L'Escolania de Montserrat

Add listening to the ethereal choir songs of one of Europe’s oldest boys choirs to your list of reasons to explore the craggy Montserrat mountainside not far from Barcelona. The boys choir, which dates back to the 13th or 14th century, is not only historic but also world famous, having recorded albums and toured to countries around the globe.
The boys, who range from ages 9-14, go to school here at the monastery, and sing in the basilica, where the public can come to watch. The roughly 50 singers are carefully selected based on a handful of criteria, one of course being their musical ability. Lucky for Montserrat visitors, the choir usually performs twice daily, making a visit to the mountainside getaway just that much more magical.

Practical Info

Note that getting to Montserrat from Barcelona can be a bit tricky, as it requires coordinating times between the train from Barcelona and the cable car or rack railway to the monastery. To make planning easier, you may wish to consider an organized day trip.