Today we took the train to Montserrat, a Benedictine monastery that sits right on top of an enormous Rocky Mountain (about 1100 metres high) about 100 or so km north of Barcelona .

Navigating the busy Barcelona metro (Placa España) with its multiple was the first challenge but eventually we all found each other in the bowels of the underground and got on the right train. We needed two trains to get there – first the metro to Montserrat and then the ‘rack train’ or fennicular which winds its way up the mountain to the monastery, the whole journey taking about 90 minutes.

The Basilica itself is fairly austere inside and out, but it defy s imagination how they got the materials up here to build it – which would be a challenge even today with machinery and technology.

Took another (near vertical) funicular up to the very top of the mountain high above the monastery . We rode in the front with nothing but a pane of glass between us and eternity.

Decided to walk one of the mountain top walking trails which gave fabulous views, then realised it was easier to shinny the 40 minutes all the way down to the monastery than haul ourselves back up the hill to the funicular. Small steps and quads of steel got us there. Hats off to the few we passed walking all the way up – even one muscle bound jogger!

Got back down round 4 and the train was about to depart the platform so hot-tailed it rather than wait another hour for the next train and food. We arrived back in Barcelona round 6 absolutely starving – and very stiff from the long walk. Went to the closest tapas joint and sat salivating waiting for our first dishes to arrive.