If you have followed our recommendation and have arrived early for your European cruise. You are probably wondering what should I do on the day of embarkation. You normally have the first half of the day free before you have to get on the ship. How about a trip to Montserrat!

Montserrat is a stunning mountain range about an hour outside of Barcelona. Montserrat translates to “saw mountain” and this is a good description of the mountain range. The highest peak, Sant Jeroni, is 4,055 feet tall. A Benedictine abbey, Maria de Montserrat, is located on the mountain of Montserrat. Inside the abbey is the Virgin of Montserrat, one of the few black Madonnas of Europe.

During your visit, you can visit the Madonna, go to mass, do some shopping, have a little lunch, and perhaps take the funicular to the top. The views from the top are amazing and if the weather is clear you can see Barcelona. Additionally, you may want to tour the Museum of Montserrat monastery, where you can see works of major artists such as Dali, El Greco, Monet, and Giordano.