Photo spot in Montserrat
Sant Joan funicular — the upper viewpoint
A short, very steep funicular to bare rock above the abbey, with the monastery below and the massif on every side.
About Sant Joan funicular — the upper viewpoint
Get directionsThe Sant Joan funicular climbs a few hundred metres of near-vertical track in about six minutes and puts you on the shoulder of the mountain. From the terrace at the top the monastery is a model far below, the conglomerate towers stand at eye level, and on a clear winter morning the Pyrenees show as a white line on the horizon.
This is the wide-landscape frame of a Montserrat session. Put your subjects on the flat rock near the station and shoot back towards the abbey, or walk five minutes along the marked path for a cleaner foreground of pines and stone with nothing man-made in it.
Light works twice here: early, when the sun comes over the ridge and rakes across the rock, and in the last hour, when everything goes orange and the valley below fills with haze.
It is exposed. Wind at the top is normal and can be strong, the temperature drops noticeably, and there is no shelter beyond the station building — bring a layer even in July, and expect long dresses and hats to need a hand.
Best time to shoot
First departures of the morning, or the last hour before the funicular stops
Tips
The funicular is a separate paid ticket with its own timetable and closes earlier than you expect — check the last descent before planning a sunset shot up here.
Other spots in Montserrat
The monastery terraces and Plaça de Santa Maria
The abbey's main square on a ledge at 720 metres, with the serrated stone fingers of the massif rising straight behind it.
Camí de la Santa Cova
A paved cliff path below the monastery, lined with modernista sculpture, leading to a chapel built into the rock.
Els Degotalls — the quiet north path
A level, shaded walk on the north side of the massif with the Llobregat valley below and almost nobody on it.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know Sant Joan funicular — the upper viewpoint — free of charge.