Montserrat

This is a unique mountainous formation in the middle of a plain, very close to Barcelona. 

Halfway up, among the rocky needles and immense columns of stone, nestles the Monastery of the Black Virgin of Montserrat and the Museum of Archaeology of the Ancient World. 

A funicular railway, always a big hit with children, carries visitors up to the top of the mountain with its rocky spires. On a clear day, you can see as far as the sea from here. Some have even claimed to see the mountain-tops of the island of Majorca.

An express package takes you from Barcelona to Montserrat in an hour and a half by train. Part of the journey is on the Montserrat Rack Railway, through a beautiful mountain landscape, making the journey fly by.

You can also get there by car or bus in about the same time.