Barcelona to Montserrat

The fearsomely gorgeous trek to Montserrat, the saw-toothed mountain range towering up in the distance behind the seaside city and home to a Benedictine abbey since the 11th century, begins from Barcelona's great Plaça d'Espanya (although the current building is from the 1800s). The Cremallera rack railway has been hauling visitors up the hillside since 1892, and the 23-mile railway line rumbles through the Catalan countryside to the foot of the mountains (with a break from 1957-2003).

It's an amazing ride, one of Europe's Most Beautiful Train Journeys, with the first 2.5 miles climbing 1,800 feet thanks to rack traction. Once you've reached the monastery's level, you can ride the Sant Joan funicular further into the peaks.From there you can hike in the mountains and enjoyr the view of .

• Country: Spain