Vallvidrera Revives Its Past with a Walk through Collserola

The activity, free and with prior registration, will take place on Sunday, October 4, around Vallvidrera to explain how the railway and funicular brought Collserola closer to Barcelona in the early 20th century.

The FAVB Heritage Commission is organising a walk through Vallvidrera and its surroundings on Sunday, October 4, from 10:00 to 13:00. The activity, free but with prior registration, is part of the tours that complement the exhibition ‘Lost Landscapes’ and aims to raise awareness of the history of this area of Collserola.

The meeting point will be in front of the Centre Cívic Orlandai, and it is recommended to arrive by public transport, specifically to the FGC station in Sarrià. The route, which is of low difficulty and lasts about 3 hours, invites participants to bring water and a TMB zone 1 card.

During the walk, the guide Salva Ferran will explain how the arrival of the railway and funicular in the early 20th century brought the mountains closer to Barcelona and offered Barcelonans a new way to enjoy leisure and connect with nature. The urban development of Vallvidrera, a municipality added to Sarrià in 1890 and later to Barcelona in 1921, will also be reviewed.

The growth of Vallvidrera intensified in the late 19th century, with the construction of mobility and service infrastructures, and the opening of six hotels and inns. The bourgeoisie who summered in the area promoted the urbanisation of the mountains with chalets and towers. By the mid-20th century, the population increase brought small facilities and services that established a resident population and left behind the seasonal growth linked to tourism.

The activity is offered in Catalan, Spanish, and English. At the end, participants will share a discussion with vermouth. Interested individuals must register in advance through the channels of the FAVB.

“Barcelona has many realities, and each neighbourhood, throughout its history, has generated its own image that makes it special for its inhabitants,” the organisation states.

This event is part of the walking programme that accompanies the exhibition ‘Lost Landscapes’, an initiative that advocates for the heritage of neighbourhoods and its preservation.