# Montserrat on horseback: a western ride, lunch in Marganell and the rack railway to the monastery A horse ride in western style at the foot of Montserrat, Catalan lunch in Marganell and an afternoon at the sanctuary, going up on the rack railway from Monistrol Vila. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat/itineraries/horse-riding-lunch-and-rack-railway · Revisado: 2026-11-13 ## El día - 10:15 · Salida: 15 min by car (via the C-16 to exit 41 and the Marganell road) - 11:00 · Western Horse Ride at the Foot of Montserrat, in Castellbell i el Vilar (Natural Hipic · western riding with a guide · €30 an hour according to its website in 2020 · book by WhatsApp) · Natural Hipic, From €30 per hour (price published in May 2020) - 5 min by car, 2,5 km - 13:00 · Restaurant Cal Jaume (Cal Jaume, in Marganell · holm oak grill, rice dishes and mató · €€ · booking by phone) · Restaurant Cal Jaume, €€ - 15 min by car, 11,5 km - 15:55 · Montserrat Rack Railway at Monistrol-Vila (Free parking · goes up at 15:55 · €15 return) - 13 min by train - 16:15 · Els Degotalls Path (Almost flat 50-minute walk, before dark) - 10 min on foot - 17:15 · Basilica, the Moreneta and the Escolania Choir (Basilica and throne of the Moreneta · free for residents with booking) - 18:15 · Vuelta (Last rack railway down on weekdays in November; at weekends, until 19:15) Almost everyone sees Montserrat from the monastery square. This day starts outside, on the north face of the mountain, where the village of Marganell is: a morning on horseback in a western saddle along the paths of the natural park, a charcoal-grilled lunch in a village house and, in the afternoon, the rack railway up to the sanctuary when the groups have already left. You need a car, and the order matters: the horse in the morning, because that is when the rides go out, and the monastery last thing, when there are fewer people. ## The day, hour by hour 10:15 · Set off. From Barcelona, the C-16 to exit 41 and the Marganell road: about 50 minutes to the ranch. From Manresa it is 20. 11:00 · Horse riding with Natural Hipic. The ranch is on the BV-1122 road, on the outskirts of Castellbell i el Vilar, with a stone chapel beside the meadows and the pinnacles of Montserrat in front. It is a western riding and natural horsemanship centre: you ride in a cowboy saddle and follow the guide at a walk along the foot of the mountain, in groups of one to four people. They have horses for beginners and ponies for children. The rides go out Tuesday to Sunday in the morning and are charged by the hour: the website published €30 an hour in 2020, and today's price is given when you book on WhatsApp, on 609 43 80 80. For this plan, an hour or an hour and a half is fine. 13:00 · Lunch at Cal Jaume. Five minutes by car, in Marganell. It is a family eatery in a building more than 400 years old, with vaulted stone rooms and views of the mountain. Catalan cooking: rice dishes, meat and fish grilled over holm-oak charcoal, stews and, for dessert, Montserrat mató. From Tuesday to Friday on working days there is a set menu for €18.50. It serves lunch from 13:00 to 15:30 and asks you to book by phone, on 93 835 71 50. 15:55 · The rack railway from Monistrol Vila. A quarter of an hour by car to Monistrol Vila station, which has free parking. The rack railway takes about 15 minutes to climb to the sanctuary and costs €15 return, €7.50 for ages 4 to 13. On working days in November, low season for Turistren, it leaves Monistrol Vila at a quarter past and five to the hour; at weekends in November and December, until three, also at :35. The 15:55 runs every day. 16:15 · The Els Degotalls path. As soon as you arrive, before the light goes: 3.2 km there and back, about 50 minutes almost flat under the dripping walls, with plaques to Verdaguer, Maragall or Pompeu Fabra. It leaves the complex by the Monistrol road, past the Mirador dels Apòstols. 17:15 · The basilica and the Moreneta. The basilica is open until 20:00 and the Virgin's throne can be climbed to until 18:25. At this hour the sanctuary is quiet. There is a tourist ticket for the atrium, the basilica and the camarín; residents of Spain and the European Union travelling independently do not pay, but book on the abbey's website. 18:15 · Head home. On weekdays, in November, the 18:15 is the last rack railway down from the monastery. At weekends in November and December there are trains until 19:15. Below, your car is waiting. ## Where and what to eat Cal Jaume is this plan's table because it is five minutes from the ranch and opens Tuesday to Sunday, the same days the horses go out. Order something from the grill or a rice dish, and the mató, which is from Can Florí. If you prefer a grill house, Can Ferreroles Nou is on the same road, on the other side of the ranch: it opens Wednesday to Sunday, has a €16 menu on working days and, from January to Easter, calçotada to order. Up at the sanctuary, there is only time for a coffee. ## With children and teenagers With small children, ask for a pony when booking and give their age: the website does not set a minimum. Teenagers are the best audience for western riding, which is done with one hand and has a bit of a cowboy film about it; afterwards, the rack railway and the Els Degotalls path tire them little. If they have energy to spare, swap the basilica for the stretch of the Camino de las Ermitas to the Sant Miquel viewpoint. ## Cómo llegar ### By car Essential for this plan: the ranch and Marganell have no train. From Barcelona, a little under an hour on the C-16; from Manresa, 20 minutes. Leave the car in the free car park at Monistrol Vila to go up on the rack railway. ### Driving up to the sanctuary You can also drive all the way up from Monistrol, but the sanctuary car park is paid and has limited spaces. ## Consejos ### Book two days ahead The horse by WhatsApp and the table by phone: the ranch's groups are small. ### Ask the price of the ride The website only publishes 2020 and 2021 rates. Confirm it when booking. ### Do not go on a Monday There are no horse rides and Cal Jaume is closed, except on public holidays. ### In winter, Els Degotalls first In November it gets dark before six: the path in daylight, the basilica afterwards. ## Un consejo más ### In summer, at dawn From June to August, Natural Hipic offers rides at 6:00, back at 8:00, with breakfast at the ranch. That way you ride without the heat and have the whole day left for the monastery. ## Cuándo no ir The Escolanía choir: it sings at 13:00 from Monday to Friday, at lunchtime in this plan. If that is what you are after, look at the other Montserrat plans. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Do you need to know how to ride? No. Natural Hipic has rides for beginners and horses for any level, and ponies for the little ones. ### How much does the horse ride cost? Its website published €30 an hour in 2020. Confirm the current price on WhatsApp when booking. ### Can you do it without a car? It is not practical: neither the ranch nor Marganell has a train. With a car, the rack railway from Monistrol Vila solves the climb. ### How much does the rack railway cost? €15 return per adult and €7.50 for ages 4 to 13 in 2026. ### Which day of the week is best? Tuesday to Sunday. On weekdays there are fewer people at the top; at weekends, the rack railway runs down later.