sunset viewing or a spot of beachcombing. The choir normally perform two times each day and their performance is open to all visitors to Montserrat. There are two funiculars in Montserrat (these should not be confused with the rack railway that takes you up to Montserrat Monastery). Sparkling and shining in shades of ivory and cotton white that simply arent found anywhere else on the island (Montserrat is more used to black, ash-stained volcanic sands), little Rendezvous Bay remains the highest-rated coastal spot on the island. The beach is a nesting ground for sea turtles, and you'll find some decent snorkeling - especially around the rocks at the south end of the beach. It ranges from the coastal lowlands of the north up to heights of more than 700 meters above sea level, encompassing dwarf forests and evergreen valleys filled with rare fliers and curious animals in-between. Have a juice or cuppa on the veranda, then time travel through Montserrat milestones by watching David's acclaimed documentary on the Soufrire Hills Volcano eruption; paying tribute to soca star Arrow; and marveling at memorabilia rescued from the buried city and George Martin's AIR Studios. It is possible to take walks around the natural park (see above) and to take in the flora and fauna. Guided tours are available through the Montserrat National Trust. The ride will last around 15 minutes. For details on the running times, price, journey times and disabled access of the funicular, see our Funicular de Sant Cova page. Montserrat holds a number of annual festivals in both the winter and summer months. You can easily enter its Basilica, but the other sacred spaces of the monastery are closed for the public or have a special schedule. We may earn a commission from affiliate links (). Carved and chiselled from the landscapes of northern Montserrat in a medley of steep-sided cliffs and vertical ravines, gushing streams and waterfalls, the great Runaway Ghaut is one of the top destinations for hikers and outdoorsy types here. About halfway down the western coast, this easily accessible dark-sand beach is often footprint-free but has little shade. If you are interested in purchasing some of the music produced by the choir, see our page on Music at Montserrat. This modest little museum presents exhibits on aspects of island culture and history from Amerindian times to the present, including photos and dioramas illustrating pre-eruption Plymouth and a flamboyant stage costume worn by native soca superstar Arrow. Having been transferred to the capital-in-waiting at Little Bay after the destruction of Plymouth town in the 1990s, the Montserrat National Museum is once again offering travelers a glimpse at the long and interesting history of the island and its people. The Cot is a hiking trail offering both beautiful views and a glimpse of the island's history.
Rising to a smoky peak on the southern side of the island, the mighty Soufriere Hills Volcano really is a breath-taking sight to behold. If you are traveling around the island on your own, you can also experience and photograph a sobering view of the volcano and its path of destruction from several vantage points. This multipurpose performing arts center was inspired and funded by ex-Beatles producer, Sir George Martin. They are known for a specific type of singing known as Gregorian chanting. A strenuous trail leads from Little Bay to Rendezvous Bay, the only white-sand beach on Montserrat, while the Silver Hills trail takes hikers past the extinct Silver Hill Volcano. Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues. The Blackwood Allen Trail is one of the more difficult hikes, offering great views and a close-up look at some of the island's unique vegetation. Today, the volcano is part of an exclusion zone, however you can organize a guided and police-escorted tour, subject to seismic activity, to parts of this zone through Sun's Montserrat Island Tours. They also vary in difficulty and length - allowing you to choose a walk that best suits your fitness and how much time you have. Backed by steep scrub-clad hills, its wide and accommodating, with powdery sand that edges down to a deep, navy shore. Site Map | Little Bay Beach | David Stanley / photo modified.
At the interpretation center, an 18-minute documentary by local filmmaker David Lea includes riveting live footage of the eruptions and insight into the physical and social upheaval they caused. After touring the exhibits, take a self-guided stroll around the botanical gardens and nature trails. Montserrats only white sandy beach is a lovely (though totally facility-free) crescent perfect for swimming, snorkeling and diving. For details on the running times, price, journey times and disabled access of the funicular, see our Funicular de Sant Joan page. If you are in search of a memento of the choir, gifts for friends, artisan products made by the Monks or just a spot of lunch, you will be able to find all of these at Montserrat monastery. The second possibility is to go up the mountain by the train Cremallera, for which you should get off the Barcelonas train at the stop Monistrol de Montserrat. For details on the location, times and variety of masses at Montserrat, see our Masses at Montserrat page. Here, you can learn a little about this fascinating island through permanent and rotating exhibits on the island's history, arts and crafts, and local way of life. A visit to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory is highly recommended. There is also a small exhibit at the top of the Funicular de Sant Joan that provides information on the wildlife and the vegetation around the mountain. Divers can see everything from huge sponges and heads of brain coral to kaleidoscopic tropical fish, spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, and sharks. Some hotels perch atop lush hillsides with rain forest, volcano, and ocean views. Among them are works by Gaudi, Puig i Cadafalch and Llimona. Inside the audiovisual room, you will find a curious exposition devoted to the history and legends of the Montserrat mountain park, the Black Virgin miracle power and the Benedictine Abbey. There are five official walks that begin at Montserrat Monastery and involve a walk around Montserrat Mountain. The tricky journey in does mean seclusion, with typically only a few locals to be found for company on the beach. Among the indigenous and exotic flora, are medicinal herbs, orchids, and plants of former economic importance. The basilica at Montserrat is an ornate Renaissance structure. It is situated in the Basilica of Montserrat, and can be visited for free. The Funicular de Santa Cova will take you back down the mountain slightly and will drop you at the start of a walk that will allow you to visit the famous Santa Cova cave. The Museum of Monserrat boasts a huge collection of artistic masterpieces from the 13th to the 20th centuries. Meanwhile, the northern and Leeward shores are a home for older, more developed coral gardens, where the mature marine life has migrated and thrived since the eruptions of 1995. Due to the fact that Montserrat is seen mainly as a religious destination, many people are unaware of the high standard of art that is on display in the museum. There are two organized tours that save you the time and trouble of organizing your own trip to Montserrat. Now buried under mud and volcanic debris, Belham Valley used to be home to an 18-hole golf course, a bridge and a three-story building. If you plan to come to Montserrat from Barcelona, its easy to do it by public transport. Have a look at the options ahead of your visit and you can prioritise the attractions that most appeal to you. This page will also provide links to more detailed pages explaining where you can buy, cards, arts and crafts, food and music at Montserrat Monastery. For details on the background and routine of the choir plus performance times and a clip of the choir in action, see our Montserrat Choir page. This small beach at the mouth of the Belham River is great for swimming and is home to a popular beach barn and restaurant. All rights reserved. The cause?
