Sarrià-Sant Gervasi District: Barcelona’s “Zona Alta”

Many Barcelona natives and long-time residents are unfamiliar with the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district, which tends to be quiet and contains few tourist attractions. It's a mostly upper-class residential area, and is one of the districts with the most green spaces in the city. This district, along with neighboring Horta-Guinardó, lies between the city’s urban center and the Collserola Natural Park. It covers approximately 21 square kilometers and has a population of 148,172 inhabitants as of the writing of this article.

The district was created from the amalgamation of two historically independent municipalities that were annexed to the city of Barcelona: Sant Gervasi de Cassoles in 1897, and Sarrià in 1921. (The town of Sarrià had already absorbed Vallvidrera-Les Planes, which was annexed to it in 1890.) Between the end of the 19th and the start of the 20th centuries, the wealthier families in Barcelona built their second homes in this relatively tranquil zone, and would often spend their summer vacations here, away from the bustle of urban life. 

Today, the district is composed of the neighborhoods of Sarrià; Tres Torres; Sant Gervasi-la Bonanova; Sant Gervasi-Galvany; Vallvidrera, Tibidabo i les Planes; and Putxet i el Farró. This district combined with the neighborhood of Pedralbes (which is in the Les Corts district) represent the majority of the upscale residential neighborhoods in the city. It contains a number of educational centers, as well as foreign consulates and embassies. 

You’ll find everything from high-end boutiques and Michelin-starred restaurants to hiking paths along the Vallvidrera reservoir, and from the CosmoCaixa science museum—with its modern planetarium and indoor rain forest—to the funicular leading up to the church and amusement park located at the top of El Tibidabo mountain.

Sarrià

The neighborhood of Sarrià is known as el poblet de la zona alta, or the “little town of the upper zone” of the city, and dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. The town initially developed around the church parish—the Church of Sant Vicenç de Sarrià—and once the railway was built to connect the town to Barcelona, wealthier families began building their summer chalets. Some of these, such as the Quinto San Isidro, are still standing today, as are some of the rural houses like Cal Garriga or Casa Forcada. Once a rural town populated mostly by craftsmen, Sarrià dates back to approximately the year 986, when it was known by the name Sirriano. By the 16th and 17th centuries it became known for its thriving artisan culture, and by 1850, for construction and building. The Torre d’Aigües was erected in 1914 to ensure the area’s water supply, and became another notable landmark. 

Like other neighborhoods—such as Horta, or Gràcia—the formerly independent municipality maintains much of its character, even though it was incorporated into the city of Barcelona in 1921. This annexation by royal decree was not popular with the town’s inhabitants; in fact, Sarrià resisted annexation, and was the final town to be annexed in the area. 

Today, it is famous for its expensive shops and high-quality eateries, as well as nightlife spots. Its cultural centers—Casa Orlandai, Vil·la Cecília, La Sarrianenca, Els Blaus, all housed in historic buildings—host workshops, classes, excursions, concerts and other community-oriented activities. Sarrià is also known for its parks and green spaces, most notably the Sant Amèlia Gardens and the gardens of the l’Oreneta castle, which is a favorite with local children thanks to its miniature steam-powered train, complete with its own “railway stations” along its circuit.

The façades of a number of old houses in Sarrià have been preserved to this day, giving the neighborhood in particular the look of a small Catalan town from a bygone era. Sarriá borders the neighborhood of Pedralbes, known for being one of the most economically elite parts of the city as well as for its medieval-era monastery.

Sant Gervasi-La Bonanova

In medieval times, there was a hermitage in this part of Catalunya dedicated to two saints: Gervasio and Protasio. The name of the neighborhood comes from the name of one of these saints; today, the church parish of Bonanova stands on the site of the old hermitage.

The area, bordered by the Collserola mountains, was historically mostly forests, vineyards and wheat fields, which were later replaced by mansions, summer homes and estates. The area is distinguished by several notable Modernist mansions, including and especially the Torre Bellesguard, which was originally the summer home of King Martin I of Aragon. Later, the Figueres family had it remodeled by up-and-coming architect, Antoni Gaudí. Some of these constructions continue to be culturally and historically significant—several of these historic buildings were converted into civic centers, such as the Centre Cívic Pere Pruna or Centre Cívic Vil·la Florida, which were a church and a rural tower, respectively—while others were replaced by high-end apartment blocks.

