10/11/2026
🇪🇸 A Mediterranean Cruise Begins Before You Board the Ship! 🚢
A Mediterranean cruise is on many people’s bucket lists, and when your cruise departs from a city like Barcelona, there’s so much more to experience than just the cruise itself!
Whenever possible, I recommend arriving a couple of days early. Not only does it give you some breathing room in case of flight delays or travel hiccups, but it also gives you a chance to explore some incredible places before setting sail.
Our first adventure took us outside Barcelona to Montserrat, about an hour from the city, and what a beautiful spot!
Montserrat is famous for its unusual, jagged mountain peaks and the historic Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in the 11th century. It’s also home to the Black Madonna, a revered statue of the Virgin Mary and one of Catalonia’s most important religious treasures. For centuries, Montserrat has been a place of pilgrimage, attracting visitors from around the world.
The monastery is impressive, but the surrounding scenery is just as memorable. The rock formations, mountain views and sheer beauty of the area are something else!
It was a wonderful way to spend part of our time before boarding Celebrity Equinox for our 10-day Mediterranean cruise.
My travel tip: If you’re planning a Mediterranean cruise, don’t overlook your departure city. Sometimes the experiences before or after your cruise can be just as memorable as the ports you’ll visit along the way!
📸 A few photos from our visit to Montserrat. The scenery really speaks for itself!
More of our Barcelona adventures to come! 🇪🇸
