Yes, Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava in one day is worth it if your time in Barcelona is short and you want all three places with your own guide. The Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour costs EUR 845 per group of up to 6 and runs 11 hours with hotel pick-up. Expect long drives and short stops.
Key takeaways
- The Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour is EUR 845 for the whole group of up to 6, with an 11-hour day and pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or apartment in Barcelona.
- The route covers Montserrat Monastery and Basilica, a walk through Girona old town and its Jewish Quarter, and viewpoints along the Costa Brava coastline.
- It is the longest of the private day trips. A good share of the day is spent in the vehicle, and each stop is a visit rather than a full exploration.
- Splitting the places across two days, for example Essential Montserrat (EUR 835, 5h) and Medieval Girona and Costa Brava (EUR 850, 10h), gives more time at each place but means paying for two private tours.
- Food and drinks are not included, and every tour can be cancelled or moved free of charge up to 96 hours before it starts.
What is the Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour?
It is a private day trip from Barcelona that links three of the most visited places in Catalonia in a single day. A professional guide and a vehicle are reserved for your group only, so nobody else joins and you are not waiting for other passengers at other hotels.
The price is EUR 845 per group of up to 6. That figure covers the group, not each person, so a couple and a family of six pay the same amount for the same day. The tour runs 11 hours from pick-up to drop-off.
The three places on the route are very different from each other:
- Montserrat is a jagged mountain range inland, north-west of Barcelona, with a Benedictine monastery built high on its slopes.
- Girona is a medieval city north-east of Barcelona, with a compact old town, a Jewish Quarter, a cathedral and stretches of old city wall.
- The Costa Brava is the rocky stretch of Mediterranean coast north-east of Barcelona, known for coves, cliffs and pine-covered headlands.
Putting them together gives you a mountain, a historic city and the sea in one day. That variety is the main reason people choose this tour. The cost of that variety is distance, because the three places do not sit in a neat line from Barcelona.
How does the 11-hour day run, stop by stop?
The route below follows the listed itinerary. On a private tour the pace and the time at each stop can flex a little to suit your group, but the core route stays close to what is listed.
Hotel or apartment pick-up in Barcelona
Your guide collects your group from your hotel or apartment in Barcelona. The address is confirmed when you book, and the pick-up time is agreed with you before the day. Because the day is 11 hours long, the start is usually earlier than on a half-day tour, so it helps to plan an early night before.
Montserrat Monastery and Basilica
The first stop is Montserrat, inland from Barcelona. The name means "serrated mountain" in Catalan, and the rock formations look exactly like that: rows of rounded stone pillars rising above the valley.
The Benedictine monastery has stood on the mountain for close to a thousand years and is still home to a community of monks. Inside the Basilica is La Moreneta, the 12th-century wooden statue of the Virgin of Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia. Many visitors queue to see her up close, and your guide will explain the history of the monastery, the statue and the mountain itself.
On this combined tour, Montserrat is a visit to the monastery and basilica area, not a day of hiking on the mountain trails. If walking in the natural park matters to you, that is a reason to look at a separate Montserrat day, covered further down.
Girona old town and the Jewish Quarter
From Montserrat the route heads north-east to Girona. Here the tour slows down into a walk on foot through the old town, which is one of the well-preserved medieval centres in Catalonia.
The walk takes in the Jewish Quarter, a maze of narrow stone lanes and stairways that was home to one of the most important Jewish communities in medieval Catalonia. Along the way you pass Girona Cathedral, which sits at the top of a long, wide flight of steps, and the Arab Baths, a medieval bathhouse whose name refers to its style rather than its builders. The walk also passes the old city walls, which give views over the rooftops of the old town.
Girona is a walking city, and the lanes in the old town are steep in places and cobbled. Comfortable shoes help here more than anywhere else on the day.
Costa Brava coastline viewpoints
The last part of the day takes you to the coast. The Costa Brava, the "rugged coast", gets its name from the rocky shoreline, where pine trees run down to small coves and clear water. On this tour the coast is seen from viewpoints along the shoreline, which is the right pace for the end of a long day.
This is not a beach stop. If you picture a swim and an afternoon on the sand, the combined day will feel short at the coast.
