We got back from Barcelona over a month ago, and I'm almost to the end of our pictures. I'm still in awe of how many we took and how much we packed into a week long trip. We did a lot of site-seeing while we were in Barcelona. I was prepared to be amazed by most of the places we visited, but there was one place in particular that took me by surprise: Montserrat Mountain.

I heard from several different sources that visiting the Montserrat would be a great 1/2 day trip. Since we didn't have a lot of time to venture away from the city, I thought this would be a perfect little excursion.

We took a train about 60 miles northwest of Barcelona, then got in a tiny, yellow cable car (that holds 30 people), and dangled our way up the mountain... a whole 3,220 feet!

On the top of the mountain is a monastery, with a little village, numerous walking paths, and a gorgeous church. People come from all over the world to visit the Virgin Mary in her mountain sanctuary, where visions of Mary have been reported.

The views of Catalonia from the top of the Montserrat were incredible. I was unprepared for how breathtaking and special our visit to the Montserrat would be. The pictures below do not do it justice!

{ we rode up the mountain in one of these cable cars }