Sant Jeroni Summit Circular Hike from Montserrat

About Sant Jeroni from Montserrat Monastery

The Montserrat Monastery to Sant Jeroni Summit hike is a circular 11.9 km EASY–MEDIUM route starting and finishing at the monastery.

Sant Jeroni is the highest peak of the Montserrat mountain range within the Montserrat Natural Park, Catalonia. The route offers stunning panoramic views of the serrated rock formations and is one of the most popular hikes in the region.

Allow 4 to 6 hours to complete the circuit.

For a more challenging ascent, try my Sant Jeroni from Colbató route. The village of Colbató lies at the foot of the western side of the mountain and makes a great spring hike, especially when combined with a Calçotada meal at La Vinyanova.

Montserrat to Sant Jeroni Hiking Route Description

The hike begins at Montserrat Monastery, which can be visited briefly before setting off. Start from Plaça de l’Abat, where you’ll find a large drinking water fountain — the only reliable source along the route. Carry at least three litres of water.

From the fountain, climb the steps behind it to a statue in an alcove, then turn left across the bridge onto Pas de les Franceses. This path follows the Santa Maria River valley, ascending via concrete steps cut into the mountain before reaching the Santa Anna hermitage, a ruin with views back down towards the monastery.

Continue from Santa Anna along the forest trail known as Camí Vell de Sant Jeroni, crossing the Pla dels Ocells (Plain of the Birds). The trail climbs gradually until it meets the Camí Nou de Sant Jeroni, a well‑used cement path that follows a dry riverbed up to the Ermita de Sant Jeroni. Behind the chapel lies a striking ravine viewpoint worth a short detour.

Beyond the chapel, the trail passes the ruins of a church and the Monument a Verdaguer. Climb up to the brick and cement viewpoint here for sweeping panoramas. At the ruined church outline, look for a metal trapdoor that reveals a basement chamber carved directly into the rock — a fascinating remnant of Montserrat’s monastic past.

The final ascent to Sant Jeroni summit follows concrete steps all the way to the 360‑degree panoramic viewpoint, marked by a circular orientation table at 1,236 metres. Just left of the summit, a metal railing guards a steep ravine — another dramatic vantage point.

For the descent, retrace your steps past the chapel, then follow the Camí Nou de Sant Jeroni towards Sant Joan. This ridge offers viewpoints over Colbató and back towards the monastery.

Watch for a wooden marker post indicating a right turn onto a forest trail leading to Saint Jacob’s stairs. At the top, take the path right to the Santa Magdalena viewpoint, passing additional hermitage ruins. The viewpoint offers spectacular panoramas of the surrounding range.

Return to the main trail via Sant Jacob’s stairs, then descend further until a cliff‑side path with wooden railings branches off to the right. Follow this to the ruins of Santa Onofre and Sant Joan hermitages, built dramatically into the cliff face. Steps then lead down to the Capella de Sant Joan, a small chapel, before continuing along a gravel and cement road to the Sant Joan Funicular upper station. Here you’ll find an outdoor patio viewpoint and vending machines for drinks and snacks.

From the funicular, continue along the Camí de les Hermitages via a gravel and concrete road. A short climb followed by a gentle descent leads to the Sant Miquel chapel. To the right, a ridge path offers superb views towards Colbató and can be taken instead of the gravel road.

Past the chapel, look for a narrow track on the right leading to the Creu de Sant Miquel, an iron cross monument with commanding views of the monastery complex. This is a highlight of the route and should not be missed, even if you are tired.

Return to the main trail and continue down past several monuments back to the monastery. Trails are generally well marked, but there are occasional junctions where it’s easy to take a wrong turn. For accuracy, I recommend following the Wikiloc hiking trail map linked below.

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