Return to your Barcelona hotel or apartment
The guide drives your group back to Barcelona and drops you at your hotel or apartment. After 11 hours, most people are glad of a quiet dinner and an early night.
How long is the Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava tour?
The tour runs 11 hours, which makes it the longest of the private day trips from Barcelona. Essential Montserrat is the only 5-hour private day trip, and the other private day trips run 10 or 11 hours.
The 11 hours are split between the three stops and the time on the road between them. Montserrat lies inland, north-west of Barcelona, while Girona and the Costa Brava lie north-east, so the route crosses a fair part of Catalonia in one day. Exact timings depend on traffic and the season, so plan for the full day and keep the evening free of fixed bookings.
Is Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava in one day worth it?
It depends on what you want from the day. Here is an honest look at both sides.
What works well
- Three places, one booking. You see a mountain monastery, a medieval city and the coast in a single day, which suits a short stay in Barcelona.
- No transport planning. The vehicle collects you at your hotel or apartment, moves you between stops and brings you back. There are no trains, buses or connections to work out.
- Your group only. The guide and vehicle are reserved for you. Questions, photo stops and comfort breaks fit around your group, not a coach timetable.
- One price for the group. EUR 845 covers up to 6 people, so it can make sense for a family or a small group of friends.
What to accept before you book
- It is a long day. Eleven hours is a lot, especially after a flight or on a tight holiday.
- A lot of time in the vehicle. The three places are spread out, so a meaningful part of the day is spent driving between them.
- Short time at each stop. Each place gets a focused visit. You will not have time to hike at Montserrat, explore every corner of Girona or spend an afternoon by the sea.
- The route is set. The pace can flex, but the core route stays close to the listed one. Requests can be sent before booking, though the tour is not built from scratch around them.
If the pull of the day is seeing the three names together, the tour delivers that well. If you want depth at any one of them, two shorter days are usually the better choice.
Who should choose this tour?
The combined day suits:
- Visitors with only one free day for a trip outside Barcelona who want to see Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava without choosing between them.
- Couples, families with older children and small groups of friends who are comfortable spending a good part of the day in a vehicle.
- Travellers who prefer an overview first, and may come back for a longer visit to one place on a future trip.
- Groups of up to 6 who want one price for the whole group and their own guide.
It is less suited to:
- Families with young children who find long drives tiring.
- Anyone who wants a long walk in the Montserrat natural park, a beach afternoon on the Costa Brava or a museum visit.
- Visitors who would rather spend a relaxed day in one place than see three.
Splitting the places across two days instead
If you have two free days, splitting the route gives each place more time and makes each day lighter. The private options in the facts pack make this easy to plan.
Option 1: Montserrat one day, Girona and the Costa Brava another
- Essential Montserrat: Landscape, History and Spirituality costs EUR 835 per group of up to 6 and runs 5 hours with hotel pick-up in Barcelona. It includes the Montserrat Monastery entrance and a guided walk in the natural park. It is the only 5-hour private day trip, so it leaves the afternoon free in Barcelona. See the Essential Montserrat private tour.
- Medieval Girona and Costa Brava costs EUR 850 per group of up to 6 and runs 10 hours with hotel pick-up. It covers Girona old town and the Jewish Quarter, then the village of Pals and the coastal village of Calella de Palafrugell. See the Medieval Girona and Costa Brava private day trip.
Together these two give you a proper walk at Montserrat and more of the Costa Brava than viewpoints alone. The trade-off is cost: you pay both prices, EUR 835 and EUR 850 per group, which is roughly twice the price of the single combined day.
Option 2: Girona with the Dali Museum, and Montserrat separately
- Medieval Girona and Dali Museum in Figueres costs EUR 825 per group of up to 6 and runs 10 hours with hotel pick-up in Barcelona. It includes the Girona old town walk and the Dali Theatre-Museum entrance ticket in Figueres. See the Medieval Girona and Dali Museum private tour.
This suits groups who care more about Salvador Dali than the coast. Paired with Essential Montserrat on another day, it covers Montserrat and Girona in depth, but without the Costa Brava.