For details on all of the different walks, with information on walk times, lengths and where to go to start the walks, see our Walks in Montserrat page. Sizzling shrimp and skewers of the Caribbeans freshest snappers smoke and crackle on the BBQ grills at Ponts Beach View every Sunday, signalling in one of the islands bona fide culinary highlights. His large-scale geometrical paintings of vibrant colors together with the ancient stone walls of the church create a rare and unusual atmosphere. The north side of the island puckers with lush peaks, and to the south lies an eerie lunar scape of deserted settlements and blackened valleys scarred by a series of devastating volcanic eruptions that began in 1995. Artwork, artifacts, and exhibits here unveil the island's history and culture, from the pre-Columbian era to the present day. There are a wide selection of tourist attractions at Montserrat Monastery. A highlight of a visit is watching an excellent 20-minute video on the Soufrire Hills Volcano, which shows how the eruption impacted life on the island. Montserrat's boy's choir are called 'L'Escolania'. With Montserrat famed for its curious Irish-Carib inhabitants (Irish folk have been settling here since the 1600s, when many were expelled from the British Isles during the English Civil War), it should come as no surprise that March means one thing and one thing only: St Paddys. Hiking along the short 10-minute Runaway Ghaut Trail, you can see luxuriant vegetation and huge tropical trees, as well as more than 20 different species of birds. There are gift shops, book shops and a food shop at Montserrat. Opening hours are not always kept to. 25 Most Beautiful Medieval Castles in the World, 40 Places to See in California Before Your Kids Are All Grown Up, 15 Best Things to Do in Bossier City (LA), Gawp at the great Soufriere Hills Volcano, Understand the islands natural side at the Montserrat National Trust, Unravel the islands past at the Montserrat National Museum, Have a brew at the Hilltop Coffee House & Family Center, Enjoy pastries and chatter at JavaLava Art Caf. This page will provide links to more detailed pages on all of the different tourist attractions at Montserrat Monastery: the Black Madonna, the Basilica, the Choir, the masses, Montserrat museums, walks around Montserrat, Montserrat Mountain, the funiculars at Montserrat, the restaurants and the shops in Montserrat. Heres the list of the most important things to see and do during your trip to Montserrat. The celebration takes place in the week leading up to March 17 with colorful events, fun things to do, entertainment, and competitions. It cascades all the way down from the highlands of the Centre Hills to the coast, and is perhaps the single most beautiful and dramatic example of one of the run-off water valleys that connect the Montserrat highlands to its shore. Promptly abandoned in the face of the same geological forces that destroyed Pompeii in Italy all those centuries ago, the whole town now lies in ruins. Scientists at the MVO keep track of the volcanos every belch and hiccup. It also offers displays giving an insight into the daily lives of the monks that live in the Monastery.
Take a walk around the space and see works from the likes of Picasso, Dal, Mir, El Greco and Degas. Montserrat Island Dive Centre and Scuba Montserrat at Little Bay are the island's most popular dive shops. Later, to reach the mountains main observation platform, you have to choose between the two interesting options that would add some more colorful impressions to your trip. Runaway Ghaut is one of Montserrat's most famous ghauts (pronounced "guts"). The museum is only open a couple of days a week for limited hours. The design of the museum building deserves a special attention too, as it was done by Puig i Cadafalch, a famous Catalan architect of art nouveau epoch. 
There you may visit a chapel and a picturesque Rosari Monumental, a park of religious sculptures created by the key architects of the Catalan modernism. It can only be accessed via a steep 0.7-mile trail from Little Bay. After about a 3-mile drive south along the east coast (from where the main road reaches the coast), the badly battered road turns into the hills and leads to this well-maintained viewpoint with fixed binoculars and picnic tables. You can see where the island has increased in size due to volcanic activity, as well as the remains of the old airport.