From the 17th through the end of the 19th century, the independent town of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles was centered around the Plaza de la Bonanova and the Paseo de Bonanova: the main artery of the neighborhood. The town initially had a sparse population due to its location on the slopes of the Tibidabo mountain, making it less accessible than nearby areas located on the lower plains. The first town hall of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles was established in 1727, and the town was annexed to the city of Barcelona in 1897.

This area was a part of Dr. Salvador Andreu’s “garden city” urban planning project in the early part of the 20th century, which combined the gardens of some of the huge Modernist estates with existing local vegetation. This project helped create Tibidabo Avenue, which became a main artery of the neighborhood, as well as the Tramvia Blau, now an iconic symbol of the neighborhood as well as a popular tourist attraction.

Convents (such as the Valldonzella Convent) and religious schools were historically located in the region, and today, the area continues to be known for its large number of educational institutions: the Abat Oliva and Ramon Llull universities, the Pia de Sarrià School, La Salle Bonanova, and the Jesús-Maria School. The Sant Gervasi Cemetery is also located in the neighborhood. The upscale, mainly residential neighborhood also boasts a number of acclaimed restaurants, several green spaces—the Font del Racó park, the Tamarita gardens, or the Ca n’Altimira—as well as the CosmoCaixa science museum, housed in a historic building designed by Josep Domènech i Estapa.

Sant Gervasi-Galvany

This neighborhood is situated in the lower part of the historic district of Sant Gervasi, between Ronda del Mig and Avinguda Diagonal. The former owner of the lands on which the neighborhood is built was named Josep Castelló i Galvany—hence the adoption of Galvany to distinguish this part of the district. It is located right next to the old Turó Park amusement park, which was converted into a park in 1934. The neighborhood is connected to central Barcelona by the Sarrià train line, which was built in 1868 and electrified in 1902.

The official urbanization plan for the area was implemented in 1866, but like other neighborhoods in the district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, locals have taken care to preserve many of the architecturally significant structures in the area, such as Casa Muñoz Ramonet, which houses an art collection and hosts various cultural activities, and Casa Sagnier, which has been transformed into a civic center. 

Sant Gervsasi-Galvany is closer to Barcelona’s city center than the other barris of the district, which means that there’s arguably more variety when it comes to restaurants, bars, boutiques and other stores, nightlife destination spots and street life in general than in the neighborhoods to the north. This also means that there’s more theft as compared to the other neighborhoods in the district, at least according to the local government’s data.

When the 18th-century Can Ferrer gardens were renovated, it provided the area with a much-needed green space, while simultaneously maintaining the façade of the historic building located on the grounds. This park, as well as parks and gardens such as those of Can Castelló or Monterols park, give the residents a break from the urban rush that bleeds over from Gràcia and L’Eixample.

Les Tres Torres

This neighborhood is located on the outskirts of Sant Gervasi, and gets its name from the three prominent residential estates that dominated the area at the beginning of the 20th century. Of the three, only one of these is still standing: the Casa Mariano Farriols, which currently houses an upscale restaurant. It also contains one of Antoni Gaudi’s first constructions, el Colegio de las Teresianas, as well as the Mexican Consulate, which occupies a house by renowned Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Relatively few aesthetic changes have taken place in the neighborhood since these structures were built, with the notable exception of the construction of the RCD Espanyol football field. This was later demolished to make way for the Camp Sarrià gardens, apartment buildings and a stretch of highway.

In spite of the relatively sparse number of inhabitants, the neighborhood is known for making an effort to foment local cultural activities. The Clarà Library is dedicated to the memory of sculptor Josep Clarà and houses some of his works; the Casa Sant Felip Neri is a beautiful Modernist building run by the Philippian Sisters’ Congregation, which serves as a civic center and hosts events year-round. The neighborhood market and Joaquin Pena square are small hubs of the area’s public social life.

Even though Les Tres Torres is relatively far from downtown Barcelona, it’s easy to get downtown. You can take the L6 train from the Tres Torres stop, and be in Plaça Catalunya in about 15 minutes.