Other Montserrat days
Montserrat also appears on two other private tours. Experience Montserrat and Barcelona with Sagrada Familia access (EUR 849 per group, 10h) combines the Old Town and a Sagrada Familia ticket, subject to availability, with Montserrat Monastery. Montserrat and Boutique Wineries: a Sensor Journey (EUR 855 per group, 10h) pairs the monastery with a family-run boutique winery in Penedes. For a side-by-side of every private day trip, read how to choose private day trips from Barcelona.
How does it compare with the alternatives?
The table compares the combined tour with the closest private alternatives and the shared day trips. Private tours are priced per group of up to 6; shared day trips are priced per person, so the two are not on the same basis.
| Tour | Price | Basis | Duration | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour | EUR 845 | Per group of up to 6 | 11h | Montserrat Monastery and Basilica, Girona old town walk, Costa Brava coastline |
| Essential Montserrat: Landscape, History and Spirituality | EUR 835 | Per group of up to 6 | 5h | Montserrat Monastery entrance and a guided walk in the natural park |
| Medieval Girona and Costa Brava (private) | EUR 850 | Per group of up to 6 | 10h | Girona old town and Jewish Quarter, Pals village, Calella de Palafrugell |
| Medieval Girona and Dali Museum in Figueres (private) | EUR 825 | Per group of up to 6 | 10h | Girona old town walk, Dali Theatre-Museum entrance included |
| Shared Catalonia day trips with hotel pick-up | EUR 135 to 200 | Per person | 5 to 12 hours | Small group, max 8 people |
Private or shared: which makes more sense?
Shared Catalonia day trips with hotel pick-up cost EUR 135 to 200 per person, in a small group of up to 8 people, and run 5 to 12 hours depending on the trip. They are a good option for solo travellers and couples on a budget who are happy to share the vehicle and the guide with others.
The private tour is priced differently. EUR 845 is the price for your whole group of up to 6, not per person. To compare fairly, multiply the per-person price of the shared trip you are looking at by the number of people in your group, then set that total against the private price for the group.
Beyond price, the differences are practical:
- Private: the vehicle and guide are reserved for you, pick-up is at your own hotel or apartment, and the pace can flex around your group.
- Shared: you travel with other guests, the schedule is set for everyone, and you follow the group's pace at each stop.
On a long day like this one, the private format matters more than usual. Eleven hours with your own group, your own breaks and your own questions feels very different from eleven hours on a shared schedule.
What does the EUR 845 per group cover?
The price covers the whole group of up to 6 for the full 11-hour day, with:
- A professional guide for your group only.
- A vehicle reserved for your group.
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or apartment in Barcelona.
- The route through Montserrat Monastery and Basilica, the Girona old town walk and the Costa Brava coastline.
Food and drinks are not included, as on every private tour, and gratuities are optional. The tour page lists the full inclusions, so check it before you book if a specific entrance matters to you.
Practical tips for a long day out
A few simple things make an 11-hour day far easier:
- Eat a proper breakfast. Food is not included, and the first stop comes after a drive.
- Bring water and snacks. They help between stops, especially for children.
- Wear comfortable shoes. Montserrat has slopes and steps, and Girona's old town is cobbled and steep in places.
- Pack a layer. The mountain can feel cooler than the city, and the coast can be breezy.
- Dress respectfully for the Basilica. Shoulders and knees covered is a sensible rule for a working place of worship.
- Keep the evening free. Traffic can shift the return time, so avoid fixed dinner reservations that night.
- Tell your guide what matters most. If your group cares more about Girona than the coast, say so; the pace can flex within the core route.
How to book and when to book
Each tour page has a Book this tour form. A few days of notice is usually enough, but for spring and early autumn dates, book at least a week ahead.
Every tour can be cancelled or moved to another date free of charge up to 96 hours before it starts. Refunds go back to the original payment method within a few business days. A no-show is not refunded.
If you are unsure whether the combined day or two separate days fits your group, send your dates and group size through the contact page before booking.
Conclusion
Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava in one day suits groups who want to see all three places on a short stay and accept a long day with plenty of driving. If you have two free days, splitting the route gives each place the time it deserves. Book on the Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour page, or send a question on WhatsApp to +34 632 93 79 41 or by email to [email protected].