Vallvidrera, Tibidabo i les Planes

This neighborhood covers a swathe of the Collserola mountains, and is characterized by its wild natural setting, is far from the rush of the center of the city. Wild boar, rabbits, birds and all kinds of other local flora and fauna populate the pine groves that are adjacent to parks and single-family homes. The region’s cultural heritage includes important architectural constructions such as the Church of Santa Maria de Vallvidrera, which was built between the years 1540 and 1587, and the house where the Catalan poet Jacint Verdaguer lived and died, called Vil·la Joana, and which is now part of the Barcelona History Museum. The Collserola Natural Park is crossed by the Carretera de les Aigües, a nature path first constructed in 1902, and which is popular with hikers and joggers.

The Vallvidrera neighborhood was an independent township until it was annexed to Sarrià in 1890, and the Vallvidrera reservoir was built in the mid-19th century to supply water to the combined municipality. Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, wealthy families were drawn to the area. They built second homes on Tibidabo mountain with the idea of creating a sort of summer resort area, many in the Modernista or noucentista architectural styles. 

Les Planes was a collection of old farmhouses scattered about the region; later, many of these buildings were converted into hotels with picnicking spots nearby. Even though what remains of these rural homes have been repurposed today, the area retains its own unique atmosphere and personality; for example, the old Mas Sauró farmhouse is now a residence for people living with intellectual disabilities. 

In general, the same aspects that give Vallvidrera, Tibidado i Les Planes its old-world charm are what makes life there a challenge for some: the area’s isolation means that parts of it can only accessed by car, and it’s missing the typical Catalan town center where neighbors can gather to mingle and gossip. Many parts of it only got paved streets, electric lighting and natural gas installations in the 1960s, and it wasn’t until the 1980s that the official urbanization plan was approved.

In spite of this, the neighborhood is also home to one of Barcelona’s most prominent technological innovations. At 560 meters above sea level, the Torre de Collserola offers the highest viewing platform in the city. It was built as a telecommunications tower during the 1992 Olympics, and designed by British architect Norman Foster. 

And of course, the Tibidabo mountain—which is topped by the iconic Sagrat Cor church, the Fabra Observatory, and a historic amusement park—has also become a symbol of the city. Some of the amusement park’s attractions date back almost a century, and it’s Automata Museum is considered to be one of the best in the world. 

Putxet i el Farró

The Avenida de la Republica Argentina separates El Putxet from Vallcarca i els Penitents, and the Avenida de la Riera de Cassoles separtes El Farró from la Vila de Gràcia. 

The upper part of this neighborhood, El Putxet, is a small mountain situated between Vallcarca and Sant Gervasi. There wasn’t much in the area except for a chapel until around 1870, when the upper-middle class began constructing tower-houses and summer homes, some of which (Casa Tusquella, Casa Ramos) are preserved on the area’s historic streets. El Putxet became one of three neighborhoods that formed a part of the old town of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles, together with Lledó and la Bonanova. Like the other neighborhoods in the district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, it was mostly used as a spot to build summer houses, until the Sarrià train in 1863 and the metro in 1924 made the area more accessible and more connected to Barcelona. 

The lower part of the neighborhood, el Farró, is located below the Ronda del Mig. Its main streets are Vallirana and Saragossa. The two adjacent neighborhoods were officially joined together as a part of a modern city plan approved by the Barcelona government, but the Ronda created a significant physical barrier between the two sections of the neighborhood, but the ring road constructed between Lesseps and Balmes helped to bridge this gap. 

Each half of the conjoined neighborhood is proud of having reclaimed a historic construction that was on the verge of being torn down: the Vil·la Urània in el Farró, which was the home of Catalan astronomer Josep Comas i Solà and which was converted into a civic center, and a historic home on Carrer de Manacor in el Putxet, which now houses the Association of Neighbors of El Putxet, the Casa del Silenci (a meditation space), and the Association Minyons Escoltes i Guies Sant Jordi de Catalunya.

The neighborhood boasts several attractive if relatively unknown green spaces, such as the Jardines de Portolà or the Marià Manent garden, and the Turó de Putxet park, which offers panoramic views of the